u /juː/

Core Rule

In English phonics, the letter u often sounds like /juː/ (“yoo”) when it appears at the beginning of a word or after certain consonants (t, d, n, s, l). Phonetically, this is a glide /j/ followed by the long vowel /uː.

Articulation Guide

Start with the tongue raised toward the hard palate to create a brief /j/ glide, then round and protrude the lips for /uː. Airflow is smooth and continuous, not broken into two separate sounds.

Word Analysis

euro /ˈjʊərəʊ/: the initial e does not produce /e/. Instead, it supports a /ju/ onset, showing how spelling may hide the /j/ sound.

Pitfalls

After r, j, ch, sh, the /j/ is usually dropped, so u is pronounced /uː/ only, as in rule.