What is the initial sound in "chair"?

What is the initial sound in "chair"?

• A. /ʃ/
• B. /tʃ/
• C. /t/
• D. /h/

Answer: (B)

The initial sound in chair is the ch sound, represented by the phoneme /tʃ/. This is a single sound formed by a quick stop of air followed by a release into a fricative, which is why we write it with the letters “ch.” It’s different from /ʃ/ (the sh sound as in shop), which lacks that initial stop, from /t/ (the plain t sound), and from /h/ (the h sound). So the correct sound is /tʃ/, the one you hear at the start of “chair.”

The initial sound in chair is the ch sound, represented by the phoneme /tʃ/. This is a single sound formed by a quick stop of air followed by a release into a fricative, which is why we write it with the letters “ch.” It’s different from /ʃ/ (the sh sound as in shop), which lacks that initial stop, from /t/ (the plain t sound), and from /h/ (the h sound). So the correct sound is /tʃ/, the one you hear at the start of “chair.”