Sound Gym
pond · bond · pound · bend
All end in /nd/ — voiceless /p/ vs voiced /b/ across three vowels: /ɒ/ · /aʊ/ · /ɛ/
Four words, all ending in /nd/. The voiceless /p/ vs voiced /b/ distinction runs through all of them — but the vowel shifts each time: pond · bond share /ɒ/, pound has the diphthong /aʊ/, and bend has short /ɛ/.
a small body of still water — smaller than a lake
mouth shape
short /ɒ/ — jaw drops, mouth open — voiceless /p/ at the start — rhymes with bond, wand
pond
/pɒnd/
vowel length
a connection or tie — also a financial instrument — 'James Bond'
mouth shape
same /ɒ/ vowel as pond — voiced /b/ at the start — feel the vibration in your throat
bond
/bɒnd/
vowel length
British currency (£) — also a unit of weight (16 oz) — also to hit hard
mouth shape
diphthong /aʊ/ — jaw drops wide then lips round forward — voiceless /p/ — like 'sound', 'found', 'round'
pound
/paʊnd/
vowel length
to curve — also a curve in a road or river — 'bend over', 'around the bend'
mouth shape
short /ɛ/ — mouth slightly open, tongue mid — voiced /b/ — like 'friend', 'lend', 'end'
bend
/bɛnd/
vowel length
Try this
Place your hand on your throat. Say pond then pound — both start with voiceless /p/, no vibration. Now say bond then bend — both start with voiced /b/, feel the buzz begin instantly. Same lips, different voice. Then notice how the vowel travels: pond → pound your jaw drops wider and the lips round forward. bond → bend the jaw rises and the tongue comes to the front.
Three vowels, same /nd/ ending
pond · bond
/ɒ/
LOW, slightly rounded
hot · top · clock · stop
pound
/aʊ/
DIPHTHONG — glides
sound · found · round · loud
bend
/ɛ/
MID FRONT, short
friend · lend · end · trend
Word families
pond family ▸
bond family ▸
pound family ▸
bend family ▸
Hear it in a sentence
“Ducks were gliding across the pond in the park every morning.”
“The shared ordeal created a strong bond between the two strangers.”
“He paid five pounds for a coffee and considered it money well spent.”
“The road takes a sharp bend just before the old stone bridge.”
Hear it in the wild
Real speech from native speakers — the most reliable way to check a pronunciation, since automated audio can vary by device and browser.
pond
Hear native speakers say “pond” in real sentences — news, lectures, and podcasts.
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bond
Hear native speakers say “bond” in real sentences — news, lectures, and podcasts.
Opens YouTube-sourced clips in a new tab.
pound
Hear native speakers say “pound” in real sentences — news, lectures, and podcasts.
Opens YouTube-sourced clips in a new tab.
bend
Hear native speakers say “bend” in real sentences — news, lectures, and podcasts.
Opens YouTube-sourced clips in a new tab.
How teachers explain this
Approved tips from the community, sorted by helpfulness
Related pairs
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