Vowel sounds in English are necessary for communicating seamlessly and confidently. They contribute to the rhythm that influences a native speaker's accent, as well as constituting grammar and intonation .
For non-native speakers who aren't familiar with all English vowel sounds and how they work, speaking fluently might be quite a challenge. This is because English vowels make up a huge chunk of the language’s components , despite being composed of just five letters. Hence, understanding them is a significant step towards achieving fluency and clarity in your speech.
In this guide we'll explore the 15 vowel sounds in English spoken in American, with examples, to help non-native speakers master their English vowel pronunciation. By the end of this article you'll be equipped with the right knowledge to bring you several steps closer to speaking like a native.
What is a Vowel Sound? Vowels are speech sounds made without blocking airflow in the throat. Unlike consonants , we produce vowels by letting air flow freely from our lungs.
Vowels are important in English because they carry the main pitch and volume of speech. They are like the musical core of a syllable, making speech sound more melodic.
They can be very difficult to master, though. With inconsistent spellings and complex mouth positioning, pronunciation resources like the BoldVoice app are excellent tools for non-native English speakers looking to refine their pronunciation with expert lessons and interactive exercises.
How Many Vowel Sounds are there in English?
There are 20 vowel sounds in the English language in total, but only 15 spoken in the General American accent . The other sounds might be found in other dialects of English, from speakers who hail from different parts of the U.K. or Australia, for example.
The five vowel letters that make up these vowel sounds are A, E, I, O, and U.
However, you may find it strange to learn that some consonants can also produce vowel sounds. This is because there are no obstructions in the vocal tract when we use them in a certain way. An example of a consonant like this is the Y sound.
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Classes of Vowel Sounds
We can categorize all vowel sounds in English into several classes based on characteristics such as their duration and pitch.
These are broken down into pure vowels (aka monophthongs), diphthongs, long vowels, and short vowels. Let's take a look at one group at a time, beginning with pure vowels.
Pure vowels are vowel sounds that maintain fixed tongue and lip positions throughout their articulation. These encompass both long vowels and short vowels. This means that they do not exhibit any significant change in quality or position while being produced.
Each individual vowel sound (and in fact, every single sound that exists) can be represented through the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) , allowing us to focus on the pronunciation of a sound without worrying about how it might be spelled. Pure vowels in English and their IPA symbols include:
1. "EE" or /i/ The tongue is high and at the front of the mouth. Example: "fleece."
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2. "EH" or /ɛ/ The tongue is positioned towards the front of the mouth. Example: "bet."
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3. "AH" or /ɑ/ The tongue takes a low position at the back of the mouth. Example: "father."
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4. "AW" or /ɔ/ The tongue is in an open position, and the lips are rounded. Example: "thought."
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5. "OO" or /u/ The tongue is high and at the back of the mouth, with rounded lips. Example: "goose."
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6. "U" or /ʊ/ The tongue is near the back but not as high as "OO." Example: "foot."
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7. "AA" or /æ/
The tongue is low and at the front of the mouth. The lips are unrounded. It's a short, low-front vowel sound. Example: "cat."
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8. "IH" or /ɪ/
The tongue is near the front, but not as high as /i/, and the lips are unrounded. It's a short, near-high front vowel sound. Example: "bit."
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9. "UH" or /ʌ/ The tongue is in a mid-central position and the lips are unrounded. It's a short, mid-central vowel sound. Example: "cup."
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10. Schwa or /ə/
The most common vowel sound in English, the schwa, is a very short, neutral sound that occurs in unstressed syllables, and it can be made with any vowel letter.
The tongue is relaxed and in a central position, and the lips are usually unrounded. Because it is so common, the schwa can be found in many words across different contexts. Example: The "a" in "about."
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Now, let's move on to diphthongs.
Diphthongs are like two vowels in one. They are complex vowel sounds in which the tongue glides or moves from one vowel quality to another within the same syllable.
Unlike pure vowels which have a single, stable tongue and lip position throughout their articulation, diphthongs involve a transition from one vowel sound to another.
If you find yourself struggling to pronounce certain vowels in English, the BoldVoice app is here to help. Receive a tailored pronunciation practice plan, watch video lessons from professional accent coaches, and receive immediate pronunciation practice with AI technology!
