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Understanding English Vowel Sounds: Classification, Characteristics, and Examples

This unit covers the essential aspects of English vowel sounds, exploring how they are formed without obstruction in the mouth. The quality of vowels is influenced by the height and position of the tongue, alongside the shape and tension in the mouth. Key classifications include front, back, and central vowels along with their height (high, mid, low), mouth position (rounded or unrounded), and length (long or short). The unit discusses specific sounds and their spelling patterns while examining diphthongs—combinations of vowel sounds. Ideal for learners looking to enhance their phonetic understanding.

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Understanding English Vowel Sounds: Classification, Characteristics, and Examples

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  1. Phonetics Unit 1

  2. VowelSounds • No obstruction of airstream in the mouth. • Quality depends on height and position of the tongue. • Movement of the tongue: up, down, forward and back to change size and shape of oral cavity. • Variables to classify vowel sounds:

  3. Classification of vowelsounds • Part of the tongue which is the highest: • Front vowels: front of the tongue is raised near the hard palate. (beet, bit, bet, bat) • Back vowels: back of the tongue near the soft palate. (food, fort, father) • Central vowels: center of the tongue near the junction of sort and hard palate. (among)

  4. Classification of vowelsounds • The height of the tongue: • High: top of tongue near the roof of the mouth. • Mid: top of the tongue at intermediate position, with medium jaw opening. • Low: top of tongue far from the roof of the mouth, with a wide jaw opening.

  5. Calssification of vowelsounds • Position of the lips • Rounded • Unrounded • State of tension of the tongue • Tense • Lax

  6. Classification of vowelsounds • Length • Long /i, æ, Ɔ, u, ɝ/ + diphthongs • Short /I, Ɛ, ʌ, a, Ʊ, Ə/

  7. Description of frontvowelsounds • /i/: high, front, long, close, tense, unrounded • Spelling: • ee: meet, cheese, seen, freeze • e: complete, me, these, delete • ea: pea, leaf, reason, steam • ie: piece, niece, thief, chief • ei, ey: seize, receive, key

  8. Description of frontvowelsounds • /I/: mid-high, front, short, close, lax, unrounded • Spelling: • i: kid, lift • y: gym, system, vanity • ui: build, quick, guilt

  9. Description of frontvowelsounds • /Ɛ/: mid-low, front, short, half-open, lax, unrounded • Spelling: • e: neck, rest, send • ea: bread, head, dead • /æ/: low, front, short, open, lax, unrounded • Spelling: • a: mad, had, rat

  10. Description of back vowelsounds • /u/: high, back, long, close, tense, rounded • Spelling: • oo: food, root, room • o: do, to, who • u: rude, rule, nude • ew: blew, chew, new • ue: blue, due, clue • oe: canoe, shoe

  11. Description of back vowelsounds • /Ʊ/: mid-high, back, short, half-close, lax, rounded • Spelling: • u: put, bullet • oo: wool, good • ou: could, would, should • o: woman

  12. Description of back vowelsounds • /Ɔ/: mid-low, back, long, half-open, tense, rounded • Spelling: • aw: jaw, lawn • au: daughter, fault • a: all, talk, salt

  13. Description of back vowelsounds • /a/: low, back, short, open, lax, slightly rounded • Spelling: • o: dog, dock, holiday • a: what, want, watch • ou, au, ow: cough, because, Austria, knowledge

  14. Description of central vowelsounds • /ʌ/: mid-low, central, short, open, lax, unrounded • Spelling: • u: cut, sun • o: come, among • ou: country, couple • oo: blood, flood • oe: does

  15. Description of central vowelsounds • /Ə/: mid, central, short, half-open, lax, unrounded (schwa) • Spelling: • a: asleep, away, atlas • e: oven, belief, open • i: possible, liquid, typical • o: purpose, occur, lemon • u: lettuce, upon, circus • ou: famous • oi: porpoise • iou: cautious

  16. Description of diphthongs • Movementsfromonevoweltoanother • Equivalenttolongvowels • /ei/ • Spelling: • a: late, ate, hate • ai: main, fail, grain • ay: day, bay, play • ei: eight, weigh, freight

  17. Description of diphthongs • /aI/: • Spelling: • i: I, ice, fire • y: my, fly • ie: die, pie • igh: high, slight

  18. Description of diphthongs • /ƆI/ • Spelling: • oi: coin, join • oy: boy, toy • /aƱ/ • Spelling: • ou: out, cloud, our • ow: town, clown

  19. Description of diphthongs • /ou/ • Spelling: • o: oval, only, over, no • ow: own • oa: oak, roam

  20. References: • Yule, G. (1996). The study of language. (2nd edition). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. • Dale, P. & Poms, L. (2005). English pronunciation made simple. New York: Longman.

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