Lesson # 4

Words to know:
[ɑ] As in arm, hat, father [Ʌ] as in put, but, come

At the beginning: In the middle: At the beginning:

On, odd, arm, are, arch Top, cot, lock, shop, wasp, Us, up, of, oven, ugly, other, uncle, onion,
watch, block, March, under, upper
Oxen, honest, option, artist
rocket.
In the middle:
The sound [ɑ] does not occur at the end of words Hug, won, nut, does, much, must, come,
in English. rough, month, trouble.

Spelled:
 A: want, dark, father
 O: fox, hot, spot, opera
Remember to open your mouth wider than for any
other vowel when you pronounce this sound.
Rules:
The letter a followed by r is usually pronounced [ɑ],
farm, alarm, cart, start, are.
The letter o followed by b, d, g, p, t, or ck is usually
pronounced [ɑ]: robin, rod, log, stop, lot, pocket.
Spelled:
 U: but, cut, sun, lucky, funny
 O: love, done, some, mother, Monday.
A less frequent spelling pattern for this sound
consist of: ou, oo, oe, and a such as cousin,
trouble, flood, does, was, what.
Rule:
[Ʌ] is a vowel sound that occurs only in
stressed syllables. It does not occur in
unstressed syllables.

The vowels [ɑ] and [ʌ]

The vowel [ɑ]

1. Odd Op (operation)
2. Bob Pop
3. Job Jot
4. Fog Fox
5. God Got
Sentences:

1. There are a lot of odd jobs in this area.

2. Bob stopped the clock after he talked to the cop.

The vowel [ʌ]

1. ugly up
2. bud but
3. dug duck
4. love luck
5. cub cup
Sentences:

1. The funny duck is running around the jug.

2. My other brother doesn’t seem to have trouble with my mother.

The words with the vowel [ʌ] that are easily mispronounced for ESL or EFL students.

1. study 6. brother
2. won/one 7. country
3. flood 8. mother
4. come 9. couple
5. trouble 10. Double

Contrast the vowels [ʌ] and [ɑ]

1. up op (operation)
2. duck dock
3. bucks box
4. luck lock
5. gut got
Sentences:

1. The government seems to be bothered by some kind of

trouble.
2. Shut the door, or you’ll be shot.
Pronunciation
Minimal Pairs /ʌ/ /a/
Words like BUS and BOSS
 Activity 1
Listen to your teacher saying the words in Column 1 and Column 2 below.

Column 1 Column 2

Bus Boss
Gun Gone
Puppy Poppy
Shut Shot
Sung Song
Cut Cot
Luck Lock
Color Collar
 Activity 2
Listen to your teacher saying one of the words from Activity 1. Say if you think the word is in
Column 1 or Column 2.
 Activity 3
Listen to your teacher saying two words from Activity 1. If the words are the same, circle S
below. If you think the words are different, circle D below.

1. S D 2. S D 3. S D 4. S D 5. S D
6. S D 7. S D 8. S D 9. S D 10. S D
 Activity 4
Listen to your teacher reading the sentences below. Circle the word you hear.

1. Do you like the new bus / boss?

2. She would like to have a puppy / poppy.

3. I don’t know why they shut / shot it.

4. That is a big cut / cot!

5. He doesn’t like that color / collar.

6. She had no luck / lock, unfortunately.

 Activity 5
Imagine you are the teacher now! Work with a partner and repeat the activities above. Then
swap roles.