Master’s Degree in Teaching and Learning English as a Foreign/Second Language

2020-2021

Teaching Pronunciation in the EFL Class

Joaquín Romero

SECTION 2.3 Consonants and vowels: VOWELS

• Parameters in the phonological description of vowels

• front-back
• low-high
• round-unround
• tense-lax
• stressed-unstressed
• r-coloredness

Front Vowels
• /i/
–phonological description: high front, unrounded, tense
–alternative transcriptions: /iː/, /iy/
–spellings
most common:
–ee– see, feel, teen
–ea– eat, team, sea
–e– me, he, she, concede, complete, neon
other:
–ie– relieve, niece, cookie
–ei– receipt, conceive, weird
–i– prestige, machine, antique
–ey– key, jockey, money
–y– city, happy, lovely
–eo– people
–ae– aeon
–oe– foetus, Phoebe
–sound distribution
initial eagle
medial need
final ski
+/r/ beard

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 –allophonic variations
schwa insertion before /l/, /r/: feel, fear /ˈfil/, /ˈfir/→ [ˈfiəɫ], [ˈfiər]
–dialectal variations
diphthongization in Southern British and Australian:
/i/→ /ɪi/, /eɪ/, feet, mean /ˈfit/, /ˈmin/→ /ˈfɪit/, /ˈmɪin/
laxing in word-final position in conservative R.P.:
/i/→/ɪ/, baby, sunny /ˈbebi/, /ˈsʌni/→ /ˈbebɪ/, /ˈsʌnɪ/
–length difference depending on consonant voicing
/i/→ [i]+[C–voiced] /i/→ [iː]+[C+voiced]
leaf leave
heat heed
leak league
teeth teethe
conceit concede

• /ɪ/
–phonological description: high front, unrounded, lax
–alternative transcriptions: /i/
–spellings
most common:
–i– bit, since, lid
–y– system, sympathy, crystal
other:
–e– pretty, women
–a– image, savage
–ei– forfeit, counterfeit
–o– women
–ui– build, building
–u– busy, business
–sound distribution
initial itch, instant, ink
medial dip, symbol, sieve
final ———
+/r/ ———
–allophonic variations
neutralization of /i/ and /ɪ/ before /r/:
peel, pill, /ˈpil/, /ˈpɪl/ but peer /ˈpir/, */ˈpɪr/
–dialectal variations
neutralization of /i/ and /ɛ/ before /n/ in Southern American
English: tin, ten /ˈtɪn/, /ˈtɛn/→ /ˈtɪn/, /ˈtɪn/
–length difference depending on consonant voicing
/ɪ/→ [ɪ]+[C–voiced] /ɪ/→ [ɪː]+[C+voiced]
rip rib
hit hid
hiss his
pick pig
sift sieved

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• /e/
–phonetic/phonological description: mid-high, front, unrounded, tense
–alternative transcriptions: /ei/, /eɪ/, /ey/
–spellings
most common:
–a-(e)– fate, able, same
–ai– laid, rain, pain
other:
–ea– steak, great, break
–ay– may, say, away
–et– ballet, fillet, sorbet
–ee– matinee, toupee
–ei– weigh
–au– gauge
–sound distribution
initial ate, Asia, ace
medial lane, train, laid
final stray, grey, weigh
+/r/ ———
–allophonic variations
schwa insertion before /l/: jail, pale [ˈdʒeəɫ], [ˈpheəɫ]
–dialectal variations
clearer diphthongization in British English: /eɪ/
lowering of first element in Cockney and Australian:
/eɪ/> /æɪ/
–length difference depending on consonant voicing
/e /→ [e]+[C–voiced] /e/→ [eː]+[C+voiced]
safe save
late laid
face phase
grace graze
h age

• /ɛ/
–phonetic/phonological description: mid-low, front, unrounded, lax
–alternative transcriptions: /e/
–spellings
most common:
–e– met, get, bed
other:
–ea– head, death, sweat, jealous
–a– many, any, share
–ai– said, hair, fair
–eo– leopard, Geoffrey, Leonard
–ie– friend
–u– bury, Canterbury
–sound distribution
initial egg, exit, end
medial beg, lend, lesson

