Chapter 3 Practicing Vowels In this chapter we will take some time to practice the more difficult vowels. Be sure to listen carefully to yourself, teachers, and friends when they say the words you find here. [ o → a ] Let’s start with the vowel most often pronounced by students of English with a different vowel than is used by North American native English speakers. Some words are spelled with an “o” but pronounced with an [a] in North American English (many dictionaries will write [ɔ] for these words, but [a] is close enough). Usually they are spelled with an “o” between two consonants. Other words are spelled with an “o” and another vowel, but pronounced [a]. [bland] [blak] body [badi] bomb [bam] bond [band] bottle [badl] box [baks] clock [klak] closet [klazət] cock [kak] cod [kad] coffee [kafi] comedy [kamədi] cop [kap] cost [kasd] cross [kras] doctor dog [dag] doll [dal] donkey dot [dat] drop [drap] floss [flas] fog [fag] frog [frag] follow [falo] god [gad] gone [gan] gossip [gasıp] got [gat] hobby [habi] hockey [haki] holiday [halədei] hop [hap] hospital [haspıdl] hot [hat] job [ʤab] jockey [ʤaki] jog [ʤag] jolly [ʤali] lobster [labsdr] lobby [labi] lock [lak] loft [laft] log [lag] long [laŋ] lost [last] lot [lat] mob [mab] modern [madrn] mom [mam] mop [map] moth [maθ] knob
To practice: 1) practice saying all the words in the [i] column on the next page. (eat, bean, dean, feel …) 2) Then practice saying all the words in the [e] column. (etcetera, Ben, den, fell …) 3) Next practice saying a word in the [i] column and the word in the same line under the [e] column. (eat – etcetera, bean – Ben, dean – den, feel – fell …) 4) Now say a word in the [i] column, then the word in the [ı] column, and the word in the [e] column. (eat – it – etcetera, bean – been – Ben, dean – dinner – den, feel – fill – fell …) 5) Finally say all three words together in each line. (eat/it/etcetera, bean/been/Ben, dean/dinner/den, feel/fill/fell …) [i] each [iʧ] bean [bin] dean [din] feel [fil] heat [hit] [liv] meat [mit] neat [nit] Pete [pit] read [rid] seat [sit] teen [tin] [ı] itch [ıʧ] been [bın] din [dın] fill [fıl] hit [hıt] live [lıv] mit [mıt] knit [nıt] pit [pıt] rid [rıd] sit [sıt] tin [tın] [e] etch [eʧ] Ben [ben] den [den]
room [rum] fool [ful] google [gugl] hoop [hup] loom [lum] pool [pul] [ʃut] tooth [tuθ] womb [wum] [ʊ] book [bʊk] rookie [rʊki] full [fʊl] good [gʊd] hook [hʊk] look [lʊk] push [pʊʃ] should [ʃʊd] took [tʊk] wood [wʊd] [ʌ] buck [bʌk] run [rʌn] fun [fʌn] guts [gʌts] honey [hʌni] luck [lʌk] pun [pʌn] shut [ʃʌt] tongue [tʌŋ] won/one [wʌn] [a] Bach [bak] rock [rak] fall [fal] got [gat] hot [hat] lock [lak] pocket [pakət] shot [ʃat] talk [tak] want [wan] [æ] back [bæk] rack [ræk] fat [fæt] gas [gæs] ham [hæm] lack [læk] pass [pæs] shack [ʃæk] task [tæsk] wag [wæg] Exercise 4 Using the vowels learned in this chapter and the Paresol chart at the end of the book, work with a partner to fill in the blanks below: Would you look under the wood box in the back? [ w___ʤə l___k ___ndr ðə w___d b___ks ___n ðə b___k ]
