English Pronunciation

Open the jaws about ½ inch, spread lips with face muscles tense while the tongue is down (middle and front), and push air up through the throat vibrating the vocal cords and out through the mouth.

Long A Words:

say, day, made, grey, make, play, claim, grade, shade, insane

Long A Sentence:

Angel’s aching ape ate eight grapes.

Lower jaw with lips unrounded and tongue down in front and face relaxed, then push air up through the throat vibrating the vocal cords and out through the mouth.

Short a Words:

at, ask, bat, glad, sad, mad, have, apple, laugh, cranberry

Short a Sentence:

Ask Ann for that apple after asking that man.

Draw the lips back and drop the jaw slightly so that the teeth are apart, raise the tongue midway (high and front) with face muscles tense, and push air up through the throat vibrating the vocal cords and out through the mouth.

Long E Words:

see, eat, bead, bee, key, please, three, clean, free, stream

Long E Sentence:

We three see the flea and the flea sees me.

Lower jaw and tongue half way (middle and front) with lips and teeth apart and face muscles relaxed, and push air up through the throat vibrating the vocal cords and out through the mouth.

Short e Words:

bed, fed, bet, Fred, said, dead, red, head, bled, instead

Short e Sentence:

Fred said the red bread was better in bed.

Start by opening the jaw wide with tongue down (low, center) and face muscles relaxed to make the short o /ɑ:/ sound, then close the jaw part way for the long e /i:/ sound, while pushing air up through the throat vibrating the vocal cords and out through the mouth.

Long I Words:

ice, lie, bite, tie, might, night, ride, fly, cry, spider

Long I Sentence:

I might try ice cream if I fly tonight.

Open the jaws about ½ inch with face muscles relaxed and lips unrounded while the tongue is high and front, and push air up through the throat and out through the mouth vibrating the vocal cords.

Short i words:

kid, big, pit, pig, stick, quit, spit, fridge, little, picnic

Short i sentence:

It’s not a little pig that spit out the fig, it’s big.

Drop the jaw about one inch with lips rounded and tongue down (middle, back) and face muscles tense, as you push air up through the throat vibrating the vocal cords and out through the mouth, then round and close the lips more to complete the sound.

Long o words:

oat, owe, own, zone, blow, boat, toe, sew, know, story

Long o sentence:

I know the boat of oats will blow to and fro.

Open jaw wide with tongue down (low, center) and face muscles relaxed, then push air up through the throat vibrating the vocal cords and out through the mouth.

Short o words:

cot, bomb, tall, father, hot, taught, dot, calm, drama

Short o sentence:

Father got a lot of water when he got hot.