The three sounds of ch in English
Compare ch in chocolate, chemistry, and chivalry, then practice recognizing the sound in less familiar words.
Practice goal: Recognize /tʃ/, /k/, and /ʃ/ without relying on the spelling alone.
Start with three anchors
Say chocolate, chemistry, and chivalry. Chocolate starts with /tʃ/, the sound in chair. Chemistry starts with /k/. Chivalry starts with /ʃ/, the sound in she. These three familiar sounds give you something to compare with each new word.
Listen inside the word
Ch need not come at the beginning. In arch it ends the word; in architect it occurs after the first r. Play both videos and compare those consonants. Position alone does not tell you which sound to use.
Check, then recall
Choose one word from each group. Hear it in the APG video, say its practice sentence, and close the page. Say the three words again before checking the IPA. The quiz checks how ch works across different words.
Your listening list
12 wordsChoose a word to hear it in an APG video.
/tʃ/ as in chair
Listen for the brief stop followed by the sh-like release. The ch sound can begin a word or close its last syllable.
chocolate
/ˈtʃɔk.(ə.)lɪt/
The middle vowel can be absent.
Stress the first syllable and use ch as in chair. The middle vowel can disappear; the ending does not sound like late.
Watch chocolate →chia
/ˈtʃiə/
CHEE-uh: keep the first vowel long.
The ch is the sound at the start of “chair.” Let ee move into a short, unstressed uh rather than ending the word after CHEE.
Watch chia →arch
/ɑɹtʃ/
End with the ch sound in “chair.”
Arch has one syllable and ends with /tʃ/, the ch of chair. Compare it with archetype, whose ch sounds like k. Let the American r lead straight into the final consonant.
Watch arch →scratch
/skɹætʃ/
Begin with s-k-r as one cluster.
Keep all three opening consonants together before the vowel in cat. The ending is the ch sound in chair; no extra vowel belongs before the initial s.
Watch scratch →
/k/ as in key
Chemistry, chaos, choir, and architect spell the k sound with ch. Choir adds a w sound immediately afterward.
chemistry
/ˈkɛməstɹi/
The ch has a k sound.
Start with k rather than the ch sound in chair. The first syllable is strongest; keep the s-t-r sequence connected before the final ee vowel.
Watch chemistry →chaos
/ˈkeɪɑs/
The first syllable sounds like “kay.”
Use two syllables, beginning with k rather than the ch of chair. Keep the first vowel strongest and let the second vowel lead directly into s.
Watch chaos →choir
/kwaɪɚ/
Start with /kw/.
Begin with kw, as in quick. Follow it with the vowel in eye and an r-colored ending.
Watch choir →architect
/ˈɑɹkəˌtɛkt/
Stress “ar” and pronounce “ch” as “k.”
Use three syllables and a lighter middle vowel. The final syllable ends with k followed by t; retain that order without adding a vowel after the last consonant.
Watch architect →
/ʃ/ as in she
Begin the sound with a continuous flow of air. Compare the opening of chivalry with the consonant in the middle of brochure.
charcuterie
/ʃɑɹˈkutəɹi/
The strongest beat falls on “koo.”
Stress KOO. Begin with the sh sound in she and keep the syllables after KOO lighter.
Watch charcuterie →chivalry
/ˈʃɪvəlɹi/
SHIV-uhl-ree: start with sh, then a short i.
The strongest beat is SHIV. Keep the middle vowel light and move from l into r without adding another full syllable.
Watch chivalry →chicanery
/ʃɪˈkeɪn(ə)ɹi/
shih-KAY-nuh-ree: ch sounds like sh.
The stressed vowel is the long a of “day.” The vowel after the n may be very short or disappear, making the last part sound like “nree.”
Watch chicanery →brochure
/bɹoʊˈʃʊɹ/
broh-SHOOR: stress the second syllable.
Use two syllables, beginning with a lighter bro. The ch spelling represents sh, leading into the stronger final r-colored syllable rather than the ch of chair.
Watch brochure →
Test these pronunciations
Try 8 questions from this guide. Each answer includes an APG video, dictionary reference, and explanation.
Try this guide’s quiz →Sources & classroom use
Each listening tip follows the IPA shown beside its word. Other dictionary pronunciations appear on the word page; individual speakers may vary.
Practice phrases were written for these exercises; quoted book passages remain in the separate, sourced book sections. These guides and practice notes are available under CC BY-SA 4.0. Credit American Pronunciation Guide and retain the linked dictionary attributions. Videos and other reference material keep their own terms.
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