V or W? How to Pronounce Them Clearly
A free practical English pronunciation lesson, with video demonstrations and exercises.
The English V and W sounds can be difficult to distinguish, but understanding how to position your lips and teeth can make a significant difference to your pronunciation.
In this free video lesson, I demonstrate how to produce both sounds clearly and guide you through practical examples, word comparisons and pronunciation exercises. Watch the video, practise along with me, and use the accompanying lesson notes to continue improving your spoken English.
Lesson Notes & Practice
The English V /v/ and W /w/ sounds can sometimes be confused, but they are produced in very different ways. The key is to understand what your lips and teeth are doing, then practise until the movements become more natural.
These notes accompany the video lesson rather than providing a word-for-word transcript. Use them to review the key points, practise the examples and develop greater confidence in your pronunciation.
How to Pronounce the V Sound /v/:
To produce the V sound:
Place your upper teeth gently against your lower lip.
Allow air to pass between your teeth and lip.
Use your voice to produce a continuous vibrating sound: vvvvvv.
Keep the contact gentle. You do not need to bite your lip.
Imagine the gentle buzzing sound of an electric razor. This can help you remember the vibration associated with the V sound.
Practise the V Sound /v/:
Beginning of words
Very
Visit
Voice
Village
Value
Middle of words
Seven
Evening
Never
River
Travel
End of words
Give
Have
Live
Five
Love
Say each word slowly, paying attention to the contact between your upper teeth and lower lip.
Then repeat the words at a more natural speaking speed.
How to Pronounce the W Sound /w/:
The W sound uses a different mouth position.
To produce W:
Round your lips and move them slightly forward.
Keep your teeth away from your lower lip.
Begin producing the sound while moving your lips towards the following vowel.
Practise the movement: w-w-w.
Unlike V, the W sound does not require your upper teeth to touch your lower lip.
Practise the W Sound /w/:
Common W words
We
Water
Window
Woman
Weather
Work
World
Welcome
Winter
Wonderful
Try exaggerating the rounded-lip movement initially. Once you are comfortable, make the movement smaller and more natural.
Understanding the Difference
The most important distinction is the position of your mouth.
V /v/
Upper teeth touch lower lip
Air passes between teeth and lip
Continuous voiced friction
Example: vest
W /w/
Lips are rounded
No teeth-to-lip contact
Smooth movement into the next vowel
Example: west
A useful reminder:
V = Teeth and lower lip
W = Rounded lips
If you are uncertain which sound you are producing, practise in front of a mirror or use the camera on your phone to observe your mouth movements.
Practise V and W Word Pairs:
These pairs are useful because changing the first sound changes the word.
Vest — West
Vet — Wet
Vine — Wine
Veil — Whale
Verse — Worse
Viper — Wiper
Practice exercise
Say each pair slowly, exaggerating the mouth positions:
Vest — West — Vest — West
Vine — Wine — Vine — Wine
Then repeat each pair at a natural speed.
Try recording yourself. Can you hear a clear difference between the two words?
Practise Complete Sentences:
Once you can produce the sounds in individual words, practise using them in sentences.
Start slowly, concentrating on clarity rather than speed.
Sentence 1: We visited the village.
Sentence 2: Victor went to work.
Sentence 3: The weather was very warm.
Sentence 4: We have a wonderful view.
Sentence 5: Vanessa visits Vienna every winter.
Sentence 6: William watched a very interesting video.
Sentence 7: We travelled through several villages.
Sentence 8: The wine was very good.
Sentence 9: Wendy has a very important interview.
Sentence 10: We were invited to visit the new village.These pairs are useful because changing the first sound changes the word.
An additional challenge
Try saying the following sentence three times:
"Victor and Wendy visited a wonderful village in winter."
First, speak very slowly.
Next, speak at a comfortable conversational speed.
Finally, say the sentence naturally without concentrating too much on the individual sounds.
The objective is to develop clear pronunciation that gradually becomes automatic.
Common Pronunciation Mistakes
Mistake 1: Pronouncing V like W
For example, saying west when you mean vest.
Remember to place your upper teeth gently against your lower lip when producing V.
Mistake 2: Pronouncing W like V
For example, saying vine when you mean wine.
For W, round your lips and avoid touching your lower lip with your upper teeth.
Mistake 3: Trying to speak too quickly
When you speak quickly, it can become more difficult to control unfamiliar mouth movements.
Slow down temporarily while practising. As the movements become more comfortable, gradually return to your normal speaking speed.
Mistake 4: Concentrating only on individual words
You may be able to pronounce a word correctly in isolation but still find it difficult during conversation.
That is why practising complete sentences and spontaneous speech is important.
Try It Yourself: Five-Minute Practice
You do not need to spend a long time practising. Five minutes of focused practice can be a useful starting point.
Your practice checklist
Practise the V sound for 30 seconds, checking your teeth and lower lip.
Practise the W sound for 30 seconds, rounding your lips.
Choose five word pairs and alternate between them.
Read three practice sentences aloud and record yourself.
Describe your day using words containing V and W.
For the final exercise, you might talk about your work, your weekend, a recent holiday or something you enjoy doing.Don't worry about making every sound perfect. The objective is to become increasingly aware of how you produce the sounds and gradually make the correct movements more automatic.
Continue Improving Your Pronunciation
Clear pronunciation is not about eliminating your accent. It is about helping other people understand you more easily and making spoken communication more comfortable and effective.
Different learners experience different pronunciation difficulties. Some struggle with particular consonants, while others benefit from working on vowels, word stress, sentence rhythm or connected speech.
Through personalised pronunciation coaching, we can identify the areas that would make the greatest difference to your spoken English and develop practical exercises around your individual needs.
Book Your Free 30-Minute Pronunciation Assessment
Would you like to speak English more clearly and confidently? Everyone has different pronunciation challenges, whether it's producing particular sounds, using the correct word stress, or developing more natural rhythm and intonation. In this free 30-minute online assessment, we'll discuss your pronunciation goals, identify areas where you could improve, and explore practical techniques to help make your spoken English clearer and easier to understand. You'll receive personalised feedback and recommendations for further development, with no obligation to book additional lessons.