ðɪ ˈælkəlˌaɪ mˈɛɾəlz ɑːɹ ˈɔːl ʃˈaɪni, sˈɔft, hˈaɪli ɹɪˈæktɪv mˈɛɾəlz æt stˈændɚd tˈɛmpɹɪtʃɚ ænd pɹˈɛʃɚɹ ænd ɹˈɛdili lˈuːz ðɛɹ ˈaʊɾɚmˌoʊst ᵻlˈɛktɹɑːn tə fˈɔːɹm kˈæɾaɪənz wɪð tʃˈɑːɹdʒ plˈʌs wˈʌn.
The alkali metals are all shiny, soft, highly reactive metals at standard temperature and pressure and readily lose their outermost electron to form cations with charge +1.