Tips for Indian English Speakers: How to pronounce the Short I vowel

One of the most common errors for those learning the American accent is the vowel in the words it  and him, referred to on this site as “Vowel I" or /ɪ/.  This sound is frequently confused with the vowel in the words eat and seem, “Vowel ee or /i/.”

These two sounds are similar, but Vowel ee /i/ has a more exaggerated smile posture for the lips, and the front of the tongue is slightly higher in the mouth. Vowel ee /i/ is a tense vowel, meaning that the muscles in the face are engaged.  Vowel I /ɪ/ is a lax vowel, meaning the lips and face need to be relaxed.  Practice going from one sound to the next to feel the different postures for your lips and tongue.  Use the video to help you.

One way to solidify the distinction is to practice with minimal pairs, or words that differ only by this vowel sound.  Listen to the following sets of words, and practice making a clear contrast between vowel ee /i/ and vowel ɪ.

For even more practice, use these short phrases which contrast the ee and I vowel sounds.