Pronunciation Practice: Vowels

Prof. Shirley Santiago

English 115

c. 2008

Review the Front Vowels: /iy/ - / I /

Exercise III: Practice saying these sentences. Identify the /iy/ and / I / sounds/

1. Please sit in the seat.

/iy/ / I / /iy/

2. He did a good deed.

/ I / /iy/

3. Potato chips are cheap.

/ I / /iy/

4. Lynn ate lean meat.

/ I / /iy/ /iy/

Review: /iy/ - / I / Say these words and write the

correct symbol for the vowel sound (/iy/ or /I/).

1. slim

2. neat

3. guilt

4. women

5. niece

6. thief

7. gym

8. mirror

9. key

10. busy

Review: /iy/ - / I / Choose the sentence that

logically answers the statement.

A B

1. Heat it now.

2. Change the wheel.

3. Did you feel it?

4. Harry will leave.

5. You can sleep.

Hit it now.

Change the will.

Did you fill it?

Harry will live.

You can slip.

More Front Vowels: /ey/-/ɛ/-/æ/ Say these words. What vowel sound do they have

in common?

bait weight break say they grape

• This is the sound of /ey/ which is the same as in Spanish.

Look at the different spellings for this sound in English!

bet friend guess said head says

• This is the sound of / ɛ / which is the same as in Spanish.

Look at the different spellings for this sound in English!

bat laugh plaid half

• This is the sound of / æ / which does not exist in Spanish.

Place your tongue low in the front of the mouth and spread

your lips.

Review: /ey/-/ɛ/-/æ/

Practice saying these minimal pairs:

/ey/ /ɛ/ /æ/

bait bet bat

laid led lad

mate met mat

paste pest past

aid Ed add

Review /ey/-/ɛ/-/æ/ : Choose the sentence

that logically answers the statement.

A B C

1. I have a pain in my hand. I have a pen in my hand. I have a pan in my

hand.

2. He took the bait. He took the bet. He took the bat.

3. Can you tape it? Can you tap it?

4. The paste is gone. The pest is gone. The past is gone.

Review: Front Vowel Sounds

/iy/ beat He beat the egg.

/I/ bit He bit the egg.

/ey/ bait He took the bait.

/ɛ/ bet He took the bet.

/æ/ bat He took the bat.

Read the following limerick:

1. A man from Kentucky named Bud,

2. Had a lucky young son named Jud.

3. When he bet on a horse,

4. It never lost, of course!

5. Until one day it got stuck in the mud!

Now say it again:

1. A ____from Kentucky named ____,

2. Had a ____ young ____ named Jud.

3. When he ___ on a horse,

4. It never____, of course!

5. Until ___day it got _____ in the mud!

Try it again!

1. A ____from _____ named ____,

2. Had a ____ young ____ named _____.

3. When he ___ on a _____,

4. It never____, of _____!

5. Until ___ ____ it got _____ in the ____!

Can you do it one last time?

1. A __________________________,

2. Had a ______________________.

3. When he ____________________,

4. It never______________________!

5. Until ___________________ ____!

What words have the vowel sound

you hear in the word Bud?

The mid vowel sound of /ə/ or /ʌ / is produced in the middle of the mouth. The lips are completely relaxed and the mouth is slightly open. This sound is known as the schwa, and it does not exist in Spanish.

Practice: /ə/ /ʌ /

about Kentucky

soda Bud

until young

banana son

UNSTRESSED vs. STRESSED

a cup of coffee

Let’s have a conversation!

A: Have you heard?

B: Heard what?

A: Heard the word.

B: What word?

A: The word that’s heard all over the world.

B: What’s the word that’s heard all over the world?

A: The word that’s heard all over the world is

the word of the Father!

B: Oh yeah!

Listen and repeat:

heard over

word father

world actor

STRESSED vs. UNSTRESSED

/ ɝ / / ɚ /

The mid vowel sound of / ɚ / or / ɝ / is produced in the middle of the mouth. The lips are protruded and the mouth is slightly open. This sound does not exist in Spanish!

(Ernesto vs. Ernest)

Common spellings for /ɚ/ and / ɝ /:

ar

er

ir

or

ur

ear

our

sugar

her/mother

first

word/doctor

hurt/future

heard

glamour

Review: The Mid Vowels /ə/- /ʌ /

and / ɚ / - / ɝ /

/ ʌ / but But what did you say?

/ ɝ / Bert Bert, what did you say?

Listen and practice:

Front: /æ/ Mid: /ʌ/ Back: /a/

cat cut cot

Dan done Don

sang sung song

cap cup cop

last chance bubble gum stock market

Lips: relaxed

Jaw: wide open

Tongue: back of

mouth

Meet Martha!

Martha is organizing her drawer.

What does she put in the bag? /æ/

What does she put in the cup? /ʌ/

What does she put in the sock? /a/

hat onions nuts

gum top watch

lock bat button

Practice the following limerick:

When Moe is home all alone,

He just won’t answer the phone.

It rings all day long,

From morning till dawn.

It’s no wonder that Moe is unknown!

Practice saying these words.

(Back vowel sounds)/ow/ Moe

home

won’t

unknown

Same as in Spanish-be careful

with spelling!

o - old/nose

oa - boat

ow - own/show

ou - though

/ ɔ / all

long

morning

dawn

Lips: tense, oval, and protruded

Jaw: more open than /ow/

Tongue: low in the back

DOESN’T EXIST IN SPANISH!

o - off/store

a - all/fall

aw - awful/raw

au - August/taught

Practice:

/æ/ /ʌ / /a/ /ɔ/ /ow/

stack stuck stock stalk stoke

gnat nut not naught note

cat cut cot caught coat

fan fun fond fawn phone

Now let’s chant!

Take a gŏŏd lŏŏk at Lūke. (2x)

He jumped into the pōōl with a brand nēw sūit.

(2x)

Pŭll that fōōl out of the pōōl! (2x)

Pŏŏr Lūke! Pŏŏr Lūke! Pŏŏr Lūke! (2x)

Practice saying these words.

(Back vowel sounds)

/uw/ fool

pool

Luke

stewed

Same as in Spanish but be careful with spelling!

u - rule

oo – school

o - do

ew - new

ue - blue

/U/ full

pull

look

stood

Lips: less rounded and relaxed

Jaw: slightly lower than /uw/

Tongue: pulled back high (curled)

DOESN’T EXIST IN SPANISH!

u - pull

oo - cookie

ou - could

Practice: Say the sentences and determine

which words have the /uw/ or /U/ sound.

1. I choose the wool sweater.

/uw/ choose /U/ wool

2. The soup is full of salt.

/uw/ soup /U/ full

3. My tooth was pulled.

/uw/ tooth /U/ pulled

4. The cook was rude.

/uw/ rude /U/ cook

5. It’s a new book.

/uw/ new /U/ book

6. Ruth was pushed by Tom.

/uw/ Ruth /U/ pushed

Review the back vowel sounds:

/uw/ pool The sign says “Pool”.

/U/ pull The sign says “Pull”.

/ow/ coat He has a coat (in the room).

/ɔ/ caught He has caught a cold.

/a/ cot He has a cot (in the room).