Have you ever noticed the smooth “ng” sound at the end of words like sing, long, or song? That unique sound is called the consonant sound /ŋ/. Mastering /ŋ/ will help you pronounce many everyday words more naturally and clearly. This page will explore how to produce the /ŋ/ sound correctly, discover where it appears in words, and practice with examples and fun activities to boost your speaking confidence.
Consonant Sound /ŋ/
What Is the Consonant Sound /ŋ/?
✅ IPA Symbol: /ŋ/
✅ Name: Voiced Velar Nasal
✅ Voicing: Voiced (your vocal cords vibrate)
✅ Mouth Position: The back of your tongue touches the soft palate (the velum)
✅ Airflow: Air passes through the nose
This is the ng sound you hear at the end of “sing,” “long,” “ring.”
How to Pronounce /ŋ/
- Open your mouth slightly.
- Lift the back of your tongue against the soft palate (velum).
- Keep the front of the tongue relaxed.
- Let the air come out through your nose.
- Make sure your vocal cords vibrate.
Below is the pronunciation of the /ŋ/ sound along with an example: sing.
✅ It is never pronounced with a /g/ at the end in words like sing (it’s /sɪŋ/, not /sɪŋg/).
Examples of Words with /ŋ/
| Word | IPA |
|---|---|
| sing | /sɪŋ/ |
| ring | /rɪŋ/ |
| long | /lɔːŋ/ |
| king | /kɪŋ/ |
| song | /sɒŋ/ |
| bring | /brɪŋ/ |
| wing | /wɪŋ/ |
| strong | /strɒŋ/ |
| morning | /ˈmɔːnɪŋ/ |
| running | /ˈrʌnɪŋ/ |
🔍 Note: /ŋ/ can be:
- At the end: sing
- Before /k/: think /θɪŋk/
- Before /g/: finger /ˈfɪŋɡər/
Common Spellings for /ŋ/
- -ng → sing, long
- -n before k/g → think, thank, finger
- -ngue (in some dialects) → tongue /tʌŋ/
Words with Consonant Sound /ŋ/
Middle /ŋ/ Sound
| Word | IPA |
| finger | /ˈfɪŋɡər/ |
| bringing | /ˈbrɪŋɪŋ/ |
| anger | /ˈæŋɡər/ |
| jungle | /ˈʤʌŋɡəl/ |
| hungry | /ˈhʌŋɡri/ |
| English | /ˈɪŋɡlɪʃ/ |
| single | /ˈsɪŋɡəl/ |
| longer | /ˈlɔːŋɡər/ |
| bingo | /ˈbɪŋɡoʊ/ |
| angle | /ˈæŋɡəl/ |
| tangle | /ˈtæŋɡəl/ |
| mingle | /ˈmɪŋɡəl/ |
| jungle | /ˈʤʌŋɡəl/ |
| dangle | /ˈdæŋɡəl/ |
| bungle | /ˈbʌŋɡəl/ |
| hanger | /ˈhæŋər/ |
| stronger | /ˈstrɔːŋɡər/ |
| thankless | /ˈθæŋkləs/ |
| thankful | /ˈθæŋkfʊl/ |
| thinking | /ˈθɪŋkɪŋ/ |
| banker | /ˈbæŋkər/ |
