Contents
Have you noticed that words like sing, long, and king all end with the same smooth sound? That’s thanks to the consonant digraph “ng.” This digraph combines two letters to create the special /ŋ/ sound, which doesn’t sound exactly like n or g alone. In this article, you’ll learn how to recognize, pronounce, and use “ng” correctly in English words. Mastering this digraph will help you improve both your speaking clarity and your spelling skills!
Consonant Digraph “ng”
The consonant digraph “ng” represents a single sound: /ŋ/. This is called the velar nasal sound. You hear it at the end of words like sing, long, and song.
How It Sounds
-
It’s the “ng” sound in ring.
-
Your tongue touches the back of your mouth, near your soft palate.
-
Air passes through your nose.
Press play and observe how the /ŋ/ sound softens in “sing.”
Where It Appears
-
At the end of words:
-
ring, king, long, song
-
-
In the middle of words:
-
finger, hungry, single
-
✅ Important Note
-
“ng” never sounds like /n/ + /g/ separately at the end of English words. For example, in sing, you don’t pronounce the “g” as a separate /g/ sound.
-
However, in some words like anger or finger, the “g” may be pronounced as a /g/.
✅ Examples
-
sing – /sɪŋ/
-
long – /lɔːŋ/
-
ring – /rɪŋ/
-
singing – /ˈsɪŋɪŋ/
-
finger – /ˈfɪŋɡər/ (here, the /g/ is pronounced)
Words with Consonant Digraph “ng”
| Word | IPA |
| singer | /ˈsɪŋər/ |
| singing | /ˈsɪŋɪŋ/ |
| bringing | /ˈbrɪŋɪŋ/ |
| hanging | /ˈhæŋɪŋ/ |
| banging | /ˈbæŋɪŋ/ |
| clinging | /ˈklɪŋɪŋ/ |
| ringing | /ˈrɪŋɪŋ/ |
| longing | /ˈlɔːŋɪŋ/ |
| flinging | /ˈflɪŋɪŋ/ |
| wringing | /ˈrɪŋɪŋ/ |
| slinging | /ˈslɪŋɪŋ/ |
| stinging | /ˈstɪŋɪŋ/ |
| swinging | /ˈswɪŋɪŋ/ |
| springing | /ˈsprɪŋɪŋ/ |
| winging | /ˈwɪŋɪŋ/ |
| singing | /ˈsɪŋɪŋ/ |
| pinging | /ˈpɪŋɪŋ/ |
| zinging | /ˈzɪŋɪŋ/ |
| dinging | /ˈdɪŋɪŋ/ |
| lunging | /ˈlʌndʒɪŋ/ |
| ending | /ˈɛndɪŋ/ |
| lending | /ˈlɛndɪŋ/ |
| sending | /ˈsɛndɪŋ/ |
| tending | /ˈtɛndɪŋ/ |
| mending | /ˈmɛndɪŋ/ |
| blending | /ˈblɛndɪŋ/ |
| spending | /ˈspɛndɪŋ/ |
| binding | /ˈbaɪndɪŋ/ |
| finding | /ˈfaɪndɪŋ/ |
| winding | /ˈwaɪndɪŋ/ |
| grinding | /ˈɡraɪndɪŋ/ |
| standing | /ˈstændɪŋ/ |
| landing | /ˈlændɪŋ/ |
| funding | /ˈfʌndɪŋ/ |
| handling | /ˈhændlɪŋ/ |
| painting | /ˈpeɪntɪŋ/ |
| planting | /ˈplæntɪŋ/ |
| granting | /ˈɡræntɪŋ/ |
| counting | /ˈkaʊntɪŋ/ |
| hunting | /ˈhʌntɪŋ/ |
| renting | /ˈrɛntɪŋ/ |