[ðeiθeiðeiθeiðeiθei] [ðæzæðæzæðæzæ] [θʌsʌθʌsʌθʌsʌ] To practice: 1) First practice saying the words in each column. (breed – breathe – breeze, laid – lathe – laze… tank – thank – sank …) 2) Then say all words together in each line. (breed/breathe/breeze, laid/lathe/laze, … tank/thank/sank …) [d] [brid] laid [leid] dat* [dæt] dares [derz] tide [taid] fodder [fadr] neater [nidr] [ð] breathe [brið] lathe [leið] that [ðæt] there’s [ðerz] tithe [taið] father [faðr] neither [niðr] [z] breeze [briz]
laze [leiz] zat [zæt] Zayre’s [zerz] ties [taiz] fazzer* [fazr] knees are [nizr] *not English [t] tank [teiŋk] tink [tiŋk] tore [tor] and tum* bat [bæt] fate [feit] team [tim] [θ] thank think [θiŋk] Thor [θor] anthem [ænθʌm] bath [bæθ] faith [feiθ] theme [θim] [s] sank [seiŋk] sink [siŋk] soar [sor] and some [ænsʌm] bass [bæs] face [feis] seam/seem [sim]
swip* [suıp] swift [suıft] [si] or [sı] see/sea [si] seed [sid] city [sıdi] seen [sin] seek [sik] seep [sip] sip [sıp] sift [sıft] [ʃi] or [ʃı] she [ʃi] she’d [ʃid] shitty [ʃıdi] [ʃin] sheik [ʃik] sheep [ʃip] ship [ʃıp] [ʃıft] *not English words Exercise 8 Using the consonants learned in this chapter and the Paresol chart at the end of the book, work with a partner to fill in the blanks below: ________ ____________ to ______________. [ ʃi simd redi tə ] _________ __________ ___________ _________________ by the _____________________. [ ʃi selz siʃelz bai ðə siʃor ]
[aʔiʔuʔeʔo] [aʔaʔaʔiʔiʔiʔuʔuʔuʔeʔeʔeʔoʔoʔo] [aʔiʔuʔeʔo] Repeat the following: Art is art if art has artistic artists artfully making art. [ardızarıf arʔhæz artısdik ardısts arʔfʊli meikiŋ art] I’ve eaten rotten meat so I’ve gotten sick. [aiv iʔn raʔn miʔso aiv gaʔn sık] Repeat the words in each column on the next page: [d] caught an [kadən] but an [bʌdən] eat an [idən] height in [haidın] four got in [forgadın] rot in beat an [bidən] fright inning [fraidıniŋ] [t] caw ton [katən] but ton eat ton [itən] height tin [haitın] forgot tin [forgatın] raw ten beat ton [bitən] fright tinning [fraitıniŋ] [ʔ] cotton [kaʔn] button [bʌʔn] eaten [iʔn] heighten forgotten [forgaɁn] rotten
… and … → [ æn ] or [ ən ] or [ n ] The word “and” can be pronounced [æn], [ən], or [n]. The “d” is usually silent. I’ll take a hamburger and some French fries. Oh, and this cookie and a cola. [ ailteikə hæmbrgr ænsʌm frenʧfraiz . o ӕn ðıs kʊki ǝnǝ kolǝ ] And then she and her friend went out for dinner and a movie. [ ænðenʃi ənr frend wenæʊɁfr dınr ænə muvi ] Like day and night, the change was amazing and impressive. [ laik dei n nait . ðə ʧeinʤ wəz əmeiziŋ æn ımpresıv ] In two hours and fifteen minutes they raised a hundred and eighty million, nine hundred and sixty-three thousand, four hundred and fifty dollars and ninety-nine cents. [ ıntu æʊrz n fıftinmınəts ðeireizd ə hʌndrəd n eidimıljən nainhʌndrəd n sıksdiθri θæʊzənd forhʌndrəd n fıfdidalrz n naininain sens ] While looking at the chart below, tap out a slow “1, 2, 3, 4” rhythm with your hand on the table. Then say the words while keeping the rhythm on the words “1, 2, 3, 4.” Keep your voice going. Below you will find the rows written out in phonetic script. 1 2 3 4 1 and 2 and 3 and 4 And 1 and a 2 and a 3 and a 4 and a 1 and then a 2 and then a 3 and then a 4 and then a One Two Three Four… [ wʌn tu θri for ] One and Two and Three and Four and… [ wʌn æn tu æn θri æn for æn ] One and a Two and a Three and a Four and a…
