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PRONUNCIATION
VOWEL SYSTEM OF
AMERICAN ENGLISH
1. Long Vowels
symbol sound example
ei ate, rake, lane, faint
ee eat, meet, knead, reed
i ice, kite, lie, wi-fi, rye
ou oak, show, dough, low
Long Vowels
Say: / /, / /, / /, / /, / /
test letter central
question well guest
amend ten western
when best
Vowel Specific Drills
e. The Vowel //
the tongue should be lowered and pushed forward
slightly drop lower jaw
pull lips back slightly
Say: // // // // //
most code phone
cold suppose told
wont loan quote
zone note revoke
Vowel Specific Drills
i. The Vowel /u/
tongue slightly pulled back and curved
high in the back of the mouth
lips somewhat rounded
/f/-/p/
fadepaid fatpat
fastpast failpail
fillpill fullpull
feetPete fallPaul
fourpour finepine
/v//b/
thisdis other
theda mother
thosedoze brother
theredare father
theirdare either
thanDan neither
thatdat farther
thydie either
thoughdoe rather
theyday clothes
/hw/
wheel whisper
where whistle
which wheat
whale whiz
when while
why white
what wharf
/z/
zoo zebra
zero zig-zag
zipper freeze
lazy crazy
dizzy prize
says (sez)
has (haz)
is (iz)
/j /
Jean jeep
Jim gym
James jail
Jenny jet
Jack jam
John jar
George jaw
Joe joke
just job
June juice
/sh/
sheep ship
shell shape
shack shop
shall shawl
short show
shut should
shoot wish
wash bush
mash mesh
sure (shoor) nation (shun)
/sh/
sheep ship
shell shape
shack shop
shall shawl
short show
shut should
shoot wish
wash bush
mash mesh
sure (shoor) nation (shun)
/ch /
cheap each
chip itch
chain sketch
chest catch
match choke
coach chew
cheese much
Dutch chill
child children
chief chalk
Standard American Pronunciation
1. The Sound of T
2. The Sound of R
3. The Sound of L
4. Tee Aitch
5. American I and E
6. S or Z
AMERICAN T
1. [ T is T ]
If the T is at the beginning of a word it is a strong, clear T sound.
With stressed T and ST, TS, TR, CT, LT, and sometimes NT
combinations, T is also aspirated (content, contract, Stephen)
The American R
Tee Aitch
If the preceding sound is /s/ /sh/ /ch/ or /z/ , then use /iz/
watches , misses , searches , buzzes , washes
If the preceding sound is "voiceless" (you cannot feel
any vibration in your throat when you say it), then use
/s/
breaks , costs , eats , talks , hopes
In all other cases use /z/
begins , enjoys , stays , goes , remembers
Tongue Tanglers
A clipper shipped several
clipped sheep.
Were these clipped sheep
the clipper ships sheep,
Or just clipped sheep
Shipped on a clipper ship?
Three grey greedy geese
Feeding on a weedy piece.
The piece was weedy,
The geese were greedy,
Three grey greedy geese
Thirty three thunderbirds
Thrummed thrumpingly
Through the thickening thicket.
We say Dan when we mean than and
den when we mean then.This book is
mine and that is yours, are habits we
can easily form. By saying this and
that many times This is mine and
That is yours or I would rather have
this dish though that one is the best
are good practice drills for those who
say den instead of then.
Neil Knott was shot and Sam Schott was not. So it
is better to be Schott than Knott. Some say Knott
was not shot but Schott says he shot Knott.