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 final ———
+/r/ there, share, prayer
–allophonic variations
neutralization of /ɛ/ and /æ/ in front of /r/:
marry, merry /ˈmɛri/, /ˈmɛri/
–dialectal variations
closed variant [e] in Southern AmE and old-fashioned British:
red, let /ˈred/, /ˈlet/
–length difference depending on consonant voicing
/ɛ/→ [ɛ]+[C–voiced] /ɛ/→ [ɛː]+[C+voiced]
bet bed
sent send
peck peg
dense dens
set said

• /æ/
–phonetic/phonological description: low, front, unrounded, lax
–alternative transcriptions: /a/
–spellings
most common:
–a– bat, cab, man
other:
–al– half, calf, halve
–ai– plaid
–au– laugh
–i– meringue
–sound distribution
initial ask, action, add
medial last, dance, path
final ———
+/r/ ———
–allophonic variations
raised, diphthongized and nasalized before /n/, /m/:
man, lamb [ˈme᷉ə᷉n], [ˈle᷉ə᷉m]
neutralization of /ɛ/ and /æ/ in front of /r/:
carrot, arrow /ˈkɛrət/, /ˈɛro/ (*/ær/)
–dialectal variations
BrE /ɑː/ in front of fricatives: glass, dance /ˈglɑːs/, /ˈdɑːns/
–length difference depending on consonant voicing
/æ/→ [æ]+[C–voiced] /æ/→ [æː]+[C+voiced]
cap cab
hat had
batch badge
lack lag
half have

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 Back Vowels
• /ɑ/
–phonetic/phonological description: low, back, unrounded, lax
–alternative transcriptions: /a/, /ɒ/
–spellings
most common:
–o– pot, cop, stop
other:
–a– father, car, part
–ea– heart, hearth
–al– calm, palm, almond
–e– sergeant
–au– aunt
–sound distribution
initial olive, ostrich, André
medial cottage, tart, rock
final bra, Ma (limited to abbreviations)
+/r/ far, smart, lark
–allophonic variations
–dialectal variations
rounded in BrE [ɒ]: rock, mop /ˈrɒk/, /ˈmɒp/
neutralization of [ɑ] and [ɔ] in Gen AmE:
cot, caught /ˈkɔt/–/ˈkɑt/
–length difference depending on consonant voicing
/ɑ/→ [ɑ]+[C–voiced] /ɑ/→ [ɑː]+[C+voiced]
not nod
cot cod
heart hard
clock clog
cart card

• /ɔ/
–phonetic/phonological description: mid-low, back, rounded, tense
–alternative transcriptions: /ɔː/
–spellings
most common:
–a– fall, ball, also
–aw– raw, dawn, hawk
–o– dog, coffee, strong
other:
–au– caught, naughty, author
–ou– thought, bought, course
–al– talk, walk, stalk
–oa– broad
–sound distribution
initial office, audit, all
medial broad, fault, mall
final straw, saw, law

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 +/r/ board, form, course
–allophonic variations
more rounded before /r/: more, store [ˈmor], [ˈstor]
–dialectal variations
diphthongization [ʊə] in NYC: office, coffee /ˈʊəfɪs/, /ˈkʊəfi/
–length difference depending on consonant voicing
/ɔ/→ [ɔ]+[C–voiced] /ɔ/→ [ɔː]+[C+voiced]
loss laws
cost causes
court cord
brought broad
thought thawed

• /o/
–phonetic/phonological description: mid-high, back, rounded, tense
–alternative transcriptions: /oʊ/, /əʊ/, /ow/
–spellings
most common:
–o– no, post, coma
–o–(e)– note, rose, bone
other:
–oa– coal, boat, load
–ow– know, show, row
–oe– foe, toe, hoe
–eau– beau, plateau, bureau
–ew– sew
–aux– faux
–sound distribution
initial ocean, odor, ogre
medial aroma, most, poll
final low, so, ago
+/r/ ———
–allophonic variations
reduction to schwa in final position:
potato, fellow [pəˈteɾə], [ˈfɛlə]
–dialectal variations
clearer diphthongization in British English with
centralization of first element [əʊ]
no diphthongization in Scottish and Irish [oː]:
go, know /ˈgoː/, /ˈnoː/
–length difference depending on consonant voicing
/o/→ [o]+[C–voiced] /o/→ [oː]+[C+voiced]
rope robe
close close
post posed
coat code
moat mode

