1. /ɪ/ as in "sit"
Fix problem
Relax the mouth and keep sound short.
English sound
/ɪ/ — "sit"
Common error
/i:/ — "seat"
2. /æ/ as in "cat"
Fix problem
Keep tongue front & low and jaws apart.
English sound
/æ/ — "cat"
Common error
/ɑ:/ — "cart"
Practice materials
Minimal Pairs /æ/ or /ɑ:/ practice
Minimal Pairs /æ/ or /ɑ:/ practice
3. /ʌ/ as in "cup"
Fix problem
Tongue low central. Lips relaxed.
English sound
/ʌ/ — "cup"
Practice materials
Minimal Pairs /æ/ or /ʌ/ practice
Minimal Pairs /æ/ or /ʌ/ practice
4. /ɒ/ as in "not"
Fix problem
Keep mouth round and tongue back.
English sound
/ɒ/ — "not"
Practice materials
Minimal Pairs /ɒ/ or /ɔ:/ practice
Minimal Pairs /ɒ/ or /ɔ:/ practice
5. /ə/ — weak endings
Fix problem
Weak endings: e.g. "London" "England"
English sound
/ə/ — "the" (schwa)
Practice materials
Practise the neutral vowel /ə/ using spoken dialogues
Practise the neutral vowel /ə/ using spoken dialogues
6. /ɑ:/ as in "part"
Fix problem
Keep mouth open and tongue low central.
English sound
/ɑ:/ — "part"
7. /ɑ:/ as in "part"
Fix problem
Mouth more open. Make sound longer.
English sound
/ɑ:/ — "part"
Common error
/ɒ/ — "pot"
Practice materials
Minimal Pairs /ɑ:/ or /ɒ/ practice
Minimal Pairs /ɑ:/ or /ɒ/ practice
8. /u:/ as in "fool"
Fix problem
Back of tongue high. Lips tightly rounded. Long.
English sound
/u:/ — "fool"
Practice materials
Minimal Pairs /ʊ/ or /u:/ practice
Minimal Pairs /ʊ/ or /u:/ practice
9. /ɜ:/ as in "bird"
Fix problem
Fix tongue in central position. Long.
English sound
/ɜ:/ — "bird"
10. /aɪə/ as in "fire"
Fix problem
Tongue low front to high front to centre.
English sound
/aɪə/=/aɪ/+/ə/ — "fire"
11. /əʊ/ as in "note"
Fix problem
Tongue central. Then tightly round lips.
English sound
/əʊ/ — "note"
Common error
/ɒ/ — "not"
Practice materials
Minimal Pairs /əʊ/ or /ɒ/ practice
Minimal Pairs /əʊ/ or /ɒ/ practice
12. /aʊə/ as in "flour"
Fix problem
Tongue low front. Then round & unround lips.
English sound
/aʊə/=/aʊ/+/ə/ — "flour"
13. /ɪə/ as in "beer"
Fix problem
Tongue high and front. Move to centre.
English sound
/ɪə/ — "beer"
Common error
/eə/ — "bear"
14. /eə/ as in "bear"
Fix problem
Tongue from centre front. Draw back to centre.
English sound
/eə/ — "bear"
15. /ʊə/ as in "tour"
Fix problem
Start with lips tightly rounded. Unround.
English sound
/ʊə/ — "tour"
16. /p/ as in "pit"
Fix problem
Unvoiced. Use more air. Trap it with lips.
English sound
/p/ — "pit"
Common error
/b/ — "bit"
17. /t/ as in "tie"
Fix pr
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