How to use the chart
Each card is one sound. The symbol between slashes is how dictionaries write it, and the two words show where you hear it: /æ/ is the vowel in cat and black. Play both, then say them after the speaker. The colon-like mark ː means the vowel is long, as in /iː/ in see.
Why the American and British charts differ
The two accents share most sounds, but not all. British English has the short vowel /ɒ/ in hot, where American English says /ɑː/. American English keeps the r after vowels, so teacher ends in /ɚ/ and near is /nɪr/, while British English says /ə/ and /nɪə/. American water and better also have a quick tap, /ɾ/, where British English has a clear t.
From the chart to real words
Once the symbols feel familiar, read the transcription of any word in a dictionary, or paste a whole sentence into the OOWN transcription tool to see every word in IPA, in the accent you choose.
Transcribe your own text