Vowels Characteristics of “pure” vowels and diphthongs. Raising awareness of vowel sounds

Characteristics of “pure” vowel sounds #1 There are 12 “pure” sounds. When you say these sounds the position of your tongue changes. Be aware of the shape of your lips and lower jaws as you say these sounds consecutively.

Characteristics of “pure” vowel sounds #2 These different movements give distinction between each sound. The difference in the sounds make the differences in the words. The general descriptions of the vowel sound is important, not so much the pronunciation.

Pure Vowel Sounds Pure means a single vowel sound.

Pure Vowel Sounds Close Vowels Mid Vowels Open Vowels

Close Vowel Sounds The tongue is high in the mouth. The tongue takes different positions, from the back and the front.ZA

Example Words of Closed Vowel Sounds bead, key, cheese, scene, police, people, quay (track 9) hit, sausage, biggest, rhythm, mountain, busy, women, sieve (track 10) book, good, woman, push, pull (track 11) food, rude, true, who, fruit, soup (track 12)

'ee' as in 'she'

'ih' as in 'sit'

'oo' as in 'boo'

'uh' as in 'pull'

Mid Vowel Sounds The tongue is neither high nor low. Again the position moves from front to back too.

Example Words of Mid Vowel Sounds egg, left, said, head, read (past), instead, any, leisure, leopard (track 13) about, paper, banana, nation, the (before consonants) (track 14) shirt, her, word, further, pearl, serve, myrtle (track 15) fork, call, snore, taught, bought, board, saw, pour, broad, all, law, horse, hoarse (track 16)

'eh' as in 'bed'

'ur' as in 'her'

Open Vowel Sounds The tongue is low in the mouth. The tongue also changes position here.

Example Words of Open Vowel Sounds hat, attack, antique, plait (track 17) run, uncle, front, nourish, does, come, flood (track 18) far, part, half, class, command, clerk, memoir, aunty, hearth (track 19) dog, often, cough, want, because, knowledge, Australia (track 20)

'aa' as in 'bat'

'uh' as in 'butter'

'ah' as in 'father'

'aw' as in 'law'

'uh' as in 'supply'

Audio Samples of the Sound Website http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vow el#Audio_samples

Good websites to see the mouth positions http://www.rachelsenglish.com/m outh_positions#father

Diphthongs A diphthong is a combination of vowel sounds. The first sound is held longer and louder. There are usually 8.

Centering Dipthongs These sounds end with a long sound like the “a” in about.

Example Words of Centering Diphthongs #1 beer, beard, fear, pierce, Ian, here, idea (track 21) sure, moor, tour, obscure (track 22) where, wear, chair, dare, stare, there (track 23) cake, way, weigh, say, pain, they, vein (track 24)

Example Words of Centering Diphthongs #2 toy, avoid, voice, enjoy, boy (track 25) high, tie, buy, kite, might, cry, eye (track 26)

Closing Diphthongs The position of the tongue is higher. When the diphthongs are read, they are read as one sound only.

'oy' as in 'toy'

'ow' as in 'now'

'oh' as in 'no'

'ai' as in 'buy'

'ay' as in 'say'

'ew' as in 'few'