DESCRIPTION OF VOWELS

DESCRIPTION OF VOWELS

PHONETICSYMBOL NAME QUANTITY

DESCRIPTIONQUALTITY

DESCRIPTION SPELLING

/ iː / close front unrounded vowel

long vowel(subject to lenght

variations)

Position: close, frontLips: spreadTongue: tense, touching the upper molarsJaws: from narrow to medium

-ee see-e these-ea sea-ie piece-ei seize -ey key-i machine

POSITION…

/ ɪ / lax lowered centralized vowel short vowel

Position: half close, front retractedLips: loosely spreadTongue: lax, light contact with the upper molarsJaws: from narrow to medium

-i six-y city-e pretty-ie babies-a village

/ uː / close back rounded vowel

long vowel(subject to lenght

variations)

Position: close, back Lips: roundedTongue: tense, but no contact with the upper molarsJaws: from narrow to medium

-oo food -ue blue-o do -ui juice-oe shoe -ew blew-u blue-ou through

/ ʊ / lax lowered centralized vowel short vowel

Position: half close, back advancedLips: loosely roundedTongue: laxy heldJaws: medium

-u pull-o wolf-oo wood-ou should

/ ɔː / open-mid back rounded vowel

long vowel(subject to lenght

variations)

-or horn-aw saw-ou cough-au cause-a all-ore, -oor, -oar, -our

Position: mid backLips: roundedJaws: from medium to wide

/ ɒ / open back rounded vowel short vowel

Position: open, backLips: roundingJaws: from medium to wide

-o lock-a what-ou cough-ow knowledge-au sausage

/ ɑː / open back unrounded vowel

long vowel(subject to lenght

variations)

-a pass-ar part-ear heart-er clerk-al palm-au aunt

Position: open, backLips: neutrally openJaws: from medium to wide

/ ʌ / open-mid back unrounded vowel short vowel

Position: between open and half-open, centralLips: openJaws: wide

-u sun-o won-ou southerm-oo blood-oe does

/ æ / raised open front unrounded vowel

long vowel(subject to

lengthening before /b, d, g, m, n, dʒ/)

-a hat-ai plait

Position: half open, frontLips: openJaws: medium to wide

/ e / close-mid front unrounded vowel short vowel

Position: front, mid Lips: loosely spreadJaws: medium

-e set-ea death-a many

/ ɜː / mid central unrounded vowel

Position: mid, centralLips: neutralJaws: narrow

-ir first -ur turn-yr myrth -urr purr-er her -wor work-err err-ear earth-our journey

/ ə / mid central unrounded vowel

(SHWA)short vowel

Position: mid, central (not in final position) open, central (in final position)

Lips: neutral

It may be spelt with most vowel letters and their

combinations.

long vowel(subject to lenght

variations)