English Vowels

& Diphthongs
definition of the problem
part 1
vowel letters in the alphabet
a e i o u (y)
vowel sounds in English
æeɪɒʊəʌ
ɑː ɜː iː ɔː uː
(i) (u)
 diphthongs in English
eɪ əʊ aɪ aʊ ɔɪ ɪə eə ʊə
 letters = 5 + 1
vowels & diphthongs = 20 + 2
definition of the problem
part 2
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Short Vowels
æ
act
trap
bad
usual spellings of æ

a - - - -
add
man
catch
plan
black

other spellings

a*e - - - -
have
e
ten
head
any
usual spellings of e

e ea - - -
egg dead
bed health
help sweat
stress breast
twelve

other spellings

ue ie a - -
guess friend any
guest many
ɪ
sit
big
live
usual spellings of ɪ

i - - - -
it
ill
big
disk
swim
king
bridge
other spellings

ui y ive - -
build rhythm live
guilt give
ɒ
British English only

odd
got
want
usual spellings of ɒ

o - - - -
odd
hot
shock
bomb
chop

other spellings

wa au ou - -
wash Australia cough
want Austria
what
ʊ
put
book
could
usual spellings of ʊ

oo u - - -
cook put
foot bush
good push
hook full
room pull
wool

other spellings

oul - - - -
would
could
should
 ə
we’ll study this sound
next week
 ʌ
cut
done
blood
usual spellings of ʌ

u - - - -
up
bus
jump
truck
lunch

other spellings

o*e o ou oo -
one front rough blood
come month touch flood
love son young
Long Vowels
ɑː
car
half
heart
usual spellings of ɑː

ar a - - -
arch ask
part path
car glass
farm last
plant

other spellings

a*e al au ear uar

chance half aunt heart guard
dance calm laugh
ɜː
bird
word
verb
usual spellings of ɜː

ur ir er wor -
burn bird per word
church dirt nerve work
curve first verb world
fur girl herb worse
hurt skirt
nurse birth

other spellings

ear - - - -
earth
learn
search
iː
eat
meet
be
usual spellings of iː

ea ee - - -
eat see
pea free
meat meet
cheap screen
leave
pleased

other spellings

e ie e*e ey i
be field these key ski
me priest scene
she chief
ɔː
saw
north
wore
usual spellings of ɔː

or al our ore au
corn call four more fault
force fall yours shore pause
nor walk source bored sauce
short chalk

other spellings

war aw oor oa(r) ought

war law door broad thought
warmth draw floor board bought
warn raw fought
uː
two
blue
food
usual spellings of uː

oo ew u*e ou
too new rude you
food few tube group
moon chew wound
smooth screw
choose view

other spellings

o o*e ue ui -
do lose true fruit
who move glue suit
whom prove blue
Diphthongs
eɪ
day
face
wait
usual spellings of eɪ

a*e ai ay - -
age aim way
face fail play
plate chain spray
save paint
shaped praise

other spellings

eigh ea ey aigh -
eight break they straight
weigh great grey
weight
əʊ
British English only

boat
know
go
usual spellings of əʊ

o*e oa o ow -
nose boat so low
vote road old show
home coast most know
smoke soap both throw
whole bowl

other spellings

ew oe ough - -
sew toe though
aɪ
my
high
five
usual spellings of aɪ

i*e igh y i* -
file high by find
life night fly wild
five flight try climb
shine why

other spellings

ie y*e i eigh -
die type I height
lie style hi
pie
aʊ
now
out
down
usual spellings of aʊ

ou ow - - -
out now
loud town
proud crowd
sound
ground

other spellings

ou*e - - - -
house
mouse
bounce
ɔɪ
boy
choice
usual spellings of ɔɪ

oi oy - - -
oil boy
coin toy
noise joy
choice
point

other spellings

- - - - -
ɪə
British English only

here
near
beer
usual spellings of ɪə

ear eer - - -
ear beer
near deer
clear steer
hear
fear

other spellings

ere ier - - -
here fierce
eə
British English only

wear
care
there
usual spellings of eə

air are - - -
air care
pair share
chair square
stairs

other spellings

ear ere eir - -

bear there their
wear where
swear
ʊə
British English only

poor
sure
jury
usual spellings of ʊə

ure - - - -
cure
pure
sure

other spellings

oor our - - -
poor tour
UCL phonetic games

word to vowel symbol

symbol to words
http://www.phon.ucl.ac.uk/home/johnm/flash/rpvkey.htm
http://www.phon.ucl.ac.uk/home/johnm/flash/symword1.htm
www.davidnicholson.it