Familiarization with English vowel sounds is essential for learning basic concepts of phonology. These sounds can be broadly categorized into short vowels, long vowels, and diphthongs. Short vowels are typically pronounced quickly and occur in stressed syllables, while long vowels are held longer and often have a different quality. Diphthongs, on the other hand, are complex sounds that involve a glide from one vowel sound to another within the same syllable. This detailed guide explores the various English vowel sounds, providing examples and explanations to help learners accurately produce and recognize each sound in a word.
Short Vowel Sounds
Short vowels are typically found in stressed syllables and are pronounced quickly without any significant length. These vowels are usually more relaxed in terms of mouth positioning.
English vowel No: 01 /ɪ/ as in sit, fit
This is a near-close near-front unrounded vowel. The front of the tongue is raised to a position slightly below the close-mid height. The lips are spread, and the tongue is relatively lax.
Spellings:
- i – in sit, hit
- y – in myth, gym
- e – in market
- u – busy
- ui – build
- ie – ladies
Positions:
- Initial: in
- Middle: sit, fit
- Final: city (in some accents)
English vowel No: 02 /e/ as in dead, bed
This is an open-mid front unrounded vowel. The tongue is positioned halfway between a close-mid and an open-mid height. The lips are unrounded, and the tongue is tense.
Spellings:
- e – in bed, red
- ea – in dead, head
Positions:
- Initial: end
- Middle: bed, head
- Final: very rare in final positions
English vowel No: 03 /æ/ as in bag, tag
This is an open front unrounded vowel. The tongue is positioned low and at the front of the mouth. The lips are spread, and the tongue is tense.
Spellings:
- a – in cat, hat
Positions:
- Initial: apple
- Middle: bag, tag
- Final: very rare in final positions
English vowel No: 04 /ʌ/ as in bus
This is an open-mid back unrounded vowel. The tongue is positioned halfway between an open and open-mid height, but slightly further back. The lips are unrounded, and the tongue is tense.
Spellings:
- u – in bus, sun
- o – in come, love
Positions:
- Initial: up
- Middle: bus, sun
- Final: very rare in final positions
English vowel No: 05 /ɒ/ as in dog
This is an open back rounded vowel. The tongue is positioned low and at the back of the mouth. The lips are rounded, and the tongue is tense.
Spellings:
- o – in dog, hot
Positions:
- Initial: often rare
- Middle: dog, hot
- Final: very rare in final positions
English vowel No: 06 /ʊ/ as in put
This is a near-close near-back rounded vowel. The tongue is positioned slightly below the close-mid height and slightly behind the near-back position. The lips are rounded, and the tongue is lax.
Spellings:
- u – in put, pull
- oo – in foot, good
Positions:
- Initial: usually rare
- Middle: put, foot
- Final: very rare in final positions
English vowel No: 07 /ə/ as in alone
This is a mid-central unrounded vowel. The tongue is positioned halfway between a close-mid and open-mid height, centrally. The lips are unrounded, and the tongue is lax.
Spellings:
- a – in about, sofa
- e – in taken, problem
Positions:
- Initial: about
- Middle: taken
- Final: sofa
Long Vowel Sounds
Long vowels are held longer than short vowels and often have a different quality. They typically occur in stressed syllables and are pronounced with more tension in the mouth.
English vowel No: 08 /i:/ as in sheep, sleep
This is a close front unrounded vowel. In forming this vowel, the front of the tongue is raised to a height a bit below and behind the close front position. The lips are spread, and the tongue is tense. The side rims make a firm contact with the upper molars.
Spellings:
- e – in complete, these
- ee – in need, green
- ea – in repeat
- ie – in believe
- i – in machine
- ei – in receive
- ey – in key
Positions:
- Initial: even, eat
- Middle: people, meal
- Final: tea, flee
English vowel No: 09 /ɑ:/ as in card
This is an open back unrounded vowel. The tongue is positioned low and at the back of the mouth. The lips are unrounded, and the tongue is tense.
Spellings:
- a – in card, father
- ar – in star, car
Positions:
- Initial: often rare
- Middle: card, star
- Final: very rare in final positions
English vowel No: 10 /ɔː/ as in ball
This is an open-mid back rounded vowel. The tongue is positioned halfway between open-mid and open. The lips are rounded, and the tongue is tense.
