PRONUNCIATION

HANDOUT

VOWELS

By Élcio Souza, M.A.

 INTRODUCTION

I. GRAPHEME AND PHONEME REVIEW

A. Graphemes = letters
B. Phonemes = sounds

E.g. Book = 4 graphemes: b-o-o-k but 3 phonemes: / b ʊ k /

Coat = 4 graphemes: c-o-a-t and 4 phonemes: / k o ʊ t /
Though = 6 graphemes: t-h-o-u-g-h but 3 phonemes: / ð o ʊ /

C. Count the number of graphemes and phonemes of the following words:

WORD GRAPHEMES PHONEMES TRANSCRIPTION*

1. Bits
2. Boozed
3. Castle
4. Divided
5. Laughed
6. Mathematics
7. Says
8. Suffix
9. Switch
10. Thomas’s
11. Tough
12. Vegetable

II. CONSONANT REVIEW

Write out the phonemic symbols for the bold-typed letters.

 boat  down  fish  go

 home  kiss, cold  late  man
 not post  red  sick, nice
 two  very want  yes
 zero, laser think this ship
pleasure check judge sing

III. GLOSSARY REVIEW

(Adapted from A course in phonetics, by Ladefoged)

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Write out the names for all the mouth parts below.

1. (Upper) 8. (Lower)

2. (Upper) 9. (Lower)

3. 10. Tip of the tongue

4. (Hard) 11.

5. (Soft) 12. Blade of the tongue

6. / Uvula 13. Back of the tongue

7. _ / Larynx 14. Root of the tongue / Pharynx

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 VOWELS OVERVIEW
1. Introduction
In the production of vowel sounds, the articulators do not come very close together, and the passage of
the air stream is relatively unobstructed. Vowel sounds may be specified in terms of the position of the
highest point of the tongue and the position of the lips.
There are sixteen vowel sounds in American English: eleven pure vowels and five diphthongs (vowel
+ / ɪ / or / ʊ /). The vowels are produced by movements of the tongue up and down, front and back.
Other factors, such as lip rounding, and muscular tension or relaxation ("tense or lax") may also be
involved.

2. Vowels Detailed Description.

2a. Place of formation:
a) Front / i I eI ɛ ӕ / (lips, teeth and alveolar ridge)
b) Center / ә ɜ aI aʊ I / (palate)
c) Back / ɑ ᴧ  ʊ u oʊ / (back palate and velum)

2b. Jaw articulation:

a) High /iIʊu/ (mouth almost closed)
b) Mid-high / eI ɜ o ʊ / (mouth a little less closed)
c) Middle /ә/ (schwa)
d) Mid-low / ɛ ᴧ  aI aʊ I / (mouth open)
e) Low /ӕɑ/ (mouth very open)
2c. Lips:
a) Spread /iӕ/
b) Rounded / u o ʊ  I /
c) Unrounded / I ʊ ә ɜ ɛ ᴧ ɑ e I a I aʊ /
2d. Tension:
a) Lax /Iʊɜәɛᴧӕ/
b) Tense / i u ɑ  eI a I aʊ o ʊ  I /

** Classify the vowels below:

1) / i / - 6) /ә/ -
2) / I / - 7) /ɜ/ -
3) / ɛ / - 8) /ᴧ/ -
4) / æ / - 9) // -
5) / ɑ / - 10) / ʊ / -
11) / u / -
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DIPHTHONGS
/eI/
alien later bay
eight station lay
angel plane today

/aI/ /aʊ/
iron typist buy out mouse cow
island behind sigh hour town now
ice spider die ouch brown bow

/I/ /oʊ/
oil voice boy open October yellow
ointment employer toy omen told tomorrow
oink noisy enjoy over soap slow

PURE VOWELS
SCHWA
/ә/
about famous banana
opinion nervous camera
across problem America

** Cross out all vowels that are pronounced as schwa / Ə /:

1. Comfortable 5. Indescribable 9. Undeniable

2. Computer 6. Literature 10. Unfortunately
3. Inconsequent 7. Methodology 11. Unreasonable
4. Independence 8. Professional 12. Vegetable

/I/ /i/
indian ship pretty* easy sheep key
Italy listen many* either feel bee
ear live plenty* equal leave three

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Listen to these sentences. Circle the word in parentheses that you hear.

