American English Vowels

Letters: a, e, i, o, u, y - Not as simple as they look!

If English had a one-to-one relationship where each letter represented one unique sound, there would be no need for this entire section. You see it, you say it the way it looks. 


Sounds

The challenge is that each of the vowel letters represents more than one sound. The six vowel letters represent 14 different sounds (15 including the “er” sound /ɝ,ɚ/).

Spelling

In addition, each sound can be represented by more than one way of spelling. For example, the sound /eɪ/ is spelled differently in: “cake,” “hey,” “stay,” “weight,” “wait.” How do you know how to pronounce a vowel if there are so many different spellings? There are some rules that help narrow down the choices, but a lot of it is pattern recognition. 

Where to Begin?

  1. Being able to identify and distinguish one vowel sound from another, not just knowing the six vowel letters, is the best place to start. 


  1. Then, you’ll need a way to remember all the sounds and the easiest way to do that is by grouping them together by similarities. 


  1. Finally, associating different spelling patterns with each vowel sound is what will help you make good guesses on totally unfamiliar words.  

Make Today Day 1

You can improve your American English pronunciation in small steps every day!

Let's Start Now!

Get Into a Daily Mini Practice Habit

Let it Bubble

When you start the day with this short practice of listening and imitating pronunciation of vowel sounds, it increases your awareness of it. 

Even if you aren't fully conscious of it throughout the day, in the back of your head that awareness is still bubbling and active - more than it would have been if you hadn't activated it at all that day.


Apply to your own words - Notice the vowel sound of the day in words you use frequently in your work and conversations. The example words are short to make it easy to focus on the vowel sound. In longer words, notice that vowel sound in the stressed syllable because it should be longer and easier to hear than the vowels in unstressed syllables.


Repeat it - When you are in a situation where you can imitate a word with the vowel sound of the day, try to repeat it the same way you heard the speaker say it. If it's in the stressed syllable, stretch the vowel sound long enough that it can be identified.

Experiment! Listen and have fun noticing vowels all around you!

Daily Emails

    1. Welcome to 30 Days of Vowel Practice

    2. Day 1 - Practice Vowel - /i/ (he)

    3. Day 2 - Practice Vowel - /I/ (hit)

    4. Day 3 - Practice Vowel - /Ɛ/ (head)

    5. Day 4 - Practice Vowel - /æ/ (hat)

    6. Day 5 - Practice Vowel - /u/ (who)

    7. Day 6 - Practice Vowel - /ʊ/ (took)

    8. Day 7 - Practice Vowel - /ɑ/ (hot)

    9. Day 8 - Practice Vowel - /ju/ (you)

    10. Day 9 - Practice Vowel - /eɪ/ (hey)

    11. Day 10 - Practice Vowel - /aɪ/ (hi)

    12. Day 11 - Practice Vowel - /aʊ/ (how)

    13. Day 12 - Practice Vowel - /oʊ/ (home)

    14. Day 13 - Practice Vowel - /ɔɪ/ (boy)

    15. Day 14 - Practice Vowel - /ʌ/ (up)

    16. Day 15 - Practice Vowel + R - /ɝ/ (her)

    17. Day 16 - Practice Vowel + R - /ɚ/ (doctor)

    18. Day 17 - Practice Vowel + R - /ɑr/ (are)

    19. Day 18 - Practice Vowel + R - /Ɛr/ (air)

    20. Day 19 - Practice Vowel + R - /ɪr/ (here)

    21. Day 20 - Practice Vowel + R - /ɔr/ (or)

    22. Day 21 - Practice Vowel + R - /aʊɚ/ (hour)

    23. Day 22 - The Sound of Schwa in 2-Syllable Words

    24. Day 23 - The Sound of Schwa in 3-Syllable Words

    25. Day 24 - The Sound of Schwa 4-Syllable Words

    26. Day 25 - Spelling Rules for Long Vowel Sounds

    27. Day 26 - Spelling Rules for Long Vowel Sounds

    28. Day 27 - Spelling Rules for Long Vowel Sounds

    29. Day 28 - Spelling Rules for Short Vowel Sounds

    30. Day 29 - Spelling Rules for Short Vowel Sounds

    31. Day 30 - Spelling Rules for Short Vowel Sounds

    32. Congratulations on Completion of 30 Days of Vowels!

About this course

  • $30.00
  • 32 lessons

Meet Your Speech Coach

Owner, Adastra Speech Christi Barb

Dr. Christi Barb is an accentologist who focused her doctoral research and years of teaching in higher education in the area of foreign-accented English speech. Her own instructional method is: based on current psycholinguistic theory, supported by research, produces positive change, is teachable, and is self-motivating. Clients who have received instruction from Dr. Barb reported results as: increased confidence, increased listening skill, increased comfort with the sound of their voice, a decrease in requests to repeat or clarify what they said, and motivation to make self-improvements in other areas of their life.