Exercise 13 Using the rules learned in this chapter and the Paresol chart at the end of the book, work with a partner to fill in the blanks below: _______ ________ papers, but I don’t think ____________ finished ___________. [ ðiz r ız peiprz , bʌdai don θiŋk i fınıʃd əm ] Where _________ she have __________ shoes fixed? [ hwerd ʃi hævr ʃuz fıksd ] Where ____________ ______________ bag? [ hwer z ız bæg ] I saw ___________ talking to ______________ at the mall. [ ai sa ım takiŋ tu əm æɁðə mal ] Why ____________ ______________ so early? [ hwai d i liv so rli ] You can check your answers in Appendix A at the end of the book. … going to (noun) … → [ goiŋtə ]
[ ai wanə kʊki æn ðen ai wanə driŋk səm kafi ] usually → [juʒli] The word “usually” is difficult for students to say. Notice that there are only two syllables (beats). I usually go shopping at the mall. [ ai juʒli go ʃapiŋ æðə mal ] comfortable → [kʌmftəbl] or [kʌmftrbl] The word “comfortable” is also difficult for some students. Notice that there are only three syllables. That’s a comfortable chair. [ðætsə kʌmftəbl ʧer ] interesting → [ıntrəstiŋ] The word “interesting” has only three syllables. Program planners should try to make interesting classes. [ progræm plænrz sʊd traidə meik ıntrəstiŋ klæsəz ] Exercise 14 the rules learned in this chapter and the Paresol chart at the end of the book, work with a partner to fill in the blanks below: I’m going to have to call him soon, but I have to call her first.
respond in a strong way, use “yes” or “no”. You can also use “yes” and “no” if you want to sound cold or are in a very formal situation. In many cases you can use “yeah” and “no” and this is the normal form. In normal conversation, the most common way to answer is with “uh-huh” and “huh-uh.” This is probably most common because “yes,” “yeah,” and “no” are usually followed by a comma and more response such as “I have,” “we are,” “there is,” “it has,” etc… Because these responses need to have correct grammar matching the question, it is much easier to use “uh-huh” and “huh-uh”. Note that “uh-huh” has a rising intonation and “huh-uh” has falling intonation. Strong, cold, formal (10%) Normal (30%) Warm, friendly, relaxed (60%) [jes] [jæ] [ ʌhʌ↗ ] Yes, Yeah, Uh-huh. No, No, Huh-uh. [no] [no] [ hʌʔʌ↘ ] Do you like ice cream? → Uh-huh. [ dujə laik aiscrim ] [ ʌhʌ↗ ] Have you been to Denver? → Huh-uh. [ bın tə denvr ] [ hʌʔʌ↘ ] Be careful not to get “uh-huh” and “huh-uh” confused with “Huh?” and “…, huh?”. “Huh?” “what?” or “What did you say?”. “…, huh?” is a replacement for any kind of tag question such as “…, aren’t you?”, “…, haven’t you?”, “…, weren’t there?”, or “…, wasn’t it?”. A: It’s a beautiful day, huh? [ ıts ə biudıfəl dei hʌ↘ ] B: Huh? [ hʌ↗ ] A: It’s a beautiful day, huh? [ ıts ə biudıfəl dei hʌ↘ ] B: Uh-huh. But it’s a little too hot, huh? [ ʌhʌ↗ . bʌdıts ə lıdl tu hat hʌ↘] A: Huh-uh. It’s perfect.