| printing | /ˈprɪntɪŋ/ |
| melting | /ˈmɛltɪŋ/ |
| meeting | /ˈmiːtɪŋ/ |
| waiting | /ˈweɪtɪŋ/ |
| wanting | /ˈwɒntɪŋ/ |
| shouting | /ˈʃaʊtɪŋ/ |
| cutting | /ˈkʌtɪŋ/ |
| getting | /ˈɡɛtɪŋ/ |
| hitting | /ˈhɪtɪŋ/ |
| putting | /ˈpʊtɪŋ/ |
| sitting | /ˈsɪtɪŋ/ |
| setting | /ˈsɛtɪŋ/ |
| letting | /ˈlɛtɪŋ/ |
| fitting | /ˈfɪtɪŋ/ |
| quitting | /ˈkwɪtɪŋ/ |
| lighting | /ˈlaɪtɪŋ/ |
| fighting | /ˈfaɪtɪŋ/ |
| writing | /ˈraɪtɪŋ/ |
| reading | /ˈriːdɪŋ/ |
| leaning | /ˈliːnɪŋ/ |
| learning | /ˈlɜːnɪŋ/ |
| earning | /ˈɜːnɪŋ/ |
| yearning | /ˈjɜːnɪŋ/ |
| turning | /ˈtɜːnɪŋ/ |
| warning | /ˈwɔːnɪŋ/ |
| morning | /ˈmɔːnɪŋ/ |
| joining | /ˈdʒɔɪnɪŋ/ |
| pointing | /ˈpɔɪntɪŋ/ |
| appointing | /əˈpɔɪntɪŋ/ |
| anointing | /əˈnɔɪntɪŋ/ |
| painting | /ˈpeɪntɪŋ/ |
| fainting | /ˈfeɪntɪŋ/ |
| counting | /ˈkaʊntɪŋ/ |
| mounting | /ˈmaʊntɪŋ/ |
| planting | /ˈplæntɪŋ/ |
| granting | /ˈɡræntɪŋ/ |
| wanting | /ˈwɒntɪŋ/ |
| hunting | /ˈhʌntɪŋ/ |
| renting | /ˈrɛntɪŋ/ |
| chanting | /ˈtʃɑːntɪŋ/ |
| granting | /ˈɡræntɪŋ/ |
| printing | /ˈprɪntɪŋ/ |
| blending | /ˈblɛndɪŋ/ |
| tending | /ˈtɛndɪŋ/ |
| lending | /ˈlɛndɪŋ/ |
| mending | /ˈmɛndɪŋ/ |
| sending | /ˈsɛndɪŋ/ |
| spending | /ˈspɛndɪŋ/ |
| ending | /ˈɛndɪŋ/ |
| defending | /dɪˈfɛndɪŋ/ |
| offending | /əˈfɛndɪŋ/ |
| depending | /dɪˈpɛndɪŋ/ |
| pretending | /prɪˈtɛndɪŋ/ |
| attending | /əˈtɛndɪŋ/ |
| extending | /ɪkˈstɛndɪŋ/ |
| exploding | /ɪkˈspləʊdɪŋ/ |
| unfolding | /ʌnˈfəʊldɪŋ/ |
| providing | /prəˈvaɪdɪŋ/ |
| shocking | /ˈʃɒkɪŋ/ |
| picking | /ˈpɪkɪŋ/ |
| packing | /ˈpækɪŋ/ |
| lacking | /ˈlækɪŋ/ |
| marking | /ˈmɑːkɪŋ/ |
| parking | /ˈpɑːkɪŋ/ |
| cooking | /ˈkʊkɪŋ/ |
| booking | /ˈbʊkɪŋ/ |
| hooking | /ˈhʊkɪŋ/ |
| looking | /ˈlʊkɪŋ/ |
| shaking | /ˈʃeɪkɪŋ/ |
| breaking | /ˈbreɪkɪŋ/ |
| making | /ˈmeɪkɪŋ/ |
| taking | /ˈteɪkɪŋ/ |
| waking | /ˈweɪkɪŋ/ |
| seeking | /ˈsiːkɪŋ/ |
| leaking | /ˈliːkɪŋ/ |
| peeking | /ˈpiːkɪŋ/ |
| working | /ˈwɜːkɪŋ/ |
| walking | /ˈwɔːkɪŋ/ |
| talking | /ˈtɔːkɪŋ/ |
| liking | /ˈlaɪkɪŋ/ |
| daring | /ˈdeərɪŋ/ |
| caring | /ˈkeərɪŋ/ |
| staring | /ˈsteərɪŋ/ |
| wearing | /ˈweərɪŋ/ |
| tearing | /ˈteərɪŋ/ |
| boring | /ˈbɔːrɪŋ/ |
| scoring | /ˈskɔːrɪŋ/ |
| roaring | /ˈrɔːrɪŋ/ |
| soaring | /ˈsɔːrɪŋ/ |
| pouring | /ˈpɔːrɪŋ/ |
| touring | /ˈtʊərɪŋ/ |
| securing | /sɪˈkjʊərɪŋ/ |
| enduring | /ɪnˈdjʊərɪŋ/ |
| occurring | /əˈkɜːrɪŋ/ |
| ensuring | /ɪnˈʃʊərɪŋ/ |
| repairing | /rɪˈpeərɪŋ/ |
| preparing | /prɪˈpeərɪŋ/ |