Vowel Sounds in English

There are 12 different vowel sounds in English, which can be divided into two main groups: monophthongs and diphthongs. Monophthongs are vowel sounds that are produced with a single articulation of the tongue and lips, while diphthongs are vowel sounds that involve a change in articulation of the tongue and lips during the production of the sound.

The History of Vowel Sounds in English

The vowel sounds in English have changed significantly over time, due to the influence of other languages on the English language. For example, the vowel sound in the word “bird” was once pronounced like the “i” sound in the word “machine”, but it has since shifted to a closer pronunciation to the “ee” sound in the word “seed”.

The Importance of Vowel Sounds in English

Vowel sounds are important in English because they can change the meaning of words. For example, the word “bit” can mean either a small amount or a unit of data, depending on the vowel sound that is used. Vowel sounds can also be used to indicate whether a word is stressed or not, which can change the meaning of the word.

The 5 English Vowel Sounds

There are 5 main vowel sounds in English, which are made by using the mouth, tongue, and lips in different ways. The 5 vowel sounds are: /i:/ as in ‘sheep’ /e/ as in ‘bed’ /æ/ as in ‘bad’ /ʌ/ as in ‘duck’ /ɒ/ as in ‘dog’

The Different Ways to Pronounce Vowel Sounds in English

There are many different ways to pronounce vowel sounds in English, depending on the region and dialect. For example, in some dialects of English, the “a” sound in the word “cat” is pronounced like the “a” sound in the word “father”, while in other dialects it is pronounced like the “i” sound in the word “city”.

Vowels Pronunciation Rules in English

There are a few tips and tricks that can help you with pronouncing vowel sounds in English. First, try to relax your jaw and tongue when pronouncing vowel sounds. Second, use a mirror to help you see how your mouth is moving when you make different vowel sounds. Finally, listen to native English speakers and imitate their pronunciation.

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Pronouncing Monophthongs (Pure Vowels) Vowels in English

To make the vowel sounds, the mouth, tongue, and lips need to be in the correct position. The following explains how to make the 5 main vowel sounds in English.

1. 1.   Short Vowels
      • /ɪ/: as in “bit,” “sit”  The /ɪ/ sound is made by putting the tongue high and slightly forward in the mouth, with the lips relaxed and unrounded.
      • /e/: as in “bet,” “set”  The /e/ sound is made by putting the tongue forward and slightly raised, with the lips relaxed and slightly open. The lips are relaxed.
      • /æ/: as in “bat,” “cat” The /æ/ sound is made by putting the tongue low and forward in the mouth, with the mouth open wide and the lips unrounded. The lips are spread.
      • /ʌ/: as in “but,” “cut” The /ʌ/ sound is made by putting the tongue in the middle of the mouth, slightly raised towards the roof, with the mouth open and the lips relaxed and unrounded.
      • /ɒ/ as in ‘dog’ The /ɒ/ sound is made by putting the tongue low and slightly back in the mouth, with the lips rounded and the mouth open wide.
      • /ɒ/: as in “cot,” “not” (British English) The /ɒ/ sound, as in “cot,” is made by opening your mouth wide, lowering the back of your tongue, and slightly rounding your lips. Make sure your vocal cords vibrate, producing a voiced sound.
      • /ʊ/: as in “put,” “foot”
      • /ə/: as in “sofa,” “about” (schwa)
      • /ɒ/: as in “cot,” “not” (British English) The /ɒ/ sound, as in “cot,” is made by opening your mouth wide, lowering the back of your tongue, and slightly rounding your lips. Make sure your vocal cords vibrate, producing a voiced sound.