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• /ʊ/
–phonetic/phonological description: high, back, rounded, lax
–alternative transcriptions: /u/
–spellings
most common:
–u– put, bull, push
–oo– look, hood, soot
other:
–ou– could, should, would
–sound distribution
initial ———
medial stood, sugar, cookie
final ———
+/r/ tour, mature, lure
–allophonic variations
–dialectal variations
–length difference depending on consonant voicing
/ʊ/→ [ʊ]+[C–voiced] /ʊ/→ [ʊː]+[C+voiced]
foot hood
soot should
took hood
hook pull
bush bull

• /u/
–phonetic/phonological description: mid-high, back, rounded, tense
–alternative transcriptions: /uː/, /uw/
–spellings
most common:
–oo– boot, tooth, raccoon
–u– truth, super, revolution
–u–(e)– rule, tune, flute
–o– do, two, tomb
other:
–ew– crew, new, lewd
–ou– group, ragout,
–ui– fruit, suit, juice
–ue– true, blue, sue
–oe– shoe
–sound distribution
initial ooze
medial noon, music, balloon
final tattoo, kangaroo, screw
+/r/ ———
–allophonic variations
schwa insertion before /l/: tool, school [ˈtuəɫ], [ˈskuəɫ]
–dialectal variations
fronting in BrE and AmE [ʉ]: you, cool /ˈjʉ/, /ˈkʉəɫ/

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 –length difference depending on consonant voicing
/u/→ [u]+[C–voiced] /u/→ [uː]+[C+voiced]
loose lose
proof prove
loot lewd
moot mood
loop lube

Central Vowels
• /ʌ/
–phonetic/phonological description: mid-low, central, unrounded, lax
–alternative transcriptions: /ə/
–spellings
most common:
–u– cut, jungle, custom
other:
–o– love, mother, front
–oo– blood, flood
–ou– country, southern, couple
–oe– does
–sound distribution
initial under, ultimate, us
medial tongue, son, money
final ———
+/r/ ———
–allophonic variations
–dialectal variations
front and low in BrE [a]: fun, done /ˈfan/, /ˈdan/
Northern BrE, no difference between [ʌ] and [ʊ]:
book, buck, /ˈbʊk/
–length difference depending on consonant voicing
/ʌ/→ [ʌ]+[C–voiced] /ʌ/→ [ʌː]+[C+voiced]
cut cud
lunch lunge
duck dug
bus buzz
cup cub

/ɜ˞/
–phonetic/phonological description: mid-low, central, rounded, r-colored
–alternative transcriptions: /ɜː/, /ə˞/
–spellings
most common:
–er– herd, verb, nerve
–ur– urge, turn, furnish
–ir– bird, dirt, sir
–or– word, work, worth

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 other:
–ear– early, heard, earth
–our– journey, journal
–sound distribution
initial earn, urban, herb
medial firm, concern, learn
final fur, defer, stir
+/r/ ——— (but see below)
–allophonic variations
alternative syllable division in some words /ʌr/:
worry, hurry /ˈwɜ˞ri/– /ˈwɜ˞i/–/ˈwʌri/, /ˈhɜ˞ri/–/ˈhɜ˞i/–/ˈhʌri/
–dialectal variations
no r-coloring in BrE [ɜː]: heard, work, /ˈhɜːd/, /ˈwɜːk/
–length difference depending on consonant voicing
/ɜ˞/→ [ɜ˞]+[C–voiced] /ɜ˞/→ [ɜ˞ː]+[C+voiced]
Burt bird
Kurt Kurd
surf serve
perch perge
purse purrs