1. He has to (live/leave) there.

2. The team needs a new (hitter/heater).
3. He has a (sheep/ship).
4. (Fill/Feel) the glass.
5. He got the (least/list) of everyone.
6. Hey, don't (slip/sleep).
7. Only experts prepare his (feasts/fists).

/æ/ /ɛ/
ant cap -x- any many -x-
apple bat -x- air bear -x-
act lad -x- edge hair -x-

Listen to these sentences. Circle the word in parentheses that you hear.

1. Did you see the (men/man)?

2. Is this (pen/pan) new?
3. Everyone (left/laughed) when I said that.
4. They are (said/sad) to be leaving.
5. Is that man in the picture (dead/Dad)?

** Minimal pairs:

/i/ : /I/ : /ɛ/ : /æ/ /i/ : /I/

1. bean : bin : Ben : ban 1. feet : fit
2. teen : tin : ten : tan 2. eat : it
3. seeks : six : sex : sacks 3. reach : rich
4. seat : sit : set : sat 4. sheet : shit
5. beat : bit : bet : bat 5. seen : sin

/ʊ/ /u/
Oops look / good -x- Oops Luke / fool do
-x- foot / put -x- Ooze boot / pool who
-x- bedroom/bush -x- -x- suit/student new

// /ɑ/
order morning *pour arm stop *bar
orchard warm *more art shop *car
orchestra ball *door option father *far
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** Minimal pairs:
/ʊ/ : /u/ /ɑ/ : //
1. look : Luke 1. star : store
2. should : shoed 2. farm : form
3. full : fool 3. part : port
4. pull : pool 4. cart : court
5. soot : suit 5. park : pork

/ᴧ/ /ɜ/
under butter -x- earn person *occur
ugly mother -x- earth her *prefer
other brother -x- early birth *fur

** Minimal pairs:
/ɑ/ : /ᴧ/ /ɑ/ : /ɜ/
psalm : some far : fur
hot : hut heart : hurt
cot : cut star : stir
not : nut farm : firm
box : bucks farther : further

/æ/ : /ɑ/ /ɜ/ : /ә/

cat : cot permit : permit (v)
add : odd survey : survey (v)
fax : fox pervert : pervert (v)
black : block convert : convert (n)
laughed : loft

** Group the following words according to the sound:

1. Alphabet 6. Church 11. Fruit 16. Hook 21. Mousse 26. Stool 31. Swap
2. Bird 7. Cop 12. Glove 17. Hot 22. Oven 27. Story 32. Trudge
3. Bulb 8. Dessert 13. Gone 18. Love 23. Pal 28. Super 33. Wax
4. Bull 9. Doug 14. Group 19. Mall 24. Paul 29. Supper 34. Work
5. Chalk 10. Fort 15. Hood 20. Mood 25. Squash 30. Swab 35. Would

A B C D E F G
/æ/ /ɑ/ /ɜ/ /ᴧ/ // /ʊ/ /u/

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VOWEL NAME NICKNAMES WEAK SOUND

A / eI / - cake / æ /- bag / ә / - about

/ ɑ / - car
/  / - talk

E / i / - sheet / ɛ / - pen / ә / - father

I / aI / - five / I / - big / ә / - responsible

O / o ʊ /- wrote / ɑ / - hot / ә / - lemon

/  / - pork

U / ju / - mute / ʊ / - put / ә / - measure

/ u / - rude / ᴧ / - cut

ALPHABET NAME PRONUNCIATION

When to pronounce the ALPHABET NAME:

I) two vowels together - the first will say its alphabet name and the second will be silent*:
bait - lead - die - boat - suit

II) vowel + consonant + "e" - the first will say its alphabet name and the "e" will be silent*:
late - Pete - like - code - nude
(They form only ONE syllable.)

