Welcome to the American Accent Course.

These video lessons are

designed to help you learn to speak English with the standard
American Accent. You will learn all of the rules that you need to
know to pronounce the sounds correctly and you will learn how to fix
the common mistakes that non-native speakers make when theyre
speaking English. As you are watching these videos if there are
particular sounds that are difficult for you watch the videos over and
over again until you master that sound and then apply it to the real
world as soon as possible by reading some documents out loud and
using these sounds in your speech. Remember this: good
communication skills are your keys to success both professionally
and personally. I hope you enjoyed watching these videos.

15 VOWEL SOUNDS OF AMERICAN ENGLISH

Lets learn the 15 American Vowel Sounds of English. I will briefly

introduce to you to the 15 different sounds and you will be able to see the
phonetic symbol for each sound. And after this lesson, you will study the
difficult sound in a lot more detail so you can learn how to fix the biggest
mistakes that non-native speakers make when theyre trying to speak with
an American Accent.

Alright! Lets take a look at the first one.

1. The first one is /i/ some common words include please, see, meet,
believe. Say it one more time with me /i/.
2. Vowel number two is /I/ this, difficult, if, dinner. Say it with me /I/.
3. Vowel number three is /ei/ late, gate, baseball, stake, okay. Lets say it
again /ei/.
4. Vowel number four is // bed, men, dress, friend. Say it with me //.
5. Vowel number five /ae/ apple, man stand, angry. Say it with me
6. Lets take a look at vowel number six // hot, topic, office, modern. Say
it with me
7. Vowel number seven // but, done, jump, love. Say it with me //. This
sound is written in your dictionary like this, but sometimes you might also
see these symbol //. theyre basically the same sound //.
8. Vowel number eight // always, tall, bought, thought. One more time //.
Okay?
9. Vowel number nine /ou/ go, draw, slow, moment. Repeat after me.
10. Vowel number 10 /u/ book, foot, pull, push, took. Say it with me /u/.
11. Vowel number 11/u/ noon, shoes, move, blue. Say it with me /u/.
12. Vowel number twelve /r/ first, Thursday, girl, work. Say it with me /r/
13. Vowel number thirteen /ai/ time, while, nine, dining. Say it with me /ai/.
14. Vowel number fourteen /au/ now, house, round, announce. Say it with
me /au/
15. Finally, vowel number fiftien /i/enjoy, noise, boy, annoying. Say it with
me /i/.

So these are the fifteen vowels of American English. Now, lets study them
in more detail.
RULE ONE: Understanding Neutral and Tense Vowels

We categorized vowel as either as tense or neutral, or sometimes we say

relaxed instead of the word neutral. When we say that a vowel is tense, it
means that our tongue is tense and sometimes our lips are also tense. For
example, when I say /i/ or when I say /ou/. Theres a lot happening, my
mouth is moving and it is tense.

When I say /I/ or when I say /e/ theres not much happening in my mouth.
My lips are relaxed. My tongue is relaxed in the back. One main problem
that learners have with the American Accent is they have not learned the
difference between tense and neutral vowels. Its every important to know
the difference because otherwise, you might confuse words like fool and
full, hot and hut, steel and still. Sometimes, in other languages these
sounds can sound exactly the same. So, lets learn the four neutral vowels
in American English.

The first one

We dont say

In the following lessons, you will have a chance to learn in detail the
differences between some these very confusing vowel sounds. But for
now, I want you to remember the four main neutral sounds /i/, //, // //.

RULE TWO:

Do you ever confuse the words still and steel, or eat and it, or feel and fill?
Not knowing the difference between these two vowel sounds could even
cause you to say a bad word. For example, some people confuse the words
beach and bitch, or even worst sometimes sheet and shit. As you can see
its very important to know the difference between these two vowel
sounds and the difference sometimes doesnt exist in other languages. So
let me teach you how to fix that mistake permanently. The most important
thing that you need to know is that one vowel is tense and the other vowel
is neutral or relaxed.

The phonetic symbol look like this /i/. this symbol represent ee as in words
like
These words are usually spell

The other thing that you need to know about this vowel is to produce it.
Your lip must be tensed and you tongue is tense in the back of you mouth

So, look at me.

So your tongue must be hi

So try this out. Put your finger right here, under your jaw. Your finger
should be moving a little bit

Theyre moving because your tongue is tensed in the back

And now for the other vowel your tounge will not be moving so
Your lips will also be relaxed
The common spelling for this sound would be

If its in the middle of the word not in the end of the word

Fit -feet
Leave -live
Sleep slip
These this

Alright try sentences now

Can you feel it?

Did you heat it?
Did you hit it?

He doesnt want to leave.

He doesnt want to live.

She was feeling sleepy after eating the big meal.

These three people speak Chinese.
We love the green fields and the beach breezes.
Steve believe he will see Peters this week.
I will leave the East Coast in three weeks.

Lets practice some sentences now with the /I/ sound.

There are six filthy dishes in the kitchen sink.

Mr. Mrs. Smith lived in India for six years.
Bill took some interesting pictures on his trip to Italy last spring.
The winter wind will bring a big chill.
Do yo think that this swimmer has the ability to win?

Remember one more important thing the main difference between these
two vowels isnt that one vowel is long and one vowel is short. The main
diferrence is one vowel is tense one vowel is neutral or relaxed. Because
even relaxed vowel can be prolong, for example,

Wow, you house is big.

