Short u and Long u

Both short u and long basically have the same starting position: pursed lips with a very small opening. Their only difference is length of time. As you guessed, short u is pronounced with one beat, and long u with two. Let's move on to the drills, then. ^^

Long u (ʊ̈)                                  Short u (Ʊ)

                                                     fool                                             full
                                                     pool                                            pull
                                                    shooed                                         should
                                                    wooed                                         would
                                                    cooed                                          could

Long u (ʊ̈)

1. Luke stewed while he cooked a stew.
2. The groom's tooth is loose.
3. The putrid boot is in the loo.
4. Rude boys are taboo.

Short u (Ʊ)

1. A bull pushed the woman with a crook.
2. The butcher took some cookie recipes.
3. I would pull the pages in the cookbook.
4. The wolves stole the hood from the hook.

TONGUE TWISTER

A Tudor who tooted the flute,

Tried to tutor two tooters to toot,

Said the two to the Tudor,

"Is it harder to toot,

Or to tutor two tooters too toot?"

The Schwa

Now we're at the last part of the vowels.

The schwa is one of the most common sounds of American English, and let me repeat: English is not a language which is based on spelling when it comes to pronunciation. You just have to become familiar with the word and how it is said. Let me repeat: Spelling will not help you at all. As said in American Accent Training by Ann Cook, "Spelling doesn't help identify it, because it can appear as any one of the vowels, or a combination of them."


Another thing we should remember is that there are two symbols that are usually used for the schwa sound, which are [^] and [ə]. These two sounds are only distinguishable in British English. They have the same sound, but [^] is stressed, whereas [ə] is unstressed. However,  as mentioned in the book American Accent Training, we don't make such a distinction.

This sound is ubiquitous - which means, it can be found everywhere. As said in the first post, the schwa is the smallest sound of English. Here's how we say it.

- the lips and teeth slightly parted, and there is a very small opening between them. Take note: It is really very small.
- It is similar to the sound you make when somebody taps you on the back and you say, "Huh?" Just get rid of the first "h" sound.

This sound is neutral. Meaning, there are no characteristics that you will notice that makes it different from other vowel sounds. It can be both stressed and unstressed, and can be one sound or a combination of others. It can even be one syllable.

Let's look at some examples, shall we?

(Don't forget: There is only a very small opening of the lips and teeth. The sound you make is a grunt).

Ex:
Bun - bən
Cut - cət
Some - səm
Done - dən
Fur - fər
Vegetable - vɛdʒtəbəl

Sentences:

1. The fun festival is over.
2. I love my eggs sunny side up.
3. The drumming can be heard from a distance.
4. A hundred soldiers are muttering in the riverbed.
5. Come in from the cold.

Keep looking through your dictionaries and books for words that have schwa sounds and practice. ^^

Introduction to the Consonants

Hello! I'm finally back, and hopefully with more to teach. I really apologize for the delay in posting; it's been so hectic, but anyway...

We're done with the vowels, so here we go to the consonants. ^^

The major difference between these two kinds of sounds is that when you pronounce your vowels, your tongue usually moves only a little, or not at all. It is at rest. However, consonants tend to make your tongue, lips and jaw move quite a bit. They are the sounds that make English fun and challenging. Here are the examples:
[t],[r],[z].

Ready?

Let's start then. Please go on to the next post. ^^

The Five Sounds of [t]

Did the title shock you? Actually, it shocked me the first time I saw this, too. Well, let's take a closer look at this complex letter and see what we can do. I'd also like to apologize for not updating in so long. Life is so busy right now. Enough about that, and let's get started. ^^

1.Initial/Popped [t]
- this is usually found at the beginning of a word
- this is pronounced by placing your tongue against the back of your upper front teeth and popping it so air comes out. Don't forget. Tongue + Teeth + Air = Initial/popped [t].
- another thing to remember: it is voiceless. So you should not use your voice to make this sound.

Ex: Taxi, Typewriter, Telephone.

2. Medial/Middle [t]
- Usually found in the middle of a word, between two vowels or vowel sounds, or between another t and a vowel or vowel sounds.
- It is a "quick d" sound, so it is voiced.

Ex: Writer, Letter, Lighter

3. Final/End/Quiet [t]
- this is usually found at the end of a word, and it's not popped; neither do you say it with a quick d sound. Rather, you have to simply put your tongue in the [t] position (behind the upper front teeth), and don't let the air pop. It is a very soft sound.

Ex: Cat, Bat, Sat

4. Held [t]
- Quite a difficult sound to make for some people, but really easy once you get the hang of it.
- It is found in the middle of a word, and BEFORE an [n].
- It is pronounced as a quiet [t] + [n] sound.
- Here's an interesting thing to note: You don't need to move your tongue from the quiet [t] position; all you need to do is let it stay in that position and breathe out through your nose to make [n].

