A useful way to gain understanding of American English vowels is to look at how they are formed in the mouth. The position of the tongue, both front-to-back and high-to-low, is the primary factor in vowel shaping. In addition, we use rounded or non-rounded lips, and tense or lax lip and facial muscles. The chart below shows these elements for each of the vowel sounds. Click on the symbols to hear the vowel sounds.
Spelling ee, e,ea, y,ey, ie,i, ei, eo i, o, u, ui, y a, eigh, aigh, ay, et, ei, au, ea, ey e, ea, ie, ai, a, eo a, ai a, e, i, o, u, other vowel combinations oo, ue, u, oe, ough, ui, o, ou oo, u, ou, o o, oe, ow, ough, eau, ew a, aw, au, augh, ough o, a, er, or, ur, ear | Sample Words see, me, seat, baby, key, brief, ski, receive, people is, women, business, build, hymn name, eight, straight, may, bouquet, vein, gauge, break, they met, bread, friend, said, many, leopard that, plaid about, below, participate, money, us spoon, blue, flute, shoe, through, fruit, who, group good, bush, would, wolf no, toe, low, although, beau, sew ball, straw, taut, taught, bought not, father her, word, turn, earn |