Vowels Characteristics of pure vowels and diphthongs Raising

Vowels Characteristics of “pure” vowels and diphthongs. Raising awareness of vowel sounds

Characteristics of “pure” vowel sounds #1 Ø There are 12 “pure” sounds. Ø When you say these sounds the position of your tongue changes. Ø Be aware of the shape of your lips and lower jaws as you say these sounds consecutively.

Characteristics of “pure” vowel sounds #2 Ø These different movements give distinction between each sound. Ø The difference in the sounds make the differences in the words. Ø The general descriptions of the vowel sound is important, not so much the pronunciation.

Pure Vowel Sounds ØPure means a single vowel sound.

Pure Vowel Sounds ØClose Vowels ØMid Vowels ØOpen Vowels

Close Vowel Sounds ØThe tongue is high in the mouth. ØThe tongue takes different positions, from the back and the front. ZA

Example Words of Closed Vowel Sounds Ø bead, key, cheese, scene, police, people, quay (track 9) Ø hit, sausage, biggest, rhythm, mountain, busy, women, sieve (track 10) Ø book, good, woman, push, pull (track 11)

'ee' as in 'she'

'ih' as in 'sit'

'oo' as in 'boo'

'uh' as in 'pull'

Mid Vowel Sounds ØThe tongue is neither high nor low. ØAgain the position moves from front to back too.

Example Words of Mid Vowel Sounds Ø egg, left, said, head, read (past), instead, any, leisure, leopard (track 13) Ø about, paper, banana, nation, the (before consonants) (track 14) Ø shirt, her, word, further, pearl, serve, myrtle (track 15) Ø fork, call, snore, taught, board, saw, pour, broad, all, law, horse, hoarse

'eh' as in 'bed'

'ur' as in 'her'

Open Vowel Sounds ØThe tongue is low in the mouth. ØThe tongue also changes position here.

Example Words of Open Vowel Sounds Ø hat, attack, antique, plait (track 17) Ø run, uncle, front, nourish, does, come, flood (track 18) Ø far, part, half, class, command, clerk, memoir, aunty, hearth (track 19) Ø dog, often, cough, want, because, knowledge, Australia (track 20)

'aa' as in 'bat'

'uh' as in 'butter'

'ah' as in 'father'

'aw' as in 'law'

'uh' as in 'supply'

Audio Samples of the Sound Website http: //en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Vo wel#Audio_samples

Good websites to see the mouth positions http: //www. rachelsenglish. com/ mouth_positions#father

Diphthongs ØA diphthong is a combination of vowel sounds. ØThe first sound is held longer and louder. ØThere are usually 8.

Centering Dipthongs ØThese sounds end with a long sound like the “a” in about.

Example Words of Centering Diphthongs #1 Ø beer, beard, fear, pierce, Ian, here, idea (track 21) Ø sure, moor, tour, obscure (track 22) Ø where, wear, chair, dare, stare, there (track 23) Ø cake, way, weigh, say, pain, they, vein (track 24)

Example Words of Centering Diphthongs #2 Ø toy, avoid, voice, enjoy, boy (track 25) Ø high, tie, buy, kite, might, cry, eye (track 26)

Closing Diphthongs ØThe position of the tongue is higher. ØWhen the diphthongs are read, they are read as one sound only.

'oy' as in 'toy'

'ow' as in 'now'

'oh' as in 'no'

'ai' as in 'buy'

'ay' as in 'say'

'ew' as in 'few'