AAAmerican Accent US
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Course · 4 modules · 15 lessons

American Vowels

Master the full American vowel system — every short vowel, the contrasts learners mix up, and the tricky exceptions and digraphs.

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  1. 1

    Module 1 · 7 lessons

    Short Vowels

    1. 1Intro→
    2. 2Short EThe Short E sound is super common in English, and getting it right helps you sound clear and confident.Practice: edge · head · friend · send · bread · mess→
    3. 3Short IRelax your jaw, lips, and cheeks.Practice: in · it · fish · live · sit · kiss→
    4. 4Short ODrop your jaw and the front of your tongue.Practice: odd · dog · hot · stop · clock · frog→
    5. 5Short UDrop the back of your tongue to widen your throat.Practice: run · cup · love · sun · money · truck→
    6. 6Lax Short UKeep your lips relaxed and slightly open.Practice: cook · pull · wood · should · foot · good→
    7. 7Wide Short AFlatten your tongue low in your mouth.Practice: cat · fan · ham · lamp · math · rack→
  2. 2

    Module 2 · 2 lessons

    Vowel Contrasts

    1. 1Wide Short A vs. Short EThese two vowels are often confused, but a small adjustment in your mouth can make a big impact on how you're understood.Practice: apple · elephant · camp · fresh · hand · text→
    2. 2Short O vs. Short UPractice: on, off, drop, stop, rock, pot · up, but, run, cut, luck, sun→
  3. 3

    Module 3 · 5 lessons

    Vowel Exceptions & Digraphs

    1. 1Broad ARelax your mouth and jaw, letting your jaw drop slightly.Practice: car · father · watch · palm · start · drama→
    2. 2The AU DigraphRelax your tongue, but arch it slightly in the back.Practice: author · awkward · sauce · draw · caught · lawyer→
    3. 3French ENTighten or round your lips.Practice: ensemble · genre · encore · entrée · envoy · entrepreneur→
    4. 4I as Long ESometimes, the letter 'I' can surprise you by sounding like a 'Long E'.Practice: pizza · machine · routine · police · elite · critique→
    5. 5Y as a VowelThe letter 'Y' is a bit of a chameleon in English, often taking on the role of a vowel.→
  4. 4

    Module 4 · 1 lesson

    Nasal-Colored Vowels

    1. 1A + NG / NKThere are two main ways this vowel can be pronounced, and both are common in different parts of the US.Practice: sang · rank · hang · tank · bang · drank→
American Vowels — American Accent US