How to Pronounce Sex vs Six in English

by Adriana | Aug 31, 2018 | English Pronunciation Lessons

How to pronounce sex vs six in English? Friends, it can be quite awkward if you mispronounce these words when speaking in English, it does happen, and it is only normal as you may not have these sounds in your language. Together in this lesson well go through the difference in pronunciation of the words SEX and SIX to help you better pronounce them when speaking in English!

Watch the video lesson to learn How to Pronounce Six and Sex in English

Make sure to turn on subtitles by clicking the CC button if you are struggling to follow the lesson 🙂

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Now, the words sex and six is a minimal pair that has only one different sound, that sound being the vowel sound….

The word sex uses the /ɛ/ EH vowel and the jaw drops more and the tongue tip is forward and down, lightly touching the back of the bottom front teeth. The front/middle part lifts towards the roof of the mouth. And the middle of the tongue should be wider as it lifts.

But, the words six uses the /ɪ/ IH vowel has less of a jaw drop. The tip is in the same place, but the front part arches up towards the roof of the mouth. The tongue is closer to the roof of the mouth in this vowel.

Watch the whole video lesson above to practice saying these words out loud.