Vowels

What is a vowel?

How are vowels different

from consonants?
Vowels Defined
Webster’s Dictionary:
One of a class of speech sounds
in the articulation of which the
oral part of the breath channel
is not blocked and is not
constricted enough to cause
audible friction.
 Simple Definition:

A vowel is a speech
sound produced with
very little obstruction
of the air stream.
Vowel Chart
Tongue Height Illustrated
Measuring the distance from the palate to the tongue.
Matching the target values
 Examples of some
basic vowels in
English
FRONT CENTRAL BACK
UNROUNDED UNROUNDED ROUNDED

Clos e l[i]d le a d b[u]t boot

HIGH
Ope n l[…
]d lid b[‡]k book
Clos e l[e ]d la id b[o]t boa t
MID
Ope n l[†]d le d
Clos e l[‘ ]d la d k[‚ ]p cup b[ˆ ]t bought
LOW
Ope n k[€]p cop
Names of these
vowels
 Exercise
FRONT CENTRAL BACK
UNROUNDED UNROUNDED ROUNDED

Clos e l[i]d le a d b[u]t boot

HIGH
Ope n l[…
]d lid b[‡]k book
Clos e l[e ]d la id b[o]t boa t
MID
Ope n l[†]d le d
Clos e l[‘ ]d la d k[‚ ]p cup b[ˆ ]t bought
LOW
Ope n k[€]p cop

i “E” u “oooh”
… “fish hook” ‡ “horse shoe”
e “A” o “O”
† “epsilon”
‘ “diagraph” ‚ “pup tent” ˆ “open O”
€ “script ah”

bad [‘ ] look [‡ ] cut [‚ ]

 Exercise
FRONT CENTRAL BACK
UNROUNDED UNROUNDED ROUNDED

Clos e l[i]d le a d b[u]t boot

HIGH
Ope n l[…
]d lid b[‡]k book
Clos e l[e ]d la id b[o]t boa t
MID
Ope n l[†]d le d
Clos e l[‘ ]d la d k[‚ ]p cup b[ˆ ]t bought
LOW
Ope n k[€]p cop

i “E” u “oooh”
… “fish hook” ‡ “horse shoe”
e “A” o “O”
† “epsilon”
‘ “diagraph” ‚ “pup tent” ˆ “open O”
€ “script ah”

bid [ …] Luke [ u ] cat [‘ ]

 Exercise
FRONT CENTRAL BACK
UNROUNDED UNROUNDED ROUNDED

Clos e l[i]d le a d b[u]t boot

HIGH
Ope n l[…
]d lid b[‡]k book
Clos e l[e ]d la id b[o]t boa t
MID
Ope n l[†]d le d
Clos e l[‘ ]d la d k[‚ ]p cup b[ˆ ]t bought
LOW
Ope n k[€]p cop

i “E” u “oooh”
… “fish hook” ‡ “horse shoe”
e “A” o “O”
† “epsilon”
‘ “diagraph” ‚ “pup tent” ˆ “open O”
€ “script ah”

bud [ ‚] lack [‘ ] kit [ …]

 Exercise
FRONT CENTRAL BACK
UNROUNDED UNROUNDED ROUNDED

Clos e l[i]d le a d b[u]t boot

HIGH
Ope n l[…
]d lid b[‡]k book
Clos e l[e ]d la id b[o]t boa t
MID
Ope n l[†]d le d
Clos e l[‘ ]d la d k[‚ ]p cup b[ˆ ]t bought
LOW
Ope n k[€]p cop

i “E” u “oooh”
… “fish hook” ‡ “horse shoe”
e “A” o “O”
† “epsilon”
‘ “diagraph” ‚ “pup tent” ˆ “open O”
€ “script ah”

bead [ i ] lick [ …] Kate [ e ]

 Exercise
FRONT CENTRAL BACK
UNROUNDED UNROUNDED ROUNDED

Clos e l[i]d le a d b[u]t boot

HIGH
Ope n l[…
]d lid b[‡]k book
Clos e l[e ]d la id b[o]t boa t
MID
Ope n l[†]d le d
Clos e l[‘ ]d la d k[‚ ]p cup b[ˆ ]t bought
LOW
Ope n k[€]p cop

i “E” u “oooh”
… “fish hook” ‡ “horse shoe”
e “A” o “O”
† “epsilon”
‘ “diagraph” ‚ “pup tent” ˆ “open O”
€ “script ah”

bed [†] lake [e] coat [o]

 Exercise
FRONT CENTRAL BACK
UNROUNDED UNROUNDED ROUNDED

Clos e l[i]d le a d b[u]t boot

HIGH
Ope n l[…
]d lid b[‡]k book
Clos e l[e ]d la id b[o]t boa t
MID
Ope n l[†]d le d
Clos e l[‘ ]d la d k[‚ ]p cup b[ˆ ]t bought
LOW
Ope n k[€]p cop

i “E” u “oooh”
… “fish hook” ‡ “horse shoe”
e “A” o “O”
† “epsilon”
‘ “diagraph” ‚ “pup tent” ˆ “open O”
€ “script ah”

duke [ u ] lock [€/ˆ ] coot [u]

 Exercise
FRONT CENTRAL BACK
UNROUNDED UNROUNDED ROUNDED

Clos e l[i]d le a d b[u]t boot

HIGH
Ope n l[…
]d lid b[‡]k book
Clos e l[e ]d la id b[o]t boa t
MID
Ope n l[†]d le d
Clos e l[‘ ]d la d k[‚ ]p cup b[ˆ ]t bought
LOW
Ope n k[€]p cop

i “E” u “oooh”
… “fish hook” ‡ “horse shoe”
e “A” o “O”
† “epsilon”
‘ “diagraph” ‚ “pup tent” ˆ “open O”
€ “script ah”

duck [ ‚ ] leak [ i ] caught [€/ˆ ]

 Exercise
FRONT CENTRAL BACK
UNROUNDED UNROUNDED ROUNDED

Clos e l[i]d le a d b[u]t boot

HIGH
Ope n l[…
]d lid b[‡]k book
Clos e l[e ]d la id b[o]t boa t
MID
Ope n l[†]d le d
Clos e l[‘ ]d la d k[‚ ]p cup b[ˆ ]t bought
LOW
Ope n k[€]p cop

i “E” u “oooh”
… “fish hook” ‡ “horse shoe”
e “A” o “O”
† “epsilon”
‘ “diagraph” ‚ “pup tent” ˆ “open O”
€ “script ah”

deck [ † ] luck [ ‚] kid [ …]