• /ə/
–phonetic/phonological description: mid-low, central, unrounded, lax,
unstressed
–alternative transcriptions:
–spellings
most common:
–a– America, comma, around
–e– children, below, behind
–i– radical, attitude, marinate
–o– handsome, control, bacon
–u– circus, genius, support
–y– syringe
other:
–eo– luncheon, pigeon, dungeon
–ou– raucous, dangerous, callous
–eou– gorgeous, advantageous, courageous
–iou– delicious, vicious, suspicious

–sound distribution
initial asleep, astound, ago
medial balloon, suppose, dynamite
final zebra, coma, drama
+/r/ ———
–allophonic variations
–dialectal variations
–length difference depending on consonant voicing

/ə˞/

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 –phonetic/phonological description mid-low, central, unrounded, r-
colored, unstressed, lax
–alternative transcriptions:
–spellings
most common:
–er– better, ferment, perfection
–or– labor, color, flavor
–ar– collar, liar, dollar
other:
–ure– pleasure, pressure, leisure
–ir– elixir, affirmation, confirmation
–our– glamour
–yr– martyr
–sound distribution
initial urbane
medial anarchist, curtail, survey
final paper, danger, doctor
+/r/ ——— (but see below)
–allophonic variations
alternative syllable division in some words /ər/:
courageous, surrender /kə˞ˈredʒəs/–/ kə˞ˈedʒəs /–/ kəˈredʒəs /,
/sə˞ˈrɛndə˞/–/sə˞ˈɛndə˞/–/səˈrɛndə˞/
–dialectal variations
no r-coloring in BrE [ə]: labor, dollar, /ˈlebə/, /ˈdɒlə/
–length difference depending on consonant voicing

Diphthongs
• /aʊ/
–phonetic/phonological description: rising, low-front to high-back
–alternative transcriptions: /au/, /aw/
–spellings
most common:
–ou– out, house, doubt
–ow– now, cow, bow
–sound distribution
initial ounce, oust, owl
medial round, mouse, ground
final row, plow, how
+/r/ hour, flower, shower
–allophonic variations
schwa insertion before /l/: fowl, growl [ˈfaʊəɫ], [ˈgraʊəɫ]
–dialectal variations
CanE, raising of /a/ to /ʌ/ in front of voiceless consonants:
south, out [ˈsʌʊθ], [ˈʌʊt]
–length difference depending on consonant voicing
/aʊ/→ [aʊ]+[C–voiced] /aʊ/→ [aːʊ]+[C+voiced]
mount mound
clout cloud

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 route rowed
house house
mouth mouthe

• /aɪ/
–phonetic/phonological description: rising, low-front to high-front
–alternative transcriptions: /ai/, /ay/
–spellings
most common:
–i– kind, fight, high
–i-(e)– time, knife, hire
–y– sky, cry, rely
–y–(e)– type, Kyle, tyre
–ie– lie, die
–ye– eye, dye
–uy– buy
other:
–ei– height, heist
–sound distribution
initial ice, eye, Ireland
medial behind, line, strive
final sky, bye, lie
+/r/ liar, wire, fire
–allophonic variations
schwa insertion before /l/: dial, smile [ˈdaɪəɫ], [ˈsmaɪəɫ]
–dialectal variations
CanE, raising of /a/ to /ʌ/ in front of voiceless consonants:
life, night [ˈlʌɪf], [ˈnʌɪt ̚]
Monophthongization in Southern AmE /aː/:
nine, five /ˈnaːn/, /ˈfaːv/
–length difference depending on consonant voicing
/aɪ/→ [aɪ]+[C–voiced] /aɪ/→ [aːɪ]+[C+voiced]
height hide
dice dies
sight sighed
white wide
life live

• /ɔɪ/
–phonetic/phonological description: rising mid-back to high-front,
tense
–alternative transcriptions: /ɔy/, /oy/
–spellings
most common:
–oi– noise, poison, coin
–oy– toy, boy, loyal
–sound distribution
initial oil, oyster, ointment
medial moist, coil, joint

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 final coy, destroy, enjoy
+/r/ ———
–allophonic variations
–dialectal variations

–length difference depending on consonant voicing

/ɔɪ/→ [ɔɪ]+[C–voiced] /ɔɪ/→ [ɔːɪ]+[C+voiced]
joint joined
voice boys
exploit employed
choice noise
moist poised

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