/eɪ/

The /eɪ/ sound in English is a diphthong, which means it’s a complex vowel sound that begins with one vowel (/e:/ as in ‘see’) and gradually changes to another vowel (/ɪ/ as in ‘sit’) within the same syllable. Here’s how you pronounce it:

• Position your mouth and tongue: For the /eɪ/ sound, your mouth should initially be open slightly (for the /e:/ part), with the front of your tongue raised towards the roof of your mouth. As the sound transitions to /ɪ/, your mouth closes slightly and the front of your tongue moves down a bit.
• Voicing: The /eɪ/ sound is a voiced vowel, meaning your vocal cords vibrate when you produce this sound. You should feel a vibration if you lightly touch the front of your throat while saying the sound.
• Release the sound: With your mouth and tongue in the correct positions, let your breath flow out over your tongue and through your mouth. As you make the sound, smoothly transition from the /e:/ position to the /ɪ/ position. The vocal cords vibrate to produce the /eɪ/ sound.