III) vowel + consonant + vowel - the first will say its alphabet name and the second will use a
"nickname" or the weak sound (schwa)*:
lady - Peter - icy - motor - Cuba
(They form two separate syllables.)

* These rules are 85% accurate.

* They are supposed to be applied to the stressed syllable of the word.

Group the following words according to the rule they follow:

1. Arrival 6. Computer 11. Fade 16. Like 21. Rave 26. Succeed
2. Arrive 7. Cube 12. Flute 17. Maid 22. Razor 27. Suit
3. Bathe 8. Eagle 13. Hope 18. Motor 23. Remain 28. Tapir
4. Clean 9. Eraser 14. Lady 19. Nature 24. Save 29. Teeth
5. Coach 10. Explain 15. Leader 20. Poke 25. Seize 30. Use

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 NICKNAME PRONUNCIATION
When to pronounce the vowel "nickname":

IV) vowel + consonant /end of a word (or end of a syllable). This rule is 80% accurate.*
hat - bed - hit - dog - put

V) vowel + double consonant. This rule is 95% accurate.*

apple - better - middle - topping - buzz

* They are supposed to be applied to the stressed syllable of the word.

* Clue 1: only one vowel, at the beginning or in the middle of the word => nickname!
* Clue 2: only one vowel, at the end of the word => alphabet name!

Group the following words according to the rule they follow:

1. Attic 6. Buzz 11. Itch 16. Mug 21. Ring 26. Splash
2. Ball 7. Daddy 12. Ladder 17. Occur 22. Robber 27. Stabbed
3. Bath 8. Drop 13. Lull 18. Occurred 23. Rod 28. Swab
4. Beg 9. Forgotten 14. Matter 19. Passenger 24. Shack 29. Trip
5. Bin 10. Guess 15. Moth 20. Puff 25. Skin 30. Wash

GENERAL REVIEW
I. Write the words in the correct column.

A. i B. I C. e I  D. ɛ E.  æ

lead lid laid led lad

1. Apple 6. Brand 11. Din 16. Grate 21. Peter 26. Sell
2. Bait 7. Dan 12. Dinner 17. Lettuce 22. Picnic 27. Sill
3. Bat 8. Dane 13. Eat 18. Maid 23. Sail 28. Sit
4. Bet 9. Dean 14. Expect 19. Mat 24. Sally 29. Stake
5. Bitter 10. Den 15. Grass 20. Nemo 25. Seat 30. Tea

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II. Write the phonetic symbol for the underlined letters.
A. Chicken / / H. Mother / /
B. Club / / I. Notebook / /
C. Foot / / J. Please / /
D. Fox / / K. Police / /
E. Latter / / L. Very / /
F. Loop / / M. Wake / /
G. Morning / / N. Women / /

III. Read the transcriptions below and write the word with regular spelling.
1 - Circle the word that does NOT end in the sound / i /:
a) Be b) Breathe c) Sea

2 - Circle the word that has the sound / æ /:

a) Laugh b) Ball c) Mary
3 - Circle the word that does NOT have the sound / u /:
a) Luke b) Food c) Book
4 - Circle the word that has the sound /  /:
a) Awful b) Oven c) Over

5 - Circle the word that has the sound / u /:

a) Awful b) Rude c) Circuit

6 - Circle the word that has the sound / ɜ /:

a) Church b) Birth c) Merge

7 - Circle the word that has the sound / ᴧ /:

a) Bush b) Brother c) Put

IV. Read the transcriptions below and write the word with regular spelling.
a. b a I t  g. ɪ ŋ

b. e I t  h.r  ŋ

c. / tʃ ɑ r dʒ  i. / ‘m ɛ ʒ ә r
d. ’w ᴧ n d әr j.h æ t

e.  p æ s t k.w i k

f.  ‘f l a ʊ ә r l.ro ʊ n

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