Pronunciation of "sh"

    

The “sh” is one of the most common and important phonetic sounds in English. It exists in many other languages as well, but not in all. The Spanish language has no “sh” sound, although certain regional accents sometimes provide a very close equivalent. A good example of this is the Seville accent in Spanish, in which the people often say “shiquillo” in reference to the word “chiquillo”.

The important thing to remember is that the “sh” in English a pronounced very strongly, especially when it falls at the end of the word: wiSH… fiSH… finiSH… poSH.

The following table provides 146 words that start, finish or contain the “sh” sound. Listen to how I pronounce each word and try to copy my pronunciation. I exaggerate the emphasis on the “sh” in each word to help you develop the right pronunciation habits.

Shack Shade Shadow Shaft Shake Shakespeare Shall Shallow Shame Shampoo Shanghai Shape Shareholder Shark Sharp Sharpen Shatter Shave Shawl She Sheep Sheer Sheet Sheik Shelf Shell Shelter Shepherd Sheriff Shield Shift Shine Shiny Ship Shipment Shirt Shiver Shock Shocking Shoe Shoot Shop Shopping Shore Short Shorten Shot

Should Shoulder Shout Shove Shovel Show Shower Shrewd Shrimp Shrink Shrug Shut Shuttle Shy

Accomplishment Aftershave Aftershock Ashtray Ashamed Ashes Astonishing Bigshot Bishop Bombshell Bookshelf Bullshit Cashier Citizenship Cushion Dictatorship Dishes Dishwasher Distinguished Earshot Earthshaking Eggshell Electroshock Establishment Eyelashes Fashion Fisherman Freshwater Gearshift Gunshot Handshake Hardship Horseshoe Internship Leadership Marshes Marshall Mushroom Nutshell Ownership Perishable Publishing Punishment Pushy Seashell Seashore

Abolish Accomplish Ambush Ash Astonish Backlash Blush Brainwash Brush Bush Carwash Cash Childish Crash Crush Danish Dash Diminish Dish Distinguish English Establish Fetish Finish Finnish Fish Flash Flesh Flourish Flush Foolish Fresh Furnish Harsh Hush Jellyfish Leash Nourish