the rules learned in this chapter and the Paresol chart at the end of the book, work with a partner to fill in the blanks below: I’ve been wanting to this school since I graduated. [ aiv bın ____________ tə _____________ ðıs skul sıns ai ________________________ ] It’s pretty hard to be a painter. [ ıts _____________ hard tə bi ə _________________ ] Winter was bitterly cold. [ ___________________ wəz _____________________ kold ] The beautiful letter made him cry. [ ðə ___________________ _________________ maid ım krai ] We’ll be waiting at the statue in the center of the university. [ wıl bi ______________ aɁ ðə stæʧu ın ðə ____________ ə ðə ________________________ ] You can check your answers in Appendix A at the end of the book.
[ ai ________________________________ , æn ai ________ ðə dei bəfor , _________ ai _____________ si jə ðer ] First we need a bit of hot pepper and then a sweet onion. [ __________ wi ________ ə __________ ə __________ pepr æn ðen ə _______________ ʌnjən ] We’ll meet at your place. [ wıl __________ ___________________ pleis ] I can’t sit here and let you hurt yourself. [ ai ____________ ______________ hır æn ________________ ________________________ ] She was lost in the forest for at least five hours. [ ʃi wəz ___________ ın ðə ______________ fr æ ____________ faiv æʊrz ] You can check your answers in Appendix A at the end of the book. ---[vowel or r or l] + to → ---[ də ] If the word “to” comes right after a word ending in a vowel, an [r], an [n], or an [l], the pronunciation of “to” will usually become [də].
I got some snacks on my way to school. Is it ok to eat in here? [ ai gasəm snæks an mai ueidə skul . ız ıdokeidə idın hır ] What are you to wear to the party? [ hwəʧə gənə werdə ðə pardi ] go to … → [ godə ] Because of the previous rule, “go to…” becomes [godə]. Go to the end of the street and turn left. [ godə ðə end ə ðə stidæn trn left ] I have to go to work tomorrow. [ ai gadə godə wrk təmaro ] Are you going to go to the party? [ ar jə gənə godə ðə ] Exercise 17 Using the rules learned in this chapter and the Paresol chart at the end of the book, work with a partner to fill in the blanks below: It’s kind of far to my house from here. [ ıts kainə ___________ ________ mai hæʊs frəm hır ]
What [hwǝ] or [hwǝt] When [hwen] Where [hwer] Why [hwai] How [hæʊ] ___________________________________ What song…) [hwǝ] How (far,many…) [hæʊ] What kind of (music …) [wǝkainǝ] Which (one, book …) [hwıʧ] are you [jə] have you [jə]/[vjə] have you been do you [dujə] are you going to [jəgənə] do you want to [dujəwanə] ……….? Past Tense: … did you … → [ʤə] When the words “did you” are between other words, they will get small and short. Many students think that native English speakers are speaking really fast, but actually they are changing the pronunciation of these words to: [ʤə]. What __________________ do last night? [ hwə ʤə du læs nait ] Who _____________________ go with? [ hu ʤə go wıθ ] When ___________________ get here? [ hwen ʤə geʔhır ]
Where __________________ put my book? [ hwer ʤə pʊʔmai bʊk ] Why _______________ stop studying business? [ hwai ʤə stap stʌdiŋ bıznes ] How ___________ learn about this company? [ hæʊ ʤə lrn əbæʊʔ ðıs kʌmpəni ] What TV show ____________________ watch? [ hwə tivi ʃo ʤə waʧ ] What kind of clothes ___________________ buy? [ wəkainə kloz ʤə bai ] How long _____________ spend in the library? [ hæʊ laŋ ʤə spend ın ðə laibreri ] Which song __________ decide to download? [ hwıʧ saŋ ʤə dısaidtə dæʊnlod ] … have you … → [jə]/[vjə] Some native English speakers always pronounce …have you… as [jǝ], while others always pronounce it as [vjǝ] (…’ve you…). What _____________ done with my computer? [ wəʧə dʌn wıθ mai kəmpiudr ]/[ wədvjə … ] Who ____________________ told this to? [ hujə told ðıs tu ]/[ …]
How ___________________________ pay for this? [ hæʊ jəgənə pei fr ðıs ] What country _________________________ go to next? [ wʌ kʌntri jəgənə gotu neksd ] What kind of pet _________________________ get? [ wəkainə peʧəgənə get ] How many ____________________________ record? [ hæʊ meni jəgənə rikord ] train ______________________________ take? [ hwıʧ trein jəgənə teik ] … do you want to … → [dujəwanə] The question …do you want to… is pronounced [dujǝwanǝ]. What _______________________ eat for breakfast? [ hwə dujəwanə iʔfr brekfəst ] Who ______________________________ go out with? [ hu dujəwanə go æʊʔwıθ ] When ______________________ practice with me? [ hwen dujəwanə prækdıs wıθ mi ] Where __________________________ go shopping? [ hwer dujəwanə go ] Why __________________________ give up? [ hwai dujəwanə gıv ʌp ] How do you want to get there?
