First, let’s get to know the English vowels. The letters A, E, I, O, U, and sometimes Y are the vowels. All the remaining letters of the alphabet are consonants.
Vowels are sounds that are made when there is no obstacle in front of the sound or air as it comes out of the mouth. Consonant sounds are the sounds you make by putting your tongue or lips into certain shapes. These block the air coming out of his mouth, turning it into a specific sound. When vowels are placed between consonants, all sounds come together and a word is formed.
Some consonants, such as G and C, have two distinct sounds, but these are exceptions. Most consonants in the English language have exactly the sounds you would expect to hear. The letter B makes the B sound and the letter D makes the D sound.
Vowels are a little different. Vowels have several different pronunciations that can change the meaning of a word or make it sound “wrong” for native English speakers.
Vowels have two pronunciations: a long sound and a short sound. They can change their sound depending on where they are in a word, what letters are around them, and sometimes what language the word originally comes from.
Long Vowel Sounds
The Long A Sound
The long sound of the letter A is just like we read it in the alphabet: EI. Make this sound by putting your mouth in a wide, closed shape.
When to use:
- When the letter A is near the end of the word, followed by a consonant and silent E. Examples: rate, pale, paste, debate.
- When the letter A is followed by another vowel, including the letter Y. Examples: fail, maybe.
The Long E Sound
The long sound of the letter E is just like we read it in the alphabet: EE. Make this sound by opening your mouth wide but closed with your teeth almost touching.
When to use:
- When the letter E is followed by another vowel, primarily A or E. Examples: need, seal.
- When the letter E is near the end of the word, followed by a consonant and silent E. Examples: here, sincere.
- When the letter E is at the end of the word and is not silent. Examples: me, she.
- When the letter E is followed by the letter Y at the end of the word. Examples: key, money.
- When the letters IE are used together in a word. Examples: believe, piece.
The Long I Sound
The long sound of the letter I is just like we read it in the alphabet: AIY. You can make this sound by placing your mouth in a neutral (neither too wide nor too closed; right in the middle) slightly rounded shape.
When to use:
- When the letter I is followed by a consonant followed by another vowel. Examples: ice, line, iris, dinosaur.
- When the letter I is followed by a silent GH. Examples: sight, night.
- When the letter I is followed by a silent E at the end of a word (even if the word ends in the past tense and the letter D). Examples: tie, bite, tried.
- When the letter I is followed by the silent S, especially “island” and “aisle.”
The Long O Sound
The long sound of the letter O is just as it is pronounced in the alphabet: OH. You can make this sound by giving your mouth a round shape.
When to use:
- When the letter O is followed by a consonant followed by another vowel. Examples: remote, nose.
- When the letter O is followed by W. Examples: bowl, elbow.
- When the letter O is followed by another vowel, including Y. Examples: boat, poison, boy, toe.
- In some cases where the letter O is followed by the letters ST (the exceptions are lost, cost, frost and a few other words). Examples: most, ghost.
- When the letter O is followed by the letters LD. Examples: cold, bold, folder.
- When the letter O is followed by the letters UGH. Examples: though, dough.
The Long U Sound
The long U sound has the same sound as the pronunciation in the alphabet: YU. After giving your mouth a round shape, you can make this sound by bringing your tongue close to your lips.
When to use:
- When the letter U is followed by a consonant followed by another vowel. Examples: cute, universe, music.
- When the letter U is followed by the letter E or I. Examples: duel, clue, fruit.
- In the pronoun “You”.
- When the letters EW are used together in a word. Examples: drew, jewel.
Short Vowel Sounds
The Short A Sound
The short sound of the letter A is a short AH sound. You can make this sound by opening your mouth narrowly and keeping your lips apart.
When to use
- When the letter A is followed by a single or double consonant(s) at the end of the word. Examples: cat, back, mattress.
- In the article “a”
The Short E Sound
The short sound of the letter E is similar to the sound you make when you are not affected by something: EH. You can make this sound by opening your mouth narrowly and bringing your teeth closer together (but not touching).
When to use
- When the letter E is followed by a single or double consonant(s) at the end of the word. Examples: bet, melt, letter.
The Short I Sound
The short I sound is like a grunt: IH. You can make this sound from the back of your throat after giving your mouth a neutral shape.
When to use
- When the letter I is followed by a single or double consonant(s) at the end of the word. Examples: it, little, ship.
The Short O Sound
This sound is a sound between U and O and is similar to the sound you make when it hurts: AUGH. You can make this sound by forming your mouth in a slightly rounded but wide shape.
When to use
- When the letter O is followed by a single or double consonant(s) at the end of the word. Examples: bother, stop, box.
- When the letters O or A are followed by the letter U or the letter UGH. Examples: cousin, trouble.
The Short U Sound
The short U sound is similar to the one you make while thinking: UH. After putting your mouth in a neutral shape, you can make this sound with your lips close together and your tongue close to the lower palate.
When to use
- When the letter U is followed by a single or double consonant(s) at the end of the word. Examples: cut, butter.
