How to pronounce isle
Say it like EYEL. Isle is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress.
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce isle. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- EYEL
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Isle pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- EYELSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "i" in time.
American vs British pronunciation of isle
American and British speakers say isle in essentially the same way: /aɪl/ in the US and /aɪl/ in the UK.
British respelling: EYEL.
What does isle mean?
- a small island
Where does isle come from?
From Middle English ile, yle (with s added, similar to English island), borrowed from Old French ille, idle, isle, from Latin insula.
Words that rhyme with isle
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of isle.
Words that sound like isle
- aisle
- i'll
Questions about saying isle
How do you pronounce isle?
Say EYEL. The American pronunciation is /aɪl/. In British English it is /aɪl/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in isle?
Isle is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: EYEL.
Do Americans and Brits say isle the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /aɪl/ and the British form is /aɪl/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.
What words sound the same as isle?
Isle sounds the same as aisle, i'll in American English. The spelling and meaning are what tell them apart.