/w/

The /w/ sound in English is a voiced labio-velar approximant, which means it’s a sound made by rounding the lips and raising the back of the tongue towards the velum (the soft part of the roof of the mouth towards the back) with vocal cord vibration. Here’s how you pronounce it:

• Position your lips and tongue: For the /w/ sound, round your lips as if you’re about to whistle and raise the back of your tongue towards the velum.
• Voicing: The /w/ sound is a voiced consonant, 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: Start by slightly blocking the airflow with your lips and the back of your tongue, but not completely as in a stop consonant. Then, let the air flow out continuously while voicing out. The air should flow around the sides of the tongue and out of your mouth.