Ex:
Button, Fountain, Mountain

5. Silent [t]
- This is bound to be your favorite sound of [t].
- It is silent, as in NOT PRONOUNCED AT ALL.
- Usually found in the middle of a word, and AFTER an [n].

Ex: Center, Internet, International

Hold It!
We're not yet done. As with many rules in English, of course, there are exceptions. Watch out for these:

***If a word ends in -ct, -pt, -ft, -st and -nt, these are not pronounced as Quiet [t]. Rather, they are popped, just like in Initial or Popped [t].

Ex: React, Apt, Raft, Fast and Can't

b and v drills

These two are actually quite easy to do. You just have to remember that they are voiced.

/b/

• press your lips together and then let air explode between them.

/v/

• place your upper front teeth gently above your lower lip
• blow air gently between them, and add your voice.

drills

                                           /b/                                                    /v/           

                                        Bow                                                 Vow

                                        Buy                                                  Vie

                                        Bent                                                Vent

                                        Banish                                            Vanish

                                        Bowel                                             Vowel

                                        Rebel                                             Revel

                                        Dub                                                Dove

                                        Robe                                              Rove

/b/

1. Bubble, bubble, toil and trouble; fire burn and cauldron bubble!
2. Bland blueberry cheesecake becomes boring after two days.
3. The baby’s bathtub was filled to the brim with bubbles.
4. Bounce the ball beyond the bluegrass lot.

/v/

1. Veil the bed with the bed valance.
2. Brave vandals vied with each other to use violet paint.
3. The view of the valley is very beautiful.
4. Varicose veins are not a very pretty sight.

TONGUE TWISTERS

Betty Botta bought a bit of butter. “But,” she said “this butter’s bitter. If I put it in my batter, it will make my batter bitter.” So Betty bought a bit of better butter, and it made her batter better.

Vowels vanish in my mouth; I vow that I must stop them from vanishing before they vote that I leave this place. 

L and R drills

Thanks to my students for being an inspiration and apologies for not posting for so long hahaha!

PRONUNCIATION DRILLS /r/ & /l

/l/

• lift your tongue and touch the tip of it to your upper front teeth.
• gently move your tongue backwards until it touches a small circle behind your teeth.
• place your tongue there and say /l/

/r/

• lift your tongue up so that the tip is pointed to the small circle behind your upper back teeth. However, make sure your tongue doesn't touch it.
• Hold your tongue in that position, and curl the sides of your tongue until it touches the sides of your upper back teeth
• pull your tongue back in that position as far as you can
• purse your lips so they are shaped like a small /o/ and then, say /r/

/r/                            /l/

                                                                rate                        late

                                                               fray                         flay

                                                             straw                        slaw

                                                             bore                         ball

   

/r/

1. Randy ran rapidly to the entrance.
2. Carry the silver tray upstairs.
3. Rent three boring books and read them after four pm.
4. Hurry home and curry the horse.

/l/

1. Lisa loves seeing the leaves fall in fall.
2. Light the lanterns Leo left at home.
3. Lend a hand to the people on the left.
4. Leap across the lagoon in your lovely dress, Lee.

TONGUE TWISTER

Blow, blow little breeze and Conrad’s hat seize.

Let him join in the chase while away it is whirled,

‘Till my tresses are curled,

And I rest in my place.

PRONUNCIATION DRILLS FOR /s/ & /z

PRONUNCIATION DRILLS FOR /s/ & /z

/s/

• place your tongue on the roof of your mouth
• make sure there is space for air to blow through
• hold your tongue in the position and blow air

/z/

• put your tongue in the same position as s
• make sure there is enough space to allow air to pass
• add your voice and press your tongue lightly there

Drills

                                                      /s/                                     /z/ 

                                                    seal                                   zeal

                                                    race                                  raise

                                                   sink                                    zinc

                                                  cease                                 seize

                                                  loose                                   lose

/s/

1. A swan swam over the swell.
2. Sit on the seat beside me.
3. Sally saw six silly sheep sipping shampoo.

/z/

1. Clouds appear as the sun rises.
2. The zoo’s zookeeper is a very sad man.
3. Wisdom and music are his greatest gifts.

TONGUE TWISTER

Autumn wind rises; white clouds fly.

Grass and trees wither; geese go south.

Orchids all in bloom; chrysanthemums smell sweet;

I think of my lovely lady; I can never forget.

Floating – pagoda boat across Fen River;

Across the mind-stream white waves rise.

Flute and drum keep time to sound the rowers’ song;

Amidst revel and feasting sad thoughts come;

Youth’s years how few, age how sure!