| ranking | /ˈræŋkɪŋ/ |
| thankful | /ˈθæŋkfʊl/ |
| ranking | /ˈræŋkɪŋ/ |
| blinking | /ˈblɪŋkɪŋ/ |
| drinking | /ˈdrɪŋkɪŋ/ |
| linking | /ˈlɪŋkɪŋ/ |
| thinking | /ˈθɪŋkɪŋ/ |
| banking | /ˈbæŋkɪŋ/ |
| shrinking | /ˈʃrɪŋkɪŋ/ |
| spanking | /ˈspæŋkɪŋ/ |
| ranking | /ˈræŋkɪŋ/ |
| twinkle | /ˈtwɪŋkəl/ |
| wrinkle | /ˈrɪŋkəl/ |
| sprinkling | /ˈsprɪŋklɪŋ/ |
| sprinkle | /ˈsprɪŋkəl/ |
| wrangle | /ˈræŋɡəl/ |
| bangle | /ˈbæŋɡəl/ |
| mangled | /ˈmæŋɡəld/ |
| dangling | /ˈdæŋɡlɪŋ/ |
| jingle | /ˈʤɪŋɡəl/ |
| singing | /ˈsɪŋɪŋ/ |
| banging | /ˈbæŋɪŋ/ |
| clanging | /ˈklæŋɪŋ/ |
| longing | /ˈlɔːŋɪŋ/ |
| pinging | /ˈpɪŋɪŋ/ |
| ringing | /ˈrɪŋɪŋ/ |
| winging | /ˈwɪŋɪŋ/ |
| hanging | /ˈhæŋɪŋ/ |
| flinging | /ˈflɪŋɪŋ/ |
| slinging | /ˈslɪŋɪŋ/ |
| stinging | /ˈstɪŋɪŋ/ |
| swinging | /ˈswɪŋɪŋ/ |
| longing | /ˈlɔːŋɪŋ/ |
| clinging | /ˈklɪŋɪŋ/ |
| wringing | /ˈrɪŋɪŋ/ |
| springing | /ˈsprɪŋɪŋ/ |
| kingly | /ˈkɪŋli/ |
| singing | /ˈsɪŋɪŋ/ |
| Englishman | /ˈɪŋɡlɪʃmən/ |
| England | /ˈɪŋɡlənd/ |
| linguist | /ˈlɪŋɡwɪst/ |
| language | /ˈlæŋɡwɪʤ/ |
| engaging | /ɪnˈɡeɪʤɪŋ/ |
| longest | /ˈlɔːŋɡəst/ |
| singing | /ˈsɪŋɪŋ/ |
| hanging | /ˈhæŋɪŋ/ |
| younger | /ˈjʌŋɡər/ |
| stronger | /ˈstrɔːŋɡər/ |
| stronger | /ˈstrɔːŋɡər/ |
| younger | /ˈjʌŋɡər/ |
| Englishwoman | /ˈɪŋɡlɪʃˌwʊmən/ |
| singer | /ˈsɪŋər/ |
| singer | /ˈsɪŋər/ |
| fingerling | /ˈfɪŋɡərlɪŋ/ |
| kingdom | /ˈkɪŋdəm/ |
| dangling | /ˈdæŋɡlɪŋ/ |
| tingle | /ˈtɪŋɡəl/ |
| tingling | /ˈtɪŋɡlɪŋ/ |
| ringing | /ˈrɪŋɪŋ/ |
| binging | /ˈbɪŋɪŋ/ |
| pinging | /ˈpɪŋɪŋ/ |
| singing | /ˈsɪŋɪŋ/ |
Ending /ŋ/ Sound
| Word | IPA |
| sing | /sɪŋ/ |
| ring | /rɪŋ/ |
| king | /kɪŋ/ |
| wing | /wɪŋ/ |
| long | /lɔːŋ/ |
| song | /sɒŋ/ |
| strong | /strɒŋ/ |
| bang | /bæŋ/ |
| hang | /hæŋ/ |
| thing | /θɪŋ/ |
| bring | /brɪŋ/ |
| spring | /sprɪŋ/ |
| sting | /stɪŋ/ |
| swing | /swɪŋ/ |
| cling | /klɪŋ/ |
| fling | /flɪŋ/ |
| slang | /slæŋ/ |
| wring | /rɪŋ/ |
| ping | /pɪŋ/ |
| ding | /dɪŋ/ |
| string | /strɪŋ/ |
| young | /jʌŋ/ |
| among | /əˈmʌŋ/ |
| throng | /θrɒŋ/ |
| along | /əˈlɒŋ/ |
| belong | /bɪˈlɒŋ/ |
| prolong | /prəˈlɒŋ/ |
| wrong | /rɒŋ/ |
| lung | /lʌŋ/ |
| tongue | /tʌŋ/ |
| gong | /ɡɒŋ/ |
| dung | /dʌŋ/ |
