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Examples of RP

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Hey, you going out tonight?

//heɪ/ju ˈgəʊɪŋ aʊt təˈnaɪt//

Notice that he omits the verb are before you. However, he pronounces going with /ŋ/ which in many parts of the English-speaking world is generally pronounced /n/, especially in casual speech.

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D'you know where the lecture is today?

//dʒu nəʊ weə ðə ˈlektʃə ɪz təˈdeɪ//

Notice the pronunciation of do you as /dʒu/. This pronunciation would not be found among conservative speakers of RP but is very common among the young.

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Did you watch the match the other night?

//dɪdʒu wɒtʃ ðə mætʃ ði ˈʌðə naɪt//

Notice the pronunciation of Did you as /dɪdʒu/. This is not found in the speech of conservative speakers of RP.

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Have you ever been to London?


//hæv ju ˈevə biːn tə ˈlʌndən//

Notice the weak pronunciation of to. This is typical of MOST kinds of English. To is normally pronounced /tə/ before a consonant and /tu/ before a vowel. It is pronounced strong /tuː/ at the end of a clause. (See activities on function words).

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Would you like to see "Paths of Glory"?


//wʊd ju laɪk tə siː pɑːðz əv ˈglɔːri//

Notice that the plural of paths ends with a voiced alveolar fricative even though the singular ends with a voiceless dental fricative as you will hear in the next example.

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It's at the end of the garden path.


// ɪts ət ði end əv ðə gɑːdən pɑːθ//

Notice that path is pronounced with a voiceless dental fricative in contrast with paths above. Notice also that path/paths is pronounced with a long open "a": /ɑː/. The BATH words are often felt to be markers of social class.

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Is there any chance of a drink?


//ɪz ðeə ˈeni tʃɑːns əv ə drɪŋk//

The word chance is also a BATH word. It is pronounced with a /æ/ in most other accents of English.

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You'll be lucky if you find anything under that bush.
//juːl bi ˈlʌki ɪf ju faɪnd ˈeniθɪŋ ˈʌndə ðæt bʊʃ//

Notice that lucky is pronounced with a /ʌ/ while bush is pronounced with a /ʊ/. They are both pronounced with a /ʊ/ in many parts of the Midlands and North of England.

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I'm from South-West London.


//aɪm frəm ˈsaʊθ west ˈlʌndən//

Notice the /ʌ/ in London. A northerner would be very likely to pronounce it with a /ʊ/.