British English Phonemic Chart

Lesson 9: The [ /ɒ / ]sound as in "box"

Short vowel [ /ɒ / ]

Speech organs Position

The lips are coming forward a little, but not tight; the jaw is reasonably relaxed and quite open,
and the back of the tongue is slightly rising in the mouth. The sound pronounced in the back of the mouth.


Words

Look at the mouth diagram to help you position your lips, tongue and jaw for the target sound

Highlighted bold letters pronounced as [ /ɒ / ]


o - fond, lock, stop, gone, odd, lost, sorry,wrong, often, clock, knock, obvious, promise, doctor

a - want, was, wander, wallet, wallow, wash, watch, warrior, waffle, squat, quantity



sentences

Read each sentences aloud slowly at first, then as if you were telling it to someone in a natural way.


1. A lot of odd documents in strong boxes are locked in the office.

2. Can I wash my cotton socks in the long pond?

3. The doctor promised to watch Tommy's cough and after four days the cough had stopped.

4. Sorry, I've forgotten my wallet in the shop.

5. The conversation in the office was moderated when the boss, Mr Oxford, came in.

6. Roger and Robin often spend their holidays in Scotland in October.


verses


All I want is a proper cup of coffee,

Made in a proper copper coffee pot.

Tin or iron coffee pots,

They're no use to me

If I can't have a

proper cup of coffee

In a proper copper coffee pot

I'll have a cup of tea.


..............


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Lesson 8: The [ / ʌ / ]sound as in "duck"

Short vowel / ʌ /

Speech organs Position

The jaw is quite wide open, almost as far open as in [ /ɑː/ ] (Lesson 1),
but not quite. The middle of the tongue rise in the center of the mouth, just a little, relaxed.
Lips are relaxed.


Words

Look at the mouth diagram to help you position your lips, tongue and jaw for the target sound

Highlighted bold letters pronounced as [ / ʌ / ]

u - must, luck,dump, just, upper, nun, bus, lunch

o - come, worry, front, love, done, once, cover

ou - rough, tough, country, couple, double, trouble


sentences

Read each sentences aloud slowly at first, then as if you were telling it to someone in a natural way.

1. For someone with a love of money , the sum of one hundred pounds was enticing.

2. Bud, love! Don't worry; victory is in front of you!

3. I can't understand the fun of traveling by bus on such rough country roads.

4. There are a number of nuns among us.

5. Here I am, in front of a tub with a rub and a scrub!

6. When you come to lunch in London on Sunday , remember to bring some money.



Word Comparisons: [ /ɑː/ ] and [ / ʌ / ] sounds


Look at the mouth diagram to help you position your lips, tongue and jaw for the target sound

[ /ɑː/ ] ---------------------- [ / ʌ / ]

father -------------------------- front

dark ---------------------------- duck

bath ---------------------------- bud

pardon ------------------------- punch

startle -------------------------- stuck

rather -------------------------- rough

target --------------------------- tough

verses

Your captain was the other!!!

They left their foster-mother,

The one was Ralph, our brother,

Our captain was the other,

A many years ago.



A many years ago two

tender babes i nursed !

one was of low condition,

The other upper crust,

A regular patrician.

oh, bitters is my cup!

However could i do it ?

I mixed those children up....

Comparison [ /ə / ] - [ / i / ] and [ / i / ] - [ / i: / ]

Letter: 'e' is in the article 'the' is Pronounced as [ / i / ] and [ /ə / ]

Letter: 'e' is Pronounced as [ / i / ] in 'pit' [----------------- ] Letter 'e' is pronounced as a

(Lesson 7) when the next word begins [ -------------------- ] schwa [ /ə / ] in 'banana'

with a Vowel [ -------------- ] (Lesson 6) when the next word

---] begins with a Consonant

the instrument ---- - ---------------------------- the skill

the only-------------------------------------------the pill
the Upper House -------------------------------- the ship
the odd ----------------------------------------- the pitch

the enquiry ---------------------------------- the kitchen

the oak ----------------------------------------- the coffin
the elision ----------------------------------- the gymnast
the illness ------------------------------------------ the kin

Comparison : long [ /i:/] and short [ /i/]

[/i:/] ---------------------- [ /i/]

reason ------------------- risen
been ------------------- bin
ease ------------------- is
sleep ------------------- slip
cheap ---------------- chip
wheat ------------------wit
leap ------------------ -lip
feet ------------------- fit
team ----------------- Tim
beast ------------------ bit
queen ------------------kin
deal ------------------ dill
need -----------------Nick
leek ------------------lyric
people ------------------pitch
greed ----------------grid
leave ----------------- live
sneaky -----------------snip


----------

Words: long [ /i:/ ] highlighted as bold and short [ / i / ] highlighted as in the Red

colour

Look at the mouth diagram to help you position your lips, tongue and jaw for the target sound

believe

reveal

defeat

recede

retrieve

receipt

greasy

easy

sneezing

thesis

seeing

serene

relieve

repeat

meeting

yielding

seizing

freezing

sentences

Sentence : short [ / i / ] highlighted as in the Red colour and long [/i:/]

highlighted as bold



Read each sentences aloud slowly at first, then as if you were telling it to someone in a natural way.


