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Humanities LibreTexts

2.2: Pronunciation

  • Page ID
    179050

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    Focus I: Vowels

     

     

    Note: This recording includes Focus I.


    In English, there are five vowel letters which have many sounds.  The most typical pronunciations are long vowel sounds and short vowel sounds.

    1.  Directions:  Listen to the long vowel sounds:   A   E   I   O   U.  Listen to the short vowel sounds:   A   E   I   O   U  

    2.  Directions:  Listen and repeat the long vowel sounds in the following words.

    Long Vowel Sounds

      A   E   I   O   U  
      rain   jeans   rice   snow   mute  
      paint   eat   five   coat   cute  
      cake   three   life   boat   mule  

     

    3. Directions:  Listen and repeat the short vowel sounds in the following words: 

    Short Vowel Sounds

    A E I O U
    pants pen six long up
    man egg in blond cut
    map bed fish off bug

    Focus II: Vowel Rules

     

     

    Note: This recording includes Focus II and Practice II.


    When there are two vowel letters in a one syllable word, the first vowel is typically pronounced with its long vowel sound.  The second vowel is silent.

    Example: coat    pine    note

    When there is one vowel in a one syllable word, it is typically pronounced with its short vowel sound.

    Example: cot    pin    not      

    Practice II

    Directions:  Listen to each sentence and circle the word in bold that you hear. 

    1. What does  pant / paint  mean?
    2. I have a warm  coat /  cot.
    3. I need  shorts / shots.
    4. Be careful!  You might fall /  fail.
    5. How do you spell rain / ran?
    6. I love your cute skirt / skort.

    Practice II: Partner Activity I

    Directions:  Follow the directions below to practice long and short vowels.

    Student A:  Say one word from each pair of words
    Student B:  Ask which word was said.
    Student A:  Answer and spell the word you said.
    Go through all of the words.  Then switch roles.

    Example:  Study the example.

    Student A: coat
    Student B: Did you say “coat” or “cot”?
    Student A: I said “coat.” c-o-a-t

    1. coat       cot
    2. fell        feel
    3. rain       ran
    4. cut        cute
    5. tall        tail
    6. bed       bead
    7. paint     pant
    8. kite       kit
    9. hop       hope
    10. mutt      mute

    Practice II: Partner Activity II

    Directions:  Find a new partner. Write a list of one-syllable vocabulary words you have learned so far. Say each word and decide if it has a long vowel sound or a short vowel sound.

    Example:  map - short vowel sound

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