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   2.   Long Vowels

   • /iː/: as in “beat,” “seat,” “sheep” The /i:/ sound is made by putting the tongue high and close to the roof of the mouth, with the sides of the tongue touching the upper molars, while keeping the lips spread.
   • /uː/: as in “boot,” “suit”  The /uː/ sound is made by putting the tongue high and towards the back of the mouth, with the lips rounded and slightly protruding.
   • /ɔː/: as in “bought,” “thought”  The /ɔː/ sound is made by putting the tongue low-mid and towards the back of the mouth, with the lips rounded and the mouth moderately open.
   • /ɜː/: as in “bird,” “herd” (British English). The /ɜː/ sound is made by putting the tongue in the mid-central part of the mouth, with the lips relaxed and unrounded.
   • /ɑː/: as in “father,” “car” (British English) The /ɑː/ sound is made by putting the tongue low and towards the back of the mouth, with the mouth open wide and the lips relaxed and unrounded
     

     Vowel sounds in English

Pronouncing Diphthongs (Complex Vowels) Vowels in English

          Diphthongs, also known as complex vowels, are vowel sounds in English where the tongue moves from one vowel position to another within the same syllable. This movement results in a single, gliding sound that combines two vowel qualities. Here’s a guide to understanding and pronouncing common diphthongs in English:

These are gliding vowels where the tongue moves from one position to another.

• • /eɪ/: as in say, day, way, play
    • Tongue: Starts with the tongue mid and at the front of the mouth, then moves up.
    • Pronunciation: Begin with an ‘e’ as in “bet,” and glide to a long ‘e’ as in “see.”
  • /aɪ/: as in bite, sky, buy, eye, my, fly
    • Tongue: Starts with the tongue low and at the front of the mouth, then moves up towards the roof of the mouth.
    • Pronunciation: Begin with an ‘a’ as in “cat,” and glide to a long ‘e’ as in “see.”
  • /ɔɪ/: as in “boy,” “toy”
    • Tongue: Starts with the tongue in a mid-back position, rounded, and moves towards a high-front position, unrounded.
    • Pronunciation: Begin with a sound similar to the vowel in “thought” or “law” (/ɔː/) and glide towards the vowel sound in “bit” or “sit” (/ɪ/).
  • /aʊ/: as in now, out, loud, cow
    • Tongue: Starts with the tongue low and at the front of the mouth, then moves up and back.
    • Pronunciation: Begin with an ‘a’ as in “cat,” and glide to an ‘oo’ as in “food.”
  • /əʊ/: as in “boat,” “go” (British English)
  • /oʊ/: as in go, show, no, low (American English)
  • /ɪə/: as in “near,” “here” (British English)
  • /eə/: as in “air,” “hair” (British English)
  • /ʊə/: as in “tour,” “cure” (British English)

Diphthongs, also known as complex vowels, are vowel sounds in English where the tongue moves from one vowel position to another within the same syllable. This movement results in a single, gliding sound that combines two vowel qualities. Here’s a guide to understanding and pronouncing common diphthongs in English:

vowel sounds in English 

Rhotic Vowels

          These are vowel sounds followed by an “r” sound, common in American English.

• • /ɝː/: as in “bird,” “her” (American English)
  • /ɚ/: as in “butter,” “water” (American English, unstressed schwa + r

Vowel Pronunciation Rules

• • There are some rules which can help you with the pronunciation of vowels in English. /i:/, /e/, /æ/, /ʌ/, /ɒ/ are always pronounced as long vowel sounds.
  • /i/, /e/, /æ/, /ʌ/, /ɒ/ are never pronounced as short vowel sounds. /i:/, /e/, /æ/, /ʌ/, /ɒ/ can be pronounced as diphthongs.

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Common Vowel Sound Mistakes

One of the most common mistakes that English learners make is pronouncing vowels as if they were Spanish vowels. For example, the English vowel /i:/ is pronounced like the Spanish vowel ‘ee’, but the two sounds are actually quite different. Another common mistake is pronouncing the English vowel /æ/ as if it were the Spanish vowel ‘a’. This is because the /æ/ sound is similar to the ‘a’ sound in some languages, such as Spanish,   Portuguese, and Italian.

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Summary

• Short Vowels: /ɪ/, /e/, /æ/, /ʌ/, /ɒ/, /ʊ/, /ə/
• Long Vowels: /iː/, /uː/, /ɔː/, /ɑː/, /ɜː/

Diphthongs: /eɪ/, /aɪ/, /ɔɪ/, /aʊ/, /əʊ/ (British), /oʊ/ (American), /ɪə/, /eə/, /ʊə/

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