The /b/ sound is very common in everyday English and appears in all positions in a word — at the beginning, middle, and end. Learning how to recognize and pronounce /b/ clearly helps learners improve their speaking, listening, and spelling skills.
Consonant Sound /b/
Sound Type
- /b/ is a voiced plosive (stop) sound.
- Your vocal cords vibrate when you make this sound.
- It is produced by blocking the airflow with both lips, then releasing it — just like /p/, but with voice.
How to Pronounce /b/
- Close your lips tightly.
- Build up air behind them.
- Release the air with your voice.
- You should not feel a big puff of air like with /p/.
🧠 Tip: Place your fingers on your throat — you should feel a vibration when saying /b/.
Below is the pronunciation of the /b/ sound along with an example: bat.
Words with Consonant Sound /b/
Beginning Sound /b/
| Word | IPA | Word | IPA |
|---|---|---|---|
| baby | /ˈbeɪ.bi/ | bag | /bæɡ/ |
| bake | /beɪk/ | ball | /bɔl/ |
| banana | /bəˈnæn.ə/ | band | /bænd/ |
| bank | /bæŋk/ | bark | /bɑrk/ |
| bat | /bæt/ | base | /beɪs/ |
| beach | /biːtʃ/ | bean | /biːn/ |
| bear | /bɛr/ | beat | /biːt/ |
| bed | /bɛd/ | bell | /bɛl/ |
| belt | /bɛlt/ | bench | /bɛntʃ/ |
| best | /bɛst/ | big | /bɪɡ/ |
| bike | /baɪk/ | bill | /bɪl/ |
| bird | /bɝd/ | birth | /bɝθ/ |
| bite | /baɪt/ | black | /blæk/ |
| blade | /bleɪd/ | blame | /bleɪm/ |
| blank | /blæŋk/ | blast | /blæst/ |
| bleed | /bliːd/ | bless | /blɛs/ |
| blind | /blaɪnd/ | block | /blɑk/ |
| blood | /blʌd/ | blue | /bluː/ |
| boat | /boʊt/ | body | /ˈbɑː.di/ |
| boil | /bɔɪl/ | bold | /boʊld/ |
| bone | /boʊn/ | book | /bʊk/ |
| boot | /buːt/ | border | /ˈbɔːr.dɚ/ |
| born | /bɔrn/ | borrow | /ˈbɑː.roʊ/ |
| boss | /bɑs/ | bottle | /ˈbɑː.təl/ |
| bottom | /ˈbɑː.təm/ | bounce | /baʊns/ |
| bowl | /boʊl/ | box | /bɑks/ |
| boy | /bɔɪ/ | brain | /breɪn/ |
| brake | /breɪk/ | branch | /bræntʃ/ |
| brave | /breɪv/ | bread | /brɛd/ |
| break | /breɪk/ | breeze | /briːz/ |
| brick | /brɪk/ | bridge | /brɪdʒ/ |
| bright | /braɪt/ | bring | /brɪŋ/ |
| broad | /brɑd/ | brother | /ˈbrʌð.ɚ/ |
| brush | /brʌʃ/ | bubble | /ˈbʌb.əl/ |
| bucket | /ˈbʌk.ɪt/ | budget | /ˈbʌdʒ.ɪt/ |
| build | /bɪld/ | bulb | /bʌlb/ |
| bump | /bʌmp/ | bundle | /ˈbʌn.dəl/ |
| bunny | /ˈbʌn.i/ | burn | /bɝn/ |
| burst | /bɝst/ | busy | /ˈbɪz.i/ |
Middle Sound /b/
| Word | IPA | Word | IPA |
|---|---|---|---|
| baby | /ˈbeɪ.bi/ | cabin | /ˈkæ.bɪn/ |
| hobby | /ˈhɒ.bi/ | rubber | /ˈrʌ.bər/ |
| label | /ˈleɪ.bəl/ | robber | /ˈrɒ.bər/ |
| noble | /ˈnəʊ.bəl/ | rebel | /ˈre.bəl/ |
| cobble | /ˈkɒ.bəl/ | goblin | /ˈɡɒ.blɪn/ |
| mobile | /ˈməʊ.baɪl/ | habit | /ˈhæ.bɪt/ |
| cabin | /ˈkæ.bɪn/ | ribbon | /ˈrɪ.bən/ |
| tablet | /ˈtæ.blət/ | tuber | /ˈtjuː.bər/ |
| rubber | /ˈrʌ.bər/ | nobleman | /ˈnəʊ.bəl.mən/ |
| number | /ˈnʌm.bər/ | saber | /ˈseɪ.bər/ |
| reboot | /ˈriː.buːt/ | exhibit | /ɪɡˈzɪ.bɪt/ |
| tribute | /ˈtrɪ.bjuːt/ | debate | /dɪˈbeɪt/ |
| submit | /səbˈmɪt/ | album | /ˈæl.bəm/ |
