In my opinion, IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) symbols are more popular but AHD (American Heritage Dictionary) symbols are easier to learn.
A list of pronunciation symbols is given below.
VOWELS
Example |
AHD |
IPA |
bad, cat, ran |
ă |
æ |
marry |
ăr |
ær |
bait, play, same |
ā |
eɪ |
hair, pear, there |
âr |
ɛər |
father |
ä |
ɑː |
arm, bard |
är |
ɑr |
bed, bet, end |
ĕ |
ɛ |
berry, merry |
ĕr |
ɛr |
ease, see |
ē[1] |
iː |
about (reduced) |
ə |
ə |
enter (reduced) |
ər |
ər |
city, bit |
ĭ |
ɪ |
mirror |
ĭr |
ɪr |
here, near, peer |
îr |
ɪər |
my, rise, pric’e |
ī |
aɪ |
fire |
īr |
aɪr |
not |
ŏ |
ɒ |
moral, forage |
ŏr |
ɒr |
law, caught, saw |
ô |
ɔː |
born, for |
ôr |
ɔr |
go, hope, know |
ō |
oʊ |
more, four |
ōr |
ɔər |
foot, pull |
o͝o |
ʊ |
lose, soon, through |
o͞o |
uː |
boor |
o͝or |
ʊər |
boy, noise |
oi |
ɔɪ |
house, now |
ou |
aʊ |
run, enough, up |
ŭ |
ʌ |
hurry |
ŭr |
ʌr |
fur, bird |
ûr |
ɜr |
Foreign |
AHD |
IPA |
German schön, können; French feu, oeuf |
œ |
ø |
German müde, French tu |
ü |
y |
CONSONANTS
Example |
AHD |
IPA |
but, ebb |
b |
b |
chat, inch |
ch |
tʃ |
dot, odd |
d |
d |
fan, leaf |
f |
f |
get, bag |
g |
ɡ |
ham, ahead |
h |
h |
which |
hw |
hw |
joy, gin, edge |
j |
dʒ |
cat, sky, tack |
k |
k |
left, little |
l |
l |
man, him |
m |
m |
not, hidden |
n |
n |
singer, ring |
ng |
ŋ |
pen, spin, top |
p |
p |
run, very |
r |
r |
set, city, pass |
s |
s |
she, ash |
sh |
ʃ |
ton, stab, mat |
t |
t |
thin, nothing, moth |
th |
θ |
this, father, clothe |
th |
ð |
voice, save |
v |
v |
wet, aquatic |
w |
w |
yes |
y |
j |
zoo, rose |
z |
z |
vision, beige |
zh |
ʒ |
Foreign |
AHD |
IPA |
loch, pesach |
kh |
x |
French: bon |
n |
˜ |
SYLLABLES AND STRESS
Indication |
AHD |
IPA |
primary stress (carried on the letter a) |
aʹ |
ˈa |
secondary stress |
aʹ |
ˌa |
division between syllables (not used after a stress mark) |
‒ |
. |
Online dictionaries:
AHD: http://www.ahdictionary.com/
IPA: http://oald8.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/