1. The width of the sleeves still needs to fit my neat linen jacket.

2. I am not particularly keen to give the victory to a different team.

3. These silver rings belonged to Queen Elizabeth.

4. Tim is completely out of Nina's league and she isn't keen on being chased him.

5. There is a little something missing in this meal. Have you tried to add some dill?

6. My next of kin, Mr. Bean, is a Dean of Leeds University.



verses

He is an English man

For he himself has said it,

And it's greatly to his credit,

That he is an English man !

Lesson 7: The [ / i / ]sound as in "pit"

Short Vowel [ /i / ]

Speech organs Position

The front of the tongue comes high in the front of the mouth, not quite as high as the long [/i:/] sound (Lesson 4) and just a fraction back.


Words


Look at the mouth diagram to help you position your lips, tongue and jaw for the target sound

Highlighted bold letters pronounced as [ / i / ]

i - him , hilarious, hideous, hint, whim, vision, spirit

a - village, cabbage

e - delete, defeat, delusion

y - crypt, synonym, symbol, symptoms, hymn



sentences

Read each sentences aloud slowly at first, then as if you were telling it to someone in a natural way.

1. Those lettuces taste like cabbages.

2. Bill lifted the lid of the bin tentatively and found not a single thing.

3. Tell Jill I think this is a silly little game.

4. I can't stay a minute longer in this miserable little pit!

5. Tim Grim is a solid, respectable man and is a pillar of society.

6. This simple thing, a wedding ring, is a symbol, the oldest in history.

7. Climbing over a rocky mountain, skip the rivulet the fountain.

Verses

Here's a first-rate opportunity

To get married with impunity,

To indulge in the felicity

Of unbounded domesticity.

You shall quickly be personified,

Conjugally matrimonified,

By a doctor of divinity,

Who resides in this vicinity

Lesson 6: The [ /ə / ] (Neutral Vowel)sound as in "banana"

Short Vowel [ /ə / ]

Speech organs Position

Jaw is half open, relaxed tongue and lips.Middle of the tongue is halfway up.Tongue position is a bit lower than when pronouncing [ /ɜː/] (Lesson 5)
Tongue is not going forward. The sound is very short.


Look at the mouth diagram to help you position your lips, tongue and jaw for the target sound

Highlighted bold letters pronounced as [ /ə / ]


The first syllable unstressed - away, agree, abuse, aboard, against, advice, attain,
advance, canal, correct, police, support


The second syllable unstressed - doctor, under, figure, colour, absent, constant,
standard, oral, forward, upward, awkward



Unstressed Positions

and----------------------------- a ---------------------an

Fish and chips ---------------Get a spoon------------ - Have an apple

Salt and pepper------------ --Cut a piece -------------A question and an answer

pork and beans --------------Here's a plate ------------An aunt an uncle

Ladies and gentlemen------- Lend a hand -------------Listen to an announcement

Comparison

[ /ə / ] ------------- [ /ɜː/]

slogan ------------- girl

forward ---------- word

awkward ----------third

standard ---------- earn

upward ------------word

backward ---------work



Sentences


Read each sentences aloud slowly at first, then as if you were telling it to someone in a natural way.


1. what are you doing in London? we are looking for a hairdresser.

2. Is it made of glass? No, it's made of plastic.

3.What can i do ? What has she done? What have you done?

4. she had done it before she came here.

5. Amanda, phone call for you .

6. The conductor of the orchestra was amazed to see the viola player drink a scotch and soda

7. Tell my sister Amanda to buy some better bananas as well as potatoes and tomatoes.

Lesson 5 : The [ /ɜː/] sound as in "third"

Long Vowel [ /ɜː/]

Speech organs Position

Relaxed lips, Jaw halt-open and the center of the tongue just slightly rising


Words

Look at the mouth diagram to help you position your lips, tongue and jaw for the target sound

Highlighted bold letters pronounced as [ /ɜː/]


er - perjury, commercial, were, verse, infernal

ir - shirt, first, stir, girl, sir, bird

ear -yearn, earn, pearl

ur - urge, occur, murmuring, burden, furnace,burn

or - work, worse, world, word



sentences

Read each sentences aloud slowly at first, then as if you were telling it to someone in a natural way.


1. The girls in purple shirts were urged not to disturb sir Cuthbert.

2. This purple shirt is the worst in the world! I have no words!

3.we were working in the world bank at first; then we were transferred to the Commercial

Chambers in perth.

4. My boyfriend is a perfect nerd who makes his earnings when everyone else is yawning.

5. The girl heard that she came third in the world Championship as a hurdler.

6. Ursula observed that the boy wore a dirty purple jersey


Verses

When I was a lad I served a term

As office boy to an Attorney's firm.


