Introduction

The Vowels

Do you like pronounced the vowels right?

Phonetics
Is the study of the sounds of language.  These sounds are called phonemes.

Phonology
Is the study of the patterned interaction of speech sounds.

Grapheme
Is a letter or a number of letters that represent a sound (phoneme) in a word. 

Phoneme
A phoneme is the smallest contrastive unit in the sound system of a language.  Is a basic unit of a language's phonology, which is combined with other phonemes to form meaningful units such as words or morphemes.

Vowel
Is a sound  that is produced when the air isn't disrupted.

Consonant
Is a speech sound that is articulated with complete or partial closure of the vocal tract.

Stress
Is the relative emphasis that may be given to certain syllables in a word, or to certain words in a phrase or sentence. The word accent is often used with this sense. The most popular system is to put a vertical line (ˈ) before the stressed syllable in the phonetic transcription of the word. Example: the transcription for become is /bɪˈkʌm/.


Intonation
The variation of tone used when speaking. It is used for a range of functions such as indicating the attitudes and emotions of the speaker.

Voiced Sound
The vowels emit vibration in vocal cords.


Voiceless Sound
No vibration emited.

Activity of the phonemes

This is a great activity that you make be good and you can understand better the vowels phonemes




Other links to study and learn more


http://www.ompersonal.com.ar/omphonetics/contenidotematico.htm

http://www.hablamejoringles.com/ouch-la-pronunciacion-de-a%CA%8A-en-ingles/


http://www.ejerciciodeingles.com/pronunciacion-vocales-ingles/

Phoneme /OU/

Phoneme /OU/

The lips are tense and very round.

• [OU] is a diphthong. It begins with [O] and and ends with [U]

• The phoneme [OU] is actually longer and more prolonged than Spanish "ó".

• The frequent spellings patterns for [OU] is the letters "o", "oa", "ow", "oe" and "ou".

Examples          only     /OUnly/

                         both     /bOUth/

                            go     /gOU/

                                 

HINTS

When "o"is in a syllabe ending in silent "e", the letter "o" is pronounced [OU]. Examples: phone, note, home.

The lettters "oa" are usually pronounced [OU]. Examples: coal, boat, toaster.

The letter "o" followed by "ld" is usually pronounced [OU]. Examples: cold, old, soldier.





If you want learn more and practice that you have learned, this game will help you to improve your skills.

Phoneme [OU]

Organize the word

• Olny  →   

• Onace   → 

• Baot  →         

• Kwon  →   

• Sekop   →   

• Sohw  →   

• Hemo  →   

• Sapo  →  

• Towhr  →    

• Soluherd  →  

The order of the words are: only, ocean, boat, know, spoke, show, home, soap, throw, shoulder.

Phoneme / Ʌ /

Phoneme / Ʌ /

The lips are relaxed and slightly parted.

• This vowel doesn't exist in Spanish and may be difficult for you to hear and pronounce.

• Is a short and quick sound. You shouldn't feel any tension and your lips barely move during its production.

• Lees frequents spelling patterns for [Ʌ] consist of the letters "ou", "oo", "oe" and "a".

Examples      of     /Ʌf/

                 uncle    /Ʌncle/

                  does    /dɅs/

                    but    /bɅt/

                  love    /lɅve/ 

If you want learn more and practice that you have learned, this game will help you to improve your skills.

Phoneme [Ʌ]

Select the foods pronounced with the phoneme [Ʌ].

Cocktails    

Martini        -       Wine          -           Rum Punch

Soups

Gazpacho   -    French Onion     -     Clam Chowder

Salad

Hearts of Lettuce - Caesar  -Tomato and Cucumber

Breads

Italian Bread     -     Hot Muffins     -   Garlic Rolls

Desserts

Pumpkin Pie    -     Vanilla Pudding    -    Ice Cream

Beverages

Coffee         -                Milk         -        Cup of Tea

Phoneme /U/

Phoneme /U/

The lips are relaxed and slightly parted.

• The vowel [U] doesn't exist in Spanish and may be difficult for you to hear and produce.

• The jaw is slightly lower than for [u:] and the tongue is high, but lower than for [u:].

• The phoneme [U] is a short, quick sound; your lips should barely move while saying it.

• The less frequent spellings patterns for [U] is the letters "u", "oo", "ou", "o".

Examples        cook    /cUk/

                       could    /cUld/

                       sugar    /sUgar/

HINTS

The letters "oo" followed by "d" or "k" are usually pronounced [U]. Examples: hood, good, book.

The letter "u" followed by "sh" is usually pronounced [U]. Examples: bush, push, cushion.





If you want learn more and practice that you have learned, this game will help you to improve your skills.

Phoneme [U]

Find the words in the Alphabet soup.

BOOK
BULLET
COOK
LOOK
PUDDING
PUT
SHOULD
SUGAR
WOMAN
WOULD

Phoneme / u: /

Phoneme /u:/

The lips are tense and in a whistling position.