| cubicle | /ˈkjuː.bɪ.kəl/ | ribbon | /ˈrɪ.bən/ |
| urban | /ˈɜː.bən/ | amber | /ˈæm.bər/ |
| alibi | /ˈæ.lɪ.baɪ/ | subway | /ˈsʌb.weɪ/ |
| rubbery | /ˈrʌ.bə.ri/ | garbage | /ˈɡɑː.bɪdʒ/ |
| rebooted | /ˌriːˈbuː.tɪd/ | grabber | /ˈɡræ.bər/ |
| obedient | /əˈbiː.di.ənt/ | Arabic | /əˈræ.bɪk/ |
| ribboning | /ˈrɪ.bə.nɪŋ/ | robbery | /ˈrɒ.bər.i/ |
| debating | /dɪˈbeɪ.tɪŋ/ | tribute | /ˈtrɪ.bjuːt/ |
| stubborn | /ˈstʌ.bən/ | habitant | /ˈhæ.bɪ.tənt/ |
| rebuilding | /ˌriːˈbɪl.dɪŋ/ | sabered | /ˈseɪ.bərd/ |
| cyber | /ˈsaɪ.bər/ | urbanite | /ˈɜː.bə.naɪt/ |
| probation | /prəˈbeɪ.ʃən/ | obesity | /əʊˈbiː.sə.ti/ |
| stubbornly | /ˈstʌ.bən.li/ | embers | /ˈɛm.bərz/ |
| verbose | /vɜːˈbəʊs/ | mobility | /məʊˈbɪ.lə.ti/ |
| labeler | /ˈleɪ.bə.lər/ | abacus | /ˈæ.bə.kəs/ |
| rebooting | /ˌriːˈbuː.tɪŋ/ | algebra | /ˈæl.dʒə.brə/ |
| lobster | /ˈlɒb.stər/ | zebra | /ˈziː.brə/ |
Ending Sound /b/
| Word | IPA | Word | IPA |
|---|---|---|---|
| cab | /kæb/ | tub | /tʌb/ |
| crab | /kræb/ | grab | /ɡræb/ |
| jab | /dʒæb/ | sob | /sɒb/ |
| snob | /snɒb/ | club | /klʌb/ |
| knob | /nɒb/ | blab | /blæb/ |
| blob | /blɒb/ | drab | /dræb/ |
| glib | /ɡlɪb/ | flab | /flæb/ |
| lab | /læb/ | mob | /mɒb/ |
| nab | /næb/ | web | /wɛb/ |
| rib | /rɪb/ | rob | /rɒb/ |
| sub | /sʌb/ | jab | /dʒæb/ |
| fib | /fɪb/ | curb | /kɜːb/ |
| barb | /bɑːb/ | bulb | /bʌlb/ |
| blob | /blɒb/ | limb (silent b) | /lɪm/ |
| bomb (silent b) | /bɒm/ | climb (silent b) | /klaɪm/ |
| comb (silent b) | /kəʊm/ | numb (silent b) | /nʌm/ |
| thumb (silent b) | /θʌm/ | tomb (silent b) | /tuːm/ |
| disturb | /dɪˈstɜːb/ | proverb | /ˈprɒ.vɜːb/ |
| perturb | /pəˈtɜːb/ | celeb | /səˈleb/ |
| blurb | /blɜːb/ | kebab | /kəˈbæb/ |
| absorb | /əbˈzɔːb/ | disturb | /dɪˈstɜːb/ |
| wasp (*final letter is “b” but no /b/ sound) | /wɒsp/ | rib | /rɪb/ |
| job | /dʒɒb/ | hob | /hɒb/ |
| bib | /bɪb/ | cub | /kʌb/ |
| hub | /hʌb/ | lob | /lɒb/ |
| pub | /pʌb/ | grub | /ɡrʌb/ |
| stub | /stʌb/ | shrub | /ʃrʌb/ |
| tab | /tæb/ | throb | /θrɒb/ |
| drib | /drɪb/ | ebb | /ɛb/ |
| orb | /ɔːb/ | squib | /skwɪb/ |
Example Sentences for Practicing /b/ Sound
- Ben bought a big blue balloon.
- The baby is biting the banana.
- Bob baked brown bread before breakfast.
- Bees buzzed by the blooming bush.
- Brenda brings books to the bus stop.
- The rabbit has a habit of nibbling.
- He opened the cabinet and found a tablet.
- My neighbor is very sociable and humble.
The table was wobbly and unstable.
- They rebooted the computer twice.
- He caught a crab near the cab.
- She gave the baby a bib.
- Grab the tub before it spills.
- Rob lost his job at the pub.
- They heard a throb and saw the bulb flash.
The /b/ Sound: Pronunciation and Examples — Practice Quiz
Q1
Question 1: What is the /b/ sound in English?
Q2
Question 2: When you say the /b/ sound, your vocal cords vibrate.
Q3
Question 3: Which sentence uses the /b/ sound correctly at the beginning, middle, AND end of words?
Q4
Question 4: Match each word to the position where its /b/ sound appears.
Q5