A [ǝ] And [ӕn] Be [bi] Bat [bӕt] Born [born] Case [keis] [ʧek] Cry [krai] Date [deit] Do [du] Down [dӕun] Egg [eg] Else [els] End [end] Far [far] Four [for] Flask Game [geim] Go [go] Ground [grӕʊnd] Hi [hai] Hint [hınt] Hold [hold] Jack [ʤӕk] Jam [ʤӕm] Key [ki] Kim [kım] Lend [lend] Low [lo] Man [mӕn] Mask [mӕsk] Make [meik] New [nu] Now [næʊ] One [wʌn] Off [af] Owe [o] Pay [pei] Pack [pӕk] Quart [kwort] Queen [kwin] Rain [rein] Roar [ror] Say [sei] Sale [seil] Shelf [ʃelf] Take [teik] Three [θri] Tricks [trıks] Up [ʌp] Us [ʌs] Use [juz] Vase [veis] Vent [vent] Wax [wӕks] Wear [hwer] Examples of with two syllables About [ǝ/bæʊt] Also [al/so] Answer [ӕn/sʊr] Blanket [bleiŋ/kǝt] Bumper [bʌm/pǝr] Caller [kal/ǝr] Checkers [ʧek/ǝrz] Darling [dar/liŋ] Dentist [den/ıst] [el/bo] Ending [end/iŋ] Fastest [fӕs/dest] Foreign [for/ǝn] Garage [gǝ/raʒ] Goggles [gag/ǝlz] Hamster [hӕm/stǝr] Hello [he/lo] Inside [ın/said] [ı/ʃu] [ʤe/li] Johnny [ʤan/i] Keeper [kip/ǝr] Kindly
Orphanage [or/fʌn/eʤ] Pajamas [pǝ/ʤӕm/ǝz] Photograph [fo/dǝ/grӕf] Reaction [ri/ak/ʃǝn] Register [reʤ/ıs/tǝr] Saturday [sӕ/dǝr/dei] Suppliment [sʌp/lǝ/ment] Telephone [tel/ǝ/fon] Thanksgiving [θeiŋks/gıv/iŋ] Umbrella [ʌm/bre/lǝ] Washington [waʃ/iŋ/tǝn] Examples of with four or more syllables Activity [ӕk/tı/vı/di] Artificial [ar/dǝ/fiʃ/ǝl] Bewitchingly [bi/wıʧ/iŋ/li] Bibliography [bıb/li/a/grǝ/fi] Capitalize [kӕp/ı/dǝ/laiz] Centralization Democracy [dǝm/ak/rǝ/si] Diminishment [dǝm/ın/ıʃ/ment] Equality [ik/wal/ı/di] Energetically [e/nǝr/ʤe/dık/li] Fortunately [for/ʧu/nǝʔ/li] Generosity [ʤen/ǝ/ras/ı/di] Geopolitical [ʤi/o/pǝ/lı/dık/ǝl] Horticulture [hor/dı/kʊl/ʧʊr] International [ı/nr/nӕ/ʃǝn/ǝl] Impossible [ım/pas/ǝ/bl] Laboratory [lӕb/rǝ/tor/i] Liberation [lıb/ǝ/rei/ʃǝn] Mechanical [mǝ/kӕn/ı/kǝl] Motivational [mod/ı/vei/ʃǝn/ǝl] Necessity [nǝ/ses/ı/di] Nobility [no/bıl/ı/di] Operation [a/pǝr/ei/ʃǝn] Pathological [pӕθ/ǝ/laʤ/ı/kǝl] Perfectionist [pǝr/fek/ʃǝn/ıst] Romantically [ro/mӕn/ık/li] Salimandar [sӕl/ı/mӕn/dǝr] Solidify [sǝ/lıd/ǝ/fai] Technology [tek/nal/ǝ/ʤi] Theatrical [θi/ӕ/trık/ǝl] Unbeleivable [ʌn/bǝ/liv/ǝ/bl] Zoology [zu/a/lǝ/ʤi]
