English Pronunciation - EFL Tutoring · The vowel sound 'glides' (i.e. moves) from one sound: /e/, /ɔ/, or /a/ to the central vowel /ɪ/ This movement occurs within a single syllable

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English PronunciationEnglish PronunciationBarbara HowarthBarbara Howarth

A Student's Guide to A Student's Guide to Vowel SoundsVowel Sounds

http://www.efltutoring.com/

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i: ɪ ʊ u:e ə ɜ: ɔ:æ ʌ ɑ: ɒ

Vowel Sounds - Monophthongs

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i: ɪ ʊ u:Monophthongs - High

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Monophthongs - High

The jaw is fairly closed

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æ ʌ ɑ: ɒ

Vowel Sounds - Low

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Monophthongs - Low

The jaw is open

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e ə ɜ: ɔ:

Monophthongs - Mid

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Monophthongs - Mid

The jaw is neutral

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i:eæ

Monophthongs - Front

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Monophthongs - FrontThe front part of the tongue is positioned forward

in the mouthThe front part of the tongue is raised towards the hard

palateThe lips are spread out

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u:ɔ:ɒ

Monophthongs - Back

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Monophthongs - BackThe back part of the tongue is positioned towards

the back of the mouthThe back part of the tongue is raised towards the soft

palateThe lips are rounded

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ɪ ʊə ɜ:ʌ ɑ:

Monophthongs - Central

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Monophthongs – CentralThe central part of the tongue is positioned

centrally in the mouthThe central part of the tongue is raised towards the

area along the hard and soft palateThe lips are neutral but..

quite spread in /ɪ/ quite rounded in /ʊ/

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ɪə eɪʊə ɔɪ əʊeə aɪ aʊ

Vowel Sounds – Diphthongs

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ɪəʊəeə

Diphthongs – Centring (to /ə/)

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Diphthongs – Centring (to /ə/)

The vowel sound 'glides' (i.e. moves) from one sound: /ɪ/, /ʊ/, or /e/ to the central vowel /ə/

This movement occurs within a single syllable

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eɪɔɪaɪ

Diphthongs – Gliding to /ɪ/

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Diphthongs – Gliding to /ɪ/

The vowel sound 'glides' (i.e. moves) from one sound: /e/, /ɔ/, or /a/ to the central vowel /ɪ/

This movement occurs within a single syllable

The vowel /a/ is a low, central vowel. It does not exist as a single vowel in English

The pronunciation of /a/ is somewhere between /ʌ/ and /ɑ:/

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əʊaʊ

Diphthongs – Gliding to /ʊ/

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Diphthongs – Gliding to /ʊ/

The vowel sound 'glides' (i.e. moves) from one sound: /ə/, or /a/ to the central vowel /ʊ/

This movement occurs within a single syllable

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References: References: Underhill, A. (1994). Sound Foundations. Heinnemann

For further practice see:For further practice see:Hancock, M. (2003). English Pronunciation in Use. Cambridge University Press

Web-link to EFL Tutoring – Vowel ChartsWeb-link to EFL Tutoring – Vowel Charts

http://www.efltutoring.com/