Sound: Ch and Sh
ch starts with a stop; sh is a smooth hiss.
Examples
- chip / ship
- cheap / sheep
Key rules
- Ch starts with a short stop (/t/) and then hisses, as in chip
- Sh is a continuous hiss without the stop, as in ship
- Both are made with the tongue raised toward the roof of the mouth
Common mistakes
- ship pronounced /tʃɪp/ → Say /ʃɪp/ with no stop
- cheap pronounced /ʃiːp/ → Say /tʃiːp/ with a stop at the start
Use cases
- Shopping and food words
- Pronouncing names
- Speaking clearly
💡 Tip: Start the ch sound with a t, then release it into the hiss; sh is smooth from the beginning.