The rich attorney was good as his word;

and every day my voice was heard

At the sessions or ancient Bailey

Lesson 4 : The [ / iː/] sound as in "feet"

Long Vowel [ /iː/ ]

Speech organs Position

Tip of the tongue is always behind the teeth, Jaw fairly closed, lips relaxed, not pulled back
and the front of the tongue high and forward in the mouth.


words


Look at the mouth diagram to help you position your lips, tongue and jaw for the target sound


Highlighted bold letters pronounced as [ / i: / ]


ee - Keel, feeble, seek, heed, See, peep, feel

e - he, evening, eve, demonise, Peter, these

ea - meat, tea, leave, jeans, please, team

ie - grief, field, relief, believe

ei - receipt, deceit, seize


sentences

Read each sentences aloud slowly at first, then as if you were telling it to someone in a natural way.


1. One evening, lying by the stream on the green grass, I dreamed of eating sweets.

2. Jean, have you been in a wheat field in leek ?

3. His demeanour seems to reveal the secret reasons for his deceit.

4. Demonised teenagers were pleased with their tea.

5. All legal furies seize you! No proposal seems to please you.

6. I believe my feet are really quite clean, evie



Verses

See - see - they drink

All thought unheeding,

The tea-cups click,

They are exceeding!

Lesson 3 : The [ /ɔː/] sound as in "horse"

Long Vowel /ɔː/

Speech organs Position

The lips are pushed forward but not as far forward - as in [u:] (lesson 2)
slightly rounded,but still a bit of tightness and tension.
The back of the tongue is rising at the back of the mouth,but not nearly as high as it would be with [ /u:/ ]


words

Look at the mouth diagram to help you position your lips, tongue and jaw for the target sound


Highlighted bold letters pronounced as [ /ɔː/]

or -storm, door , horse, corpulent, sordid, organic

aw -awe, law, dawn, lawn, sprawl

au - caustic, Paul, cautious

augh -naughty, haughty, daughter

a before l and al - almost, ball, wall, walk, talk, appalling, although


sentences

Look at the mouth diagram to help you position your lips, tongue and jaw for the target sound


1. George was falling asleep awkwardly in a sprawl.

2. The written laws ought to prevent thoughtless talks.

3. This appalling store was full of all sorts of ordinary shorts.

4. Maud's daughter Georgina was an awful daughter-in-law.

5. Four hundred and forty-four storks flying home in the storm.

6. Paul called out when he thought he saw his naughty daughter fall in the water.


Verses

As i was going by Mr King's yard'
I saw a man sawing,
And of all the sawyers i ever saw,
I never saw a saw saw like that saw
sawed.

Lesson 2: The / uː/ Sound as in "beauty"

Long Vowel / uː /

Speech organs Position

JAW is almost closed , lips pushed forward tightly into almost a whistle shape ,
at the same time the back of the tongue rises up towards the soft palate at
the back of the mouth



Words

Look at the mouth diagram to help you position your lips, tongue and jaw for the target sound

Highlighted bold letters pronounced as [ /uː/ ]

oo -bloom , food , smooth , loop , school , doom

o - lose ,move ,do , who ,improvement ,remove

ue , oe - blue ,glue ,shoes

ui -- fruit , juice ,cruise

u -- tune ,tube ,music ,curious ,tulips

ew - new ,few , mews



sentences

Listen and repeat.Read each sentences aloud slowly at first, then as if you were telling it to someone in a natural way.


1. Ruth felt in tune with the cool of a June evening and admired the beauty of the moon

2. There are quite a few music super-stars on the London tube.

3. The new blue shoes look beautiful with a navy blue coat.

4.On our cruise to Bermuda we played snooker with our schooner crew

5. Coolies are made from juicy fruits and sugar

6.The music tutor sang a tune on Tuesday for the duke .

7. A few beautiful tulips grew in the school garden in July.


Verses


I'd a swallow-tail coat of beautiful blue-

A brief which i bought off a booby

A couple of shirts and a collar or two,

And a ring that looked like a ruby!


We sail the ocean blue,

and our saucy ship's a beauty:

we are sober men and true,

and attentive to our beauty.

Lesson 1: The /ɑː/ Sound as in "car'

Long Vowel /ɑː/

Speech organs Position

Open your JAW ,relaxed lips ,flat tongue pulled back a little,

The sound made in the back of your mouth


Words

Look at the mouth diagram to help you position your lips, tongue and jaw for the target sound

Highlighted bold letters pronounced as [ /ɑː/ ]

ar ( r is silent ) ----- art , arms ,bar ,mark , arch , bark , dark

ear , er ,al ,au ----- heart ,Sergent, clerk ,derby ,psalm, laugh

a before s , n and th --- bath , castle ,fast ,glass ,disaster , rather , enhance


Sentences


1. The marble bird-bath was hidden in the tall grasses near the path.

2.let's park our car at Barbara's as the car park is rather far from the theater.

3.At last Margaret's anxiety passed and she chanced a disastrous dance with a laughing sergeant.

4.I'd rather take a chance and let my father drive me to the garage in his fast car.

5 .Hard-hearted Margaret was reading psalms in the dark .

6. As an office boy i made such a mark that i was given the post of a junior clerk

Verses

Barbara's car is a jaguar
and Barbara drives rather fast.
Castle ,farms and draughty barns,
She goes charging past

when i, good friends,was called to the bar,
I'd an appetite fresh and hearty'
But i was, as many barristers are,
an impecunious party....