• The sound [u:] in English is similar to stressed "ú" in Spanish. ([u:] is actually more prolonged than Spanish "ú".)

• Spanish words with this sound are spelled with "u" or "ú". Are "su", "luna", "jugo".

• Pronunciation problems occur because of confusing English spelling patterns and the similarity of [u:] and [ U ].

Examples       food    /fu:d/
                          do    /du:/
                       cool    /cu:l/
                       new    /nu:w/



HINTS:


The spelled that pronounced with the phoneme [u:] are : "u", "oo", "o", "ew", "ue"

Less frequents spelling patterns fot [u:] consist of the letters "ui", "ou", "oe", "ieu" and "ough". Examples: fruit, group, shoe.

The letters "ew" are usually pronounced [u:]. Examples: new, stew, grew.

The letters "oo" followed by "l", "m" or "n" are usually pronounced [u:]. Examples: school, moon.




If you want learn more and practice that you have learned, this game will help you to improve your skills.

Phoneme [u:]

Answer the crossword

ACROSS

1. An accepted principle or instruction that states the way things are or should be done.

6. A seat without any support for the back or arms.

7. A wide road, with trees or tall buildings on both sides.

8. A number of people or things that are put together or considered as a unit. 

DOWN

2. To no longer have something because you do not know where it is.

3. Something that people and animals eat, or plants absorb, to keep them alive.

4. A place where children go to be educated.

5. The usually sweet-tasting part of a tree or bush which holds seeds and which can be eaten.




The answers are: rule, lose, food, school, fruit, stool, avenue, group.

Phoneme /a/

Phoneme /a/

The sound [a] in English is the same as stressed "á" in Spanish.

• The letter "o" followed by "b", "d", "g", "p", "t" or "ck" is usually pronounced /a/.

• The letter "a" followed by "r" is usually pronounced /a/. 

• The lettter "o" in English is frequently pronounced [a], like the "a".

Examples        on    /an/
                  option   /aption/
                    shop   /shap/  
      want   /want/
                      hot   /hat/






If you want learn more and practice that you have learned, this game will help you to improve your skills.

Phoneme [a]

Complete the word according the letters that 

correspond to phoneme [a]. Help you with the 

pictures.

      Al _ _m

 d _ _ phin

 f _ _

 f _ _ m

 l _ _ ster

 st _ _

Phoneme /æ/

Phoneme /æ/

The lips are spread

• The vowel [ æ ] does not exist in Spanish and may be difficult for you to hear and produce.

• The pronunciation is like "a" but NOT spread your mouth too much.

               If you say [a] instead of [æ] , hat will sound like hot

               If you say [Ɛ] instead of [æ], bad will sound like bed

Examples        at    /æ/

                     and   / ænd/

                      cat   /cæt/  

                   have   /hæve/

If you want learn more and practice that you have learned, this game will help you to improve your skills.

Phoneme [æ]

Find the minimal par.

     [æ]                              [Ɛ]

  ______                         Head

  Mat                               ______

  ______                         Lend

  ______                         Said

  And                               ______

  ______                          Ed

Phoneme /Ɛ/

Phoneme  /Ɛ/

The lips are slightly and unround.

• The vowel [ Ɛ ] in English is similar to the sound of the letter "e" ( [ Ɛ ] is actually shorter and quicker than Spanish "e". )

• Less frequent spelling patterns for [ Ɛ ] consist of the letters "a", "ai", "ie", "ue" and "eo".

Examples        any     /Ɛny/

                     again    /agƐn/

                    friend    /frƐnd/

                     guest    /gƐst/

                 leopard    /lƐpard/

If you want learn more and practice that you have learned, this game will help you to improve your skills.

                           Phoneme [Ɛ]


Identify of the vowels "e" of each word, that correspond to the phoneme [Ɛ].

1. D-e-c-e-m-b-e-r

2. E-v-e-r-y

3. E-l-e-v-e-n

4. S-e-c-r-e-t-a-r-y

5. R-e-m-e-m-b-e-r

6. E-l-e-v-a-t-o-r

Phoneme /eI/

Phoneme /eI/

The lips are spread and unround.

• [eI] is pronounced the same way as the Spanish letters "ei" or "ey"

• Spanish key words "ley", "rey", "viente."

• Les frequent spelling patterns for [eI] consist of the letters "ea", "ey", "ei", "a", "ai", "ay" and "eigh".

Examples       ate    /eIt

                   same    /seIm/

                    way    /weI/

                     late    /leIt/

                    wait    /weIt/

                     day    /deI/

                   eight    /eIght/     







If you want learn more and practice that you have learned, this game will help you to improve your skills.

Phoneme [eI]

Identify the syllabe that corresponds to the 

phoneme [ eI ]

           1     2

• la- te ______

1 2

• la-dy _______

            1      2 

• rai -se _______

1 2

• neigh -bor ______

1 2

• pla -ce ______

            1      2

• A -pril _______