Vowel Sound Practice

A in cat A by n/m A in all E in met I in sit O in hot U in up in good E in Short I Short U or Schwa
act am all again animal body a Book ready picture enough
after an also any begin brought about could red pretty final
as and always bed big common above foot remember quick first
ask animal are been bring cross again full rest ship flood
at answer call best build dog ago good said simple from
back began car better busy follow among look science since front
bad can cause center children got appear pull second sit girl
black example dark develop city hot bird put self six govern heard
class family draw end did long blood should sentence still her
fact hand fall ever figure lot but stood set think island
fast land far every fish off certain took several this just
had man farm example give often color understood special which learn
half plan father friend him on come wood spell will love
happen plant hard get his possible common would step wind machine
has ran large head if problem complete practice tell with minute
have stand part help in product contain ten money
language than saw interest inch rock correct test mother
last understand small language interest song country them much
laugh practice star left is stop cover then nothing
math start less it strong develop very of
map talk let list thought direct well one
pass walk letter listen top does went other
pattern want many little practice done west person
perhaps watch measure live during when run
Vowel Sound Practice
A in cat A by n/m A in all E in met I in sit O in hot U in up in good E in Short I Short U or Schwa
that water men minute early yellow second
travel practice never miss earth yes serve
practice next (go below) practice yet some
question practice study
such
sun
sure
the
thousand
together
turn
under
until
up
was
were
what
wonder
word
work
world
young
* Notice that many spellings are pronounced as the U in "up" when on an unstressed syllable. This is because it is the simplest vowel
sound. When next to R, you may not hear it. This is called a "schwa" in phonetics. It is the U in "up" or nothing at all.
Long Vowel Sound Practice
Two Major Rules
Silent E at the end makes the vowel sound long. Compare "sit" and "site" or "rat" and "rate."
When there are two vowels next to each other, the first is a long sound and the second is silent (except the double vowel sound
in oi, oy and sometimes ou, ow.) There are exceptions, see connecting vowels, but this rule works well in general.
Long Vowel Sounds
A as in late E as in need I as in hi O as in no U as in rule
YU as in
music
Ou/ow as in
ouch
A Appear Behind Also Blue Beauty About
Able Be By Before Do Computer Down
Age Beauty Cry Boat Food Cute Found
Air Between Decide Both Group Few Ground
Always Clear Drive Close Knew Fuse Hour
Area Complete Dry Cold Moon Music House
Came Deep Eye Course Move Unit How
Carry East Final Dont New Use Mountain
Change Eat Find Door Room Usual Now
Day Even Fine Follow Rule Our
Face Feel Fire Force School Out
Game Feet Five Form Soon Pound
Gave Field Fly Four Through Power
Great Free High Go Too Round
Late Green I Gold True Sound
Lay He Idea Grow Two South
Main Hear Island Home Usual Thousand
Make Heat Kind Horse Who Town
May Here Life Know You Vowel
Name Keep Light Low Practice
Page Leave Like More
Place Machine Line Morning
Plain Me Might Most
Plane Near Mile No
Play Need Mind Note
Long Vowel Sounds
A as in late E as in need I as in hi O as in no U as in rule
YU as in
music
Ou/ow as in
ouch
Rain People My Oh
Same Piece Night Old
Say Reach Right Only
State Read Side Order
Stay Real Size Over
Table See Time Own
Tail Seem Try Road
Take She While Short
Their Street White Show
There Teach Why Slow
They These Write Snow
Wait Three So
Way Tree Story
Weight We Toward
Where Week Those
Wheel Told
Year War
Practice Warm
Practice



English Pronunciation: Vowel Sounds
There are 3 main sounds that American English speakers make with the A vowel.
Short A: the sound in the word "cat." Lips are pulled back and the throat is a little tight.
Long A: the same as the sound of the letter: A.
Open A: the "ah" sound that is used in British English. It is the sound you make at the doctor when your throat is checked.
An/m: When A is next to N or M, it sounds like the sound between a Long A and a Short A with a Y at the end. "And" sounds like
A(y)nd with a very small Y.
Schwa: This is the simplest vowel and the most common sound in our language. It is the "u" sound in "up".

English Pronunciation
Connecting Two Vowel Sounds
When two separate vowel sounds are next to each other, we naturally connect them with a light Y or W sound.
Many double vowel spellings have only one sound--for example, "oa" indicates a long O sound as in "boat."
Note: When a prefix, such as "re," "pre," "pro" or "co," is combined with a word that begins with a vowel, both sounds are pronounced.
Also, some prefixes have double vowel sounds, like "bio" and "geo."
The small Y or W happens because Americans are not precise with vowels. We have clear sounds, but we are comfortable switching
from one sound to another as we speak, so that there is a blending sound in between.
Practicing Sounds
L -- In American English the L is spoken quickly and lightly, especially when it is the last letter.
R -- The American R is not trilled and it is always pronounced.
T -- The T sound often becomes a light "d" sound when it is between vowels and a light, stopped sound at the end of words. It can also
be left out entirely. So water sounds like "wader," hot sounds like "ho(t)" and interview sounds like "innerview."
Th -- Americans have 2 sounds for Th: a soft, vibrating sound as in "the" and a more forceful, popped sound as in "think."
V and W -- Some languages have one or the other, but not both. In American English, these are two distinct sounds.
A -- Americans have different sounds for A, the sound in "cat," the sound in "late" and the sound in "all" and more. See A
Sounds. Practice with the 500 Word lists: short vowels and long vowels.
I -- I has two sounds: the I in "sit" and the I in "kite."
O--There are three sounds for O: "cost," "cold" and "cover."