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Barbara Howarth 2010 1
English PronunciationEnglish PronunciationBarbara HowarthBarbara Howarth
A Student's Guide to A Student's Guide to Vowel SoundsVowel Sounds
http://www.efltutoring.com/
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i: ɪ ʊ u:e ə ɜ: ɔ:æ ʌ ɑ: ɒ
Vowel Sounds - Monophthongs
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i: ɪ ʊ u:Monophthongs - High
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Monophthongs - High
The jaw is fairly closed
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æ ʌ ɑ: ɒ
Vowel Sounds - Low
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Monophthongs - Low
The jaw is open
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e ə ɜ: ɔ:
Monophthongs - Mid
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Monophthongs - Mid
The jaw is neutral
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i:eæ
Monophthongs - Front
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Monophthongs - FrontThe front part of the tongue is positioned forward
in the mouthThe front part of the tongue is raised towards the hard
palateThe lips are spread out
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u:ɔ:ɒ
Monophthongs - Back
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Monophthongs - BackThe back part of the tongue is positioned towards
the back of the mouthThe back part of the tongue is raised towards the soft
palateThe lips are rounded
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ɪ ʊə ɜ:ʌ ɑ:
Monophthongs - Central
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Monophthongs – CentralThe central part of the tongue is positioned
centrally in the mouthThe central part of the tongue is raised towards the
area along the hard and soft palateThe lips are neutral but..
quite spread in /ɪ/ quite rounded in /ʊ/
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ɪə eɪʊə ɔɪ əʊeə aɪ aʊ
Vowel Sounds – Diphthongs
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ɪəʊəeə
Diphthongs – Centring (to /ə/)
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Diphthongs – Centring (to /ə/)
The vowel sound 'glides' (i.e. moves) from one sound: /ɪ/, /ʊ/, or /e/ to the central vowel /ə/
This movement occurs within a single syllable
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eɪɔɪaɪ
Diphthongs – Gliding to /ɪ/
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Diphthongs – Gliding to /ɪ/
The vowel sound 'glides' (i.e. moves) from one sound: /e/, /ɔ/, or /a/ to the central vowel /ɪ/
This movement occurs within a single syllable
The vowel /a/ is a low, central vowel. It does not exist as a single vowel in English
The pronunciation of /a/ is somewhere between /ʌ/ and /ɑ:/
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əʊaʊ
Diphthongs – Gliding to /ʊ/
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Diphthongs – Gliding to /ʊ/
The vowel sound 'glides' (i.e. moves) from one sound: /ə/, or /a/ to the central vowel /ʊ/
This movement occurs within a single syllable
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References: References: Underhill, A. (1994). Sound Foundations. Heinnemann
For further practice see:For further practice see:Hancock, M. (2003). English Pronunciation in Use. Cambridge University Press
Web-link to EFL Tutoring – Vowel ChartsWeb-link to EFL Tutoring – Vowel Charts
http://www.efltutoring.com/