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The following is a list of commonly used diphthongs in American English :
11. "EY" or /eɪ/ Keep your lips spread toward your ears. Move your jaw from a slightly open to a more closed position. Example: "day."
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12. "ai" or /aɪ/ Move your jaw from open to almost closed. Then spread your lips slightly toward your ears. Example: "time."
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13. "OY" or /ɔɪ/ Let your lips move from a little rounded to spread. Your jaw will be going from a more open shape to a more closed shape. Example: "coin."
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14. "OW" or /aʊ/ Let your lips move from a little spread to rounded. Your jaw will also go from a more open shape to a more closed shape. Example: "house."
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15. "OH" or /oʊ/ The tongue is in the middle of the mouth, and the lips are rounded. Example: "goat."
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Why Vowel Sounds Are Important to Speak Like a Native
Vowel sounds in English are important for achieving native-like pronunciation for the following reasons.
Syllable Stress and Word Meaning
Vowel sounds play a vital role in determining which syllables in words we should stress or emphasize. The placement of stress in a word can change its meaning, so mastering vowel stress is essential for clear communication.
For example, "bit" and "beat" differ only in their vowel sound ("IH" vs. "EE").
Check out this video on English stress from BoldVoice Coach Eliza for further practice:
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Natural Fluency
Like we mentioned earlier, vowel sounds contribute to the rhythmic flow of speech. Native English speakers use vowel sounds naturally and effortlessly.
Hence, to sound like a native speaker, it's essential to mimic their vowel pronunciation. Watch how natural the rhythm is in the speech of native American business magnate Bill Gate in this video clip below:
Accent Reduction
For non-native English speakers, the English language vowel sounds help reduce the accent evident in their speech. Accurate vowel pronunciation can help make your speech sound more neutral and clear.
This in turn allows for effective communication, as more people can easily understand you. Compare Bill Gates’s speech in the previous video with that of the non-native speakers in this video below:
Notice how distinct they both sound? French speakers like those in the video tend to struggle with particular elements of American English pronunciation. But they're not the only ones—your native language plays a large role in how simple or difficult you'll find certain sounds to pronounce when you learn English.
How to Learn Vowel Sounds in English To master the different vowel sounds in English, consider the following methods.
Consult Speech Experts
Embrace the resources at your disposal and consult professional coaches or pronunciation apps like BoldVoice that specialize in language training.
Many of these expert platforms offer interactive exercises and audio guides to help you perfect vowel sounds in various contexts.
Shadow Reading
To refine your vowel pronunciation, consider practicing shadow reading on your own. Shadow reading involves speaking along with audio and visual materials, gradually refining your vowel articulation, intonation, and rhythm.
For a start, you can begin with the list of English vowel sounds with examples we have provided in this article. Also, listen to native speakers often and try to mimic their pronunciation.
Minimal Pair Exercises
It is easy to mistake many vowel sounds in English because they can be highly interrelated—for example, the short and long vowels "IH" and "EE" as in "sit" and "seat."
Minimal pairs are words that differ by only one sound. Therefore, you want to engage in minimal pair exercises to distinguish between similar vowel sounds. This practice sharpens your ability to perceive and produce subtle sound distinctions.
Embrace Tongue Twisters
There are diverse ways that you can actively learn vowel sounds. Tongue twisters are a great way to start because they're a fun and effective way to practice. Repeating these phrases not only hones your pronunciation but also enhances your fluency.
Try the tongue twisters below:
"She sells seashells by the seashore."
"A black cat sat back to back with a white cat and made a nice couple."
Master English Vowel Sounds with BoldVoice Vowel sounds in English are the heart and soul of the language, playing a pivotal role in speech rhythm and grammar. While these sounds might appear daunting, understanding them is important to achieve fluency in English communication, especially for non-native speakers.
Remember, all the vowel sounds in English language work together, contributing to accent reduction and achieving a natural, rhythmic speech flow. To help you learn, practice minimal pair exercises, embrace tongue twisters, and consult experts.
For a smarter learning experience, BoldVoice combines artificial intelligence and real-life coaching lessons tailored to your communication needs. You learn through interactive exercises and receive real-time feedback on your progress.
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