| among | /əˈmʌŋ/ |
| ceiling | /ˈsiːlɪŋ/ |
| evening | /ˈiːvnɪŋ/ |
| morning | /ˈmɔːnɪŋ/ |
| boring | /ˈbɔːrɪŋ/ |
| warning | /ˈwɔːrnɪŋ/ |
| calling | /ˈkɔːlɪŋ/ |
| feeling | /ˈfiːlɪŋ/ |
| going | /ˈɡoʊɪŋ/ |
| hearing | /ˈhɪərɪŋ/ |
| parking | /ˈpɑːrkɪŋ/ |
| playing | /ˈpleɪɪŋ/ |
| reading | /ˈriːdɪŋ/ |
| running | /ˈrʌnɪŋ/ |
| saying | /ˈseɪɪŋ/ |
| sitting | /ˈsɪtɪŋ/ |
| talking | /ˈtɔːkɪŋ/ |
| walking | /ˈwɔːkɪŋ/ |
| working | /ˈwɜːrkɪŋ/ |
| writing | /ˈraɪtɪŋ/ |
| laughing | /ˈlæfɪŋ/ |
| shining | /ˈʃaɪnɪŋ/ |
| coming | /ˈkʌmɪŋ/ |
| cooking | /ˈkʊkɪŋ/ |
| eating | /ˈiːtɪŋ/ |
| fixing | /ˈfɪksɪŋ/ |
| hoping | /ˈhoʊpɪŋ/ |
| jumping | /ˈʤʌmpɪŋ/ |
| learning | /ˈlɜːrnɪŋ/ |
| living | /ˈlɪvɪŋ/ |
| making | /ˈmeɪkɪŋ/ |
| meeting | /ˈmiːtɪŋ/ |
| opening | /ˈoʊpənɪŋ/ |
| picking | /ˈpɪkɪŋ/ |
| playing | /ˈpleɪɪŋ/ |
| putting | /ˈpʊtɪŋ/ |
| reading | /ˈriːdɪŋ/ |
| running | /ˈrʌnɪŋ/ |
| saying | /ˈseɪɪŋ/ |
| sending | /ˈsendɪŋ/ |
| shopping | /ˈʃɒpɪŋ/ |
| sitting | /ˈsɪtɪŋ/ |
| standing | /ˈstændɪŋ/ |
| talking | /ˈtɔːkɪŋ/ |
| thinking | /ˈθɪŋkɪŋ/ |
| trying | /ˈtraɪɪŋ/ |
| using | /ˈjuːzɪŋ/ |
| waiting | /ˈweɪtɪŋ/ |
| watching | /ˈwɒʧɪŋ/ |
| working | /ˈwɜːrkɪŋ/ |
| writing | /ˈraɪtɪŋ/ |
| yawning | /ˈjɔːnɪŋ/ |
| zipping | /ˈzɪpɪŋ/ |
| yelling | /ˈjelɪŋ/ |
| whizzing | /ˈwɪzɪŋ/ |
| wheezing | /ˈwiːzɪŋ/ |
| welding | /ˈweldɪŋ/ |
| warning | /ˈwɔːrnɪŋ/ |
| wandering | /ˈwɒndərɪŋ/ |
| wanting | /ˈwɒntɪŋ/ |
Tongue Twisters with /ŋ/
✅ 1. Singing and Ringing
Singing singers swing and ring silver strings.
✅ 2. King Kong’s Strong Song
King Kong sang a strong song all day long.
✅ 3. Spring String Sling
Spring brings bright strings swinging and clinging.
✅ 4. Clinging and Flinging
Clinging and flinging, the ringing things sing.
✅ 5. Thinking Things
Thinking things through makes strong thinking stronger.
✅ 6. Banging and Hanging
Banging and hanging, singing and swinging—everything’s ringing!
✅ 7. Wrangling Wrinkles
Wrangling wrinkly wings in the windy spring.
✅ 8. Long Strong Strings
Long strong strings swung and sang songs.
✅ 9. Bringing Rings
Bringing bright rings brings bright singing.
✅ 10. Spring Swing
Spring swings sing sweet swinging songs.