Spellings:
- aw – in law, saw
- au – in pause, because
- or – in born, horse
- al – in talk, walk
Positions:
- Initial: often rare
- Middle: ball, born
- Final: law, saw
English vowel No: 11 /u:/ as in cool
This is a close back rounded vowel. The back of the tongue is raised to a height just below the close position. The lips are rounded, and the tongue is tense.
Spellings:
- oo – in food, cool
- u – in truth, rude
- ou – in group, through
- o – in move, prove
Positions:
- Initial: usually rare
- Middle: food, cool
- Final: shoe, true
English vowel No: 12 /ɜː/ as in heard
This is a mid-central unrounded vowel. The tongue is positioned halfway between a close-mid and an open-mid height, centrally. The lips are unrounded, and the tongue is tense.
Spellings:
- er – in her, term
- ir – in bird, third
- ur – in burn, turn
- ear – in heard, learn
Positions:
- Initial: often rare
- Middle: heard, burn
- Final: her, sir
Diphthongs
Diphthongs are complex vowel sounds that begin with one vowel sound and glide into another within the same syllable. They are typically marked by a noticeable change in sound quality during their pronunciation.
English vowel No: 13 /ɪə/ as in hear
This diphthong starts with a near-close near-front unrounded vowel and moves towards a mid-central unrounded vowel. The tongue moves from a high position to a central position.
Spellings:
- ear – in hear, near
- eer – in beer, steer
- ere – in here, mere
Positions:
- Initial: often rare
- Middle: hear, near
- Final: here, mere
English vowel No: 14 /eə/ as in pair
This diphthong begins with an open-mid front unrounded vowel and glides towards a mid-central unrounded vowel. The tongue moves from a front position to a central position.
Spellings:
- air – in pair, fair
- are – in care, hare
- ear – in bear, wear
Positions:
- Initial: often rare
- Middle: pair, fair
- Final: care, hare
English vowel No: 15 /ʊə/ as in poor
This diphthong starts with a near-close near-back rounded vowel and moves towards a mid-central unrounded vowel. The tongue moves from a high position to a central position.
Spellings:
- our – in tour, your
- ure – in pure, sure
Positions:
- Initial: usually rare
- Middle: tour, pure
- Final: often rare
English vowel No: 16 /eɪ/ as in bay
This diphthong begins with a close-mid front unrounded vowel and glides towards a near-close near-front unrounded vowel. The tongue moves from a mid position to a high position.
Spellings:
- a – in bay, say
- ai – in rain, pain
- ay – in day, play
Positions:
- Initial: often rare
- Middle: rain, play
- Final: bay, say
English vowel No: 17 /aɪ/ as in kind, hide
This diphthong starts with an open front unrounded vowel and glides towards a near-close near-front unrounded vowel. The tongue moves from a low position to a high position.
Spellings:
- i – in kind, hide
- y – in fly, cry
- igh – in high, sight
Positions:
- Initial: I (pronoun)
- Middle: kind, hide
- Final: fly, cry
English vowel No: 18 /ɔɪ/ as in boy
This diphthong starts with an open-mid back rounded vowel and glides towards a near-close near-front unrounded vowel. The tongue moves from a low back position to a high front position.
Spellings:
- oy – in boy, toy
- oi – in coin, join
Positions:
- Initial: often rare
- Middle: boy, coin
- Final: toy, joy
English vowel No: 19 /əʊ/ as in no
This diphthong starts with a mid-central unrounded vowel and glides towards a near-close near-back rounded vowel. The tongue moves from a central position to a high back position.
Spellings:
- o – in no, go
- oe – in toe, woe
- ow – in grow, show
Positions:
- Initial: often rare
- Middle: no, go
- Final: show, toe
English vowel No: 20 /aʊ/ as in now
This diphthong starts with an open front unrounded vowel and glides towards a near-close near-back rounded vowel. The tongue moves from a low front position to a high back position.
Spellings:
- ou – in out, shout
- ow – in now, how
Positions:
- Initial: often rare
- Middle: out, shout
- Final: now, how