About [əbæʊt] Also [also] Answer [ӕnsʊr] Blanket [bleiŋkǝt] Bumper [bʌmpǝr] Caller [kalǝr] Checkers [ʧekǝrz] Darling [darliŋ] Dentist [denıst] Elbow [elbo] Ending Fastest [fӕsdest] Foreign Garage Goggles [gagǝlz] Hamster [hӕmstǝr] [helo] Inside [ınsaid] Issue [ıʃu] Jelly [ʤeli] Johnny [ʤani] Keeper [kipǝr] Kindly [kaindli] Longest [laŋgǝst] Lucky [lʌki] Making [meikiŋ] Morning [morniŋ] Normal [normǝl] Nosey [nozi] Open [opǝn] Ostrich [astriʧ] Palace [pӕlǝs] Party [pardi] Question [kwesʧǝn] Rancher [rӕnʧǝr] Release [rǝlis] Shower [ʃӕwǝr] Solid [salıd] Tender [tendǝr] Topping [tapiŋ] Under [ʌndǝr] Violet [vailǝt] Wander [wandǝr] Examples of stress in words with three syllables Absolute [ӕbsǝlut] Battery [bӕdǝri] Bottleneck [badǝlnek] Capital [kӕpıdǝl] Comfortable [kʌmftǝbl] Department [dǝpartment] Dishwasher [dıʃwaʃǝr] Effortless [efertles] Energy [enǝrʤi] Fantastic [fӕntӕstıc] Fortunate [forʧunet] Gasoline [gӕsǝlin] Gentleman [ʤentǝlmǝn]
Appendix A Answer Key Exercise 1 (page 7) If you need me, I’ll be waiting in the back room with Tom and Mary. [ ıf jə nid mi, ail bi weidiŋ ın ðə bæk rum wıθ tam ən meri ] Fifteen people sat under the tree in the hot summer sun. [ fıftin pipl sæt ʌndr ðə tri ın ðə hat sʌmr sʌn ] She found her keys under the sofa, along with a ten dollar bill. [ ʃi hr kiz ʌndr ðə sofʌ, ʌlaŋ wıθ ə ten dalr bıl ] You will need to set up one hundred and fifty chairs. [ ju wıl nid tə set ʌp wʌn hʌndrəd æn fıfdi ʧerz ] Instead of eating junk food every day, you should eat vegetables. [ ınsted əv idiŋ ʤʌnk fud evri dei, ju ʃʊd it veʤtəblz ] Exercise 2 (page 10) The boss wants Robin to go shopping at Loft One on Broadway. [ ðə bas wans tə go ʃapiŋ æt laft wʌn an bradwei ] He got a bottle of beer in the bar when he finished his job. [ hi gadə badl ə bır ın ðə bar hwen i fınıʃd ız ʤab ]