Here are some key characteristics of RP we can observe:

• Usage of the standard vowel sounds of Southern British English. The vowel sounds of modern RP are slightly different to that of traditional RP.
• The rounding of the lips in the articulation of sounds such as /w/,  /uː/ and /əʊ/.
• Clear articulation of the /r/ sound in words such as ‘red’ and ‘rabbit’. In Estuary and Cockney, these sounds are often substituted with the /w/ sound.
• The use of the glottal stop tends to be avoided with the exception of when linking two consonant sounds together.
• The sounds are aspirated from the front of the mouth. Cockney English tends to be more gutteral. We can also observe this in the plosive sounds such as /p/, /b/ and /t/, etc. Aspiration is a key component that helps with the clear articulation of the sounds of RP.
• Distinct diffirentiation between stressed and unstressed syllables. The schwa sound is distinctly short and concise.
• Clear articulation of the dark /l/ sound at the end of words such as ‘fall’ and ‘hill’.
• Clear articulation of the /θ/ sound in words such as ‘think’ and ‘thought’.
• Clear articulation of the /ð/ sound in words such as ‘this’ and ‘then’.
• Strong aspiration of the /h/ sound in words such ‘hello’ and ‘happy’.