English Vowel Sounds
Explore English Vowel Sounds and learn how they function in speech and pronunciation. Understand the difference between vowel sounds and phonemes with clear examples
Vowel Sounds
iː
Long Vowel
Pronunciation: See /siː/ - long "ee" as in "see"
Examples:
Meat
Be
Key
Ski
Deceive
Bee
ɪ
Short Vowel
Pronunciation: Sit /sɪt/ - short "i" as in "sit"
Examples:
Pit
Women
Busy
Hit
Gym
ʊ
Short Vowel
Pronunciation: Put /pʊt/ - short "u" as in "put"
Examples:
Put
Look
Would
Cook
Bush
uː
Long Vowel
Pronunciation: Blue /bluː/ - long "oo" as in "blue"
Examples:
Loon
Boot
Two
Food
You
e
Short Vowel
Pronunciation: Bed /bed/ - short "e" as in "bed"
Examples:
Bread
Send
Bed
Said
End
Head
ə
Vowel
Pronunciation: About /əˈbaʊt/ - schwa, as in "about"
Examples:
Standard
Common
Pencil
Away
Ladder
Cinema
ɜː
Long Vowel
Pronunciation: Bird /bɜːd/ - as in "bird" (British)
Examples:
Bird
Third
Word
Pearl
Journey
Term
ɔː
Long Vowel
Pronunciation: Door /dɔː/ - as in "door" (British)
Examples:
Board
Law
Fork
Door
Ball
Four
æ
Short Vowel
Pronunciation: Cat /kæt/ - as in "cat"
Examples:
Cat
Apple
Lamb
Black
Hand
Have
ʌ
Short Vowel
Pronunciation: Cup /kʌp/ - as in "cup"
Examples:
Monkey
Money
London
Luck
Fun
ɑː
Long Vowel
Pronunciation: Car /kɑː/ - as in "car" (British)
Examples:
Fast
Hard
Bath
Heart
Part
ɒ
Short Vowel
Pronunciation: Dog /dɒɡ/ - as in "dog" (British)
Examples:
Swan
Honest
Rock
Watch
Squat
Diphthong Sounds
ɪə
Diphthong
Pronunciation: Ear /ɪə/ - as in "ear"
Examples:
Ear
Near
Tear
Clear
Fear
eɪ
Diphthong
Pronunciation: Day /deɪ/ - as in "day"
Examples:
Examples:
Pay
Space
Maid
Rain
Face
ʊə
Diphthong
Pronunciation: Tour /tʊə/ - as in "tour" (British)
Examples:
Tourist
Secure
Plural
Mural
Lure
ɔɪ
Diphthong
Pronunciation: Boy /bɔɪ/ - as in "boy"
Examples:
Joy
Coil
Employ
Oyster
Buoy
əʊ
Diphthong
Pronunciation: Go /ɡəʊ/ - as in "go" (British)
Examples:
Show
Stones
Know
Alone
Don't
eə
Diphthong
Pronunciation: Hair /heə/ - as in "hair"
Examples:
Air
Pear
Share
Blare
Stairs
aɪ
Diphthong
Pronunciation: My /maɪ/ - as in "my"
Examples:
Pride
Sky
Pie
Kind
Eye
aʊ
Diphthong
Pronunciation: Now /naʊ/ - as in "now"
Examples:
Loud
Found
Noun
Bound
Mound
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