If you want more information on the photos in this video, which have parts of the mouth drawn in, see this video on the parts of the mouth.

How to make this sound:

Video Text:

The 'ay' as in 'say' diphthong. The first sound of this diphthong is e [], which doesn't exist on its own as a vowel sound in American English. The second sound is ih, the 'ih' as in 'sit' vowel []. As I'm sure you can see, ay, the jaw drops more on the first sound than it does on the second sound. The tongue in the first sound is reaching forward and widening some in the front. In the second sound, the 'ih' as in 'sit', the front part of the tongue raises towards the roof of the mouth. Ay. So the tongue, ay, reaches forward and then up. In both of these sounds, the tip of the tongue is lightly pressing behind the bottom of the front teeth. Ay. Here are the two sounds side-by-side. You can see that in the first sound of the diphthong, the jaw is dropped slightly more.

Here are the two sounds in profile. Again, note that the jaw drops slightly more for the first sound. Here, parts of the mouth are drawn in. In the first sound of the diphthong, the tongue pulls more forward. In the second sound it is more forward and up, and the tongue raises closer to the roof of the mouth. In both sounds, the tip of the tongue is touching the front bottom teeth. Sample words: maybe, play, neighbor. Sample sentence: I was afraid if I stayed late that I'd be tired today.

Now we'll see that sample sentence close up and in slow motion, both straight on and from an angle, so you can really study how this sound is made. I, with the 'ai' as in 'buy' diphthong [], was, lips make the W shape [], afraid, bottom lip up for the F [], and now here is the 'ay' as in 'say' diphthong. Tongue tip up to make the D []. If I stayed, again the 'ay' as in 'say' diphthong, and the tongue tip up for the D. Late, again the 'ay' as in 'say' diphthong, and the tongue moves into the T position []. That I'd be tired, with the 'ai' as in 'buy' diphthong, today. Again the 'ay' as in 'say' diphthong.

And now from an angle. I, with the 'ay' as in 'buy' diphthong, was afraid. The 'ay' as in 'say', tongue forward and then up more towards the roof of the mouth. There the tip makes the D. If I stayed, again the 'ay' as in 'say' but it's very quick here, the jaw doesn't drop much before the tongue moves up to make the D sound. Now here's the L [], and it pulls down again, la-, into the 'ay' as in 'say' diphthong. That I'd be tired today. And again, the 'ay' as in 'say' diphthong. The jaw drops, the tongue comes forward, and then the jaw closes as the tongue raises towards the roof of the mouth.

International Phonetic Alphabet symbol: []

Miss the old sound video? See it here.