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English, being a non-phonetic language, the vowel sound differs from word to word. In case of phonetic languages, there is a direct relationship between the spelling and the sound. But for the English we often do not say a word the same way it is spelled.
The pronunciation is mostly dependent on the use of consonants used in the word. For those who are learning the language for the first time or in the mode of correcting their accent, pronouncing the vowel can be confusing initially.
Seems daunting? Hey, don’t worry!
The Instructors from Local Masters Team have put together various fun exercises that you can practice and greatly improve your pronunciation in American Accent.
What Are Vowels?
A vowel is considered as one of the two principal classes of speech sound, the other being a consonant. In the English language, the letters “a”, “e”, “i”, “o”, “u” are called vowels. And sometimes the letter “y” also joins the list. The rest of the letters in the English alphabet are called consonants.
To further explain about Vowel sound – When you speak, you let air pass through your mouth. To make the vowel-sound, the air leaving your mouth isn’t blocked by anything (like your teeth or your tongue). They can be simply formed by moving your lips to different shapes. To make the consonant-sound you need the assistance of your tongue, lips or teeth partially or fully to block the air flow.
The formations of words are done by putting vowels together with consonants in a specific order.
Read out loud – “Bat”
In this word, the vowel “a” is placed between the consonants “b” and “t” to form the word. So, you generally pronounce the letter “a” depending on the letters around it.
Now, read it loud- “bt”
It won’t be easy, isn’t it? To form a word and then pronounce it, Consonants and Vowels need each other.
Ways to Pronounce Vowel Sounds
The position of Vowels in a word determines the way you pronounce it. You can follow some pronunciation rules or learn by finding patterns in words.
All vowels have at least two sets of pronunciations: a long sound and a short sound. For example, while you pronounce the word “Say”, the vowel “a” demands prolong sound like ‘ay’. But, in the word “bat” the vowel “a” demands shorter sound like ‘æ’.
Here is a little comparison of different vowel sounds. To get the real feel of it, check out the sound in this pronunciation tool – CLICK HERE
Book
Buck
Beak
Back
Bulk
Rebuke
Note: The “oo” sound in the word “Book” and the “u” sound in the word “Rebuke” might seem somewhat similar. But if you watch a native English Speaker says the two words you’ll find the delicate difference (your lips needs to be more rolled to make the “u” sound).
Vowels change their sound based on where they are placed in a word and the consonants that surround them. The sound tends to change when they are placed just before or after the consonants. If you pay close attention and try to practice diligently, you can acquire the patterns.
Now that you have gotten a high-level idea of how some of the English vowel sounds work, it will be easier for you to pronounce various words having different vowels. To know more about our Online Accent Training Program Email us at (courses@localmasters.com).
