English Vowels & Diphthongs

definition of the problempart 1

a e i o u (y)

vowel letters in the alphabet

æ e ɪ ɒ ʊ ə ʌ ɑː ɜː iː ɔː uː

(i) (u)

vowel sounds in English

eɪ əʊ aɪ aʊ ɔɪ ɪə eə ʊə

diphthongs in English

letters = 5 + 1vowels & diphthongs = 20 + 2

definition of the problempart 2

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Short Vowels

act

trap

bad

æ

usual spellings of æa - - - -

addmancatchplanblack

other spellings

a*e - - - -

have

ten

head

any

e

usual spellings of ee ea - - -

eggbedhelp

stresstwelve

deadhealthsweatbreast

other spellings

ue ie a - -

guessguest

friend anymany

sit

big

live

ɪ

usual spellings of ɪi - - - -

itill

bigdiskswimking

bridge

other spellings

ui y ive - -

buildguilt

rhythm livegive

odd

got

want

ɒBritish English only

usual spellings of ɒo - - - -

oddhot

shockbombchop

other spellings

wa au ou - -

washwantwhat

AustraliaAustria

cough

put

book

could

ʊ

usual spellings of ʊoo u - - -

cookfootgoodhookroomwool

putbushpushfullpull

other spellings

oul - - - -

wouldcould

should

we’ll study this sound

next week

ə

cut

done

blood

ʌ

usual spellings of ʌu - - - -

upbus

jumptrucklunch

other spellings

o*e o ou oo -

onecomelove

frontmonth

son

roughtouchyoung

bloodflood

Long Vowels

car

half

heart

ɑː

usual spellings of ɑːar a - - -

archpartcar

farm

askpathglasslast

plant

other spellings

a*e al au ear uar

chancedance

halfcalm

auntlaugh

heart guard

bird

word

verb

ɜː

usual spellings of ɜːur ir er wor -

burnchurchcurve

furhurt

nurse

birddirtfirstgirlskirtbirth

pernerveverbherb

wordworkworldworse

other spellings

ear - - - -

earthlearn

search

eat

meet

be

iː

usual spellings of iːea ee - - -

eatpea

meatcheapleave

pleased

seefreemeet

screen

other spellings

e ie e*e ey i

bemeshe

fieldpriestchief

thesescene

key ski

saw

north

wore

ɔː

usual spellings of ɔːor al our ore au

cornforcenor

short

callfall

walkchalk

fouryours

source

moreshorebored

faultpausesauce

other spellings

war aw oor oa(r) ought

warwarmthwarn

lawdrawraw

doorfloor

broadboard

thoughtboughtfought

two

blue

food

uː

usual spellings of uːoo ew u*e ou

toofood

moonsmoothchoose

newfew

chewscrewview

rudetube

yougroupwound

other spellings

o o*e ue ui -

dowho

whom

losemoveprove

trueglueblue

fruitsuit

Diphthongs

day

face

wait

eɪ

usual spellings of eɪa*e ai ay - -

agefaceplatesave

shaped

aimfail

chainpaint

praise

wayplay

spray

other spellings

eigh ea ey aigh -

eightweighweight

breakgreat

theygrey

straight

boat

know

go

əʊBritish English only

usual spellings of əʊo*e oa o ow -

nosevote

homesmokewhole

boatroadcoastsoap

soold

mostboth

lowshowknowthrowbowl

other spellings

ew oe ough - -

sew toe though

my

high

five

aɪ

usual spellings of aɪi*e igh y i* -

filelifefive

shine

highnightflight

byflytry

why

findwild

climb

other spellings

ie y*e i eigh -

dieliepie

typestyle

Ihi

height

now

out

down

aʊ

usual spellings of aʊou ow - - -

outloud

proudsoundground

nowtown

crowd

other spellings

ou*e - - - -

housemousebounce

boy

choice

ɔɪ

usual spellings of ɔɪoi oy - - -

oilcoin

noisechoicepoint

boytoyjoy

other spellings

- - - - -

here

near

beer

ɪəBritish English only

usual spellings of ɪəear eer - - -

earnearclearhearfear

beerdeersteer

other spellings

ere ier - - -

here fierce

wear

care

there

eəBritish English only

usual spellings of eəair are - - -

airpairchairstairs

careshare

square

other spellings

ear ere eir - -

bearwearswear

therewhere

their

poor

sure

jury

ʊəBritish English only

usual spellings of ʊəure - - - -

curepuresure

other spellings

oor our - - -

poor tour

http://www.davidnicholson.it/tools_n_terms/ipa_symbols_basic.html

UCL phonetic games

word to vowel symbol

symbol to words

http://www.phon.ucl.ac.uk/home/johnm/flash/rpvkey.htm

http://www.phon.ucl.ac.uk/home/johnm/flash/symword1.htm

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