How to tell /tʃ/ and /dʒ/ apart
Practice the difference between the voiceless affricate /tʃ/ and the voiced affricate /dʒ/.
/tʃ/
Voiceless CH
cheap /tʃiːp/
A voiceless affricate, the "ch" sound, with no voice.
Common mistake: Learners may voice /tʃ/, making cheap sound like jeep.
/dʒ/
Voiced J
jeep /dʒiːp/
A voiced affricate, the "j" sound, with the voice on.
Common mistake: Learners may devoice /dʒ/, making jeep sound like cheap.
- •/tʃ/ is voiceless: cheap, chair, watch.
- •/dʒ/ is voiced: jeep, jar, age.
- •Both start with the tongue blocking the air.
- •Touch your throat — /dʒ/ vibrates.
Minimal pairs
cheap/tʃiːp/
jeep/dʒiːp/
choke/tʃəʊk/
joke/dʒəʊk/
rich/rɪtʃ/
ridge/rɪdʒ/