So, you see? A lot of people wrongly assumed thats the only difference
long and short. Remember short and relaxed.

RULE THREE: cup or cop

Lets compare two more vowels thats confusing to people. One of them is
tense and one of them is neutral.

This one is /a/ and this one is /schwa/

/a/ this is the tense one. The reason this can be a problem for a lot of
people is sometimes this vowel is actually spelled with letter o. so, for
example, the word hot,h-o-t, we dont say /howt/ we say /hot/. its
pronounced exactly as the a in the words father or army or watch.

So the o and the a both have the same sound very frequently which is
the /a/. to create the /a/ sound open your mouth wide and keep your
tongue at the bottom of your mouth and let the tip of your tongue touch
the bottom teeth. Like this, /a/
And this vowel is usually longer than people who are non native speakers
attemp to make it. Dont say stop, say st/a/p. thats imp/a/sible.
Particularly, if its a verb or a nou, we prolong the /a/ in the stressed
syllable.

Thats impossible. I love my new job.

So, lets take a look at the neutral sound /schwa/ my lips are neutral, my
lips are not doing very much. And my tongue is also neutral in the back.
Everything is relaxed.
Theres hardly any movement in my face.
Its almostl ike youre punching yourself in the stomach its like tiny little
noise very short little
Repeat . . .

This sound is commonly spelled with a letter u

As in the words like /a/ fun but number
But sometimes this sound is spelled as ou as in words like cousin or
country.
Or, once in a while this sound this sound is spelled o as in words like love,
son, other,or done.Im done.

Lets practice some few words now with a and /s/

Repeat after me:
Shot - shut
Don - done
Lock -luck
Cop - cup
Not- nut
Robber - rubber

Lets practice some sentences now that contain the /a/ sound. Many of
these words are going to be spelled with letter o. make sure you dont
say /o/ you dont say robert, its robert.its not mcdonald its mcdonald

Alright! Lets practice repeat after me.

The modern novel is very popular.

Tom will watch hockey with his father.
John will probably study biology in college.
I will not bother to respond to toms offer.
If you gossip about your boss you might loss your job.

And now, lets practice some sentences with an /s/ sound.

We must discuss this with the other judge.
My buddy doug is a wonderful drummer.
On mondays he plays the drum in that club.
On sundays I had duck for lunch with my cousin.
He doesnt study much and he loves to have fun.

If youre not sure if the sound is /a/ or /s/ you might have to look in your
dictionary and look at these symbols
As you can see, sometimes the spelling can be confusing.

Rule 4: pool or pull

Lets take a look two more vowels that are commonly confused because
one is tense and one is neutral

For the /u/ sound the lips are rounded.

RULE NINE: Understanding Stressed Vowels

Lets talk about Vowel

American vowels can sometimes sound long and louder if the syllable is
stressed of the word is stressed. For example, if I say the word banana.

Banana has three syllables. Lets take a look

This second syllable is stressed. That means that this vowel is going to be
much longer. Repeat, baNAna. So the a is going to be prolonged.

So , lets look another word that has three syllables and three As. This time
the first syllable is stressed.

So, you need to ask yourself which syllable is stressed. Or when you know
which syllable is stressed make sure that you make the vowel really big.
For example, lets take the sound /a/ as in the word Biology.

We dont say
We say

Im studying
Im stud

The same thing happens when the word is stressed

We dont
Make those vowels strong

I love it.
I have to call him.
Youre really tall.
Its hot.
Lets go to the park.

I got a job at the hospital.

So remember prolong those vowels in stressed words and stressed
syllables.

RULE 10: Understanding Reduced Vowels.

Remember I told you that

Rule 3:

The next sound were going to look at is /ae/ sound. Repeart after me,

So your lips are open. So, you tongue is down and your tongue is tense
/ae/
In British English this sound is frequently sound as /a/. so, british people
say cl/a/ss, american say cl/ae/ss. British speaker say m/a/th, american
speaker say m/ae/th.
So you mouth is open your tongue is down.
The common spelling pattern for this word is the letter a
So, lets practice some words.
Apple
Angry
Man
Fat
Dance
Los angeles
Class
Dance class
Los angeles california
Random
Answer
Random answer

So, as you can see its kind of a big vowel, especially if its a noun or a
verb make sure the noun is really prolong
I cant stand it
I cant stand that class.
Lets practice some sentences now

Last January, Adam traveled to Los Angeles, California.

Jack lacks cash because of a bad gambling habit.
Frank is angry and he demands a fast answer.
I bought my black jacket on my last trip to France.
My family understands that I cant handle that matter.

So dont say /a/ and dont say /e/ its kinda between those two.
Its /a/ with a smile.

Rule Six /c/ as in ball.

The next sound we will look at is /c. repeat after me /c/

So your jaw is all the way the down and your lips kind of oval shapelike an
egg. Dont push your lips too much. Dont say /oow/

In british English this sound is very different from american English

So if you study british english in your country be careful
American say fall, bir
The british common spelling for this sound
Another common spelling is
We dont say
Audience applaud
Another common spelling pattern is aw
Saw law awful

He paused in the hall to talk with Paul.

The author talked to the small audience.
We all thought you bought it at the mall.
Its awful that he always breaks the law.
Hes exhausted because hes been walking all day long.

Rule 7 /ou/ as in most

Lets look at another sound now that learners of English pronounced

incorrectly and thats the /ou/ sound.

Repeat

People wrongly pronounced this sound as

Its actually two sound that

So d