The Vowel That Falls Downhill: Mastering the /aʊ/ in How, Now, and Loud
One of the most dynamic sounds in American English is the stressed vowel sound in how, now, house, and about. Although many non-native…
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The American T That Is Cut Short: Why Button, Mountain, and Important Sound Different
Have you ever noticed that the middle T sound in button, mountain, or important sounds different in American English? The letter is still…
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The Disappearing Vowel in American English: Why “Thought” and “Lot” Now Sound Exactly the Same
American English dictionaries show that thought contains the vowel /ɔ/ while lot contains /ɑ/. They’re presented as two separate sounds, and for some…
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Mastering Tense and Lax Vowels in American English: Feel It, Don’t Just Hear It
English vowels can be divided into two distinct groups: tense vowels and lax vowels. Lax vowels in particular pose a challenge for many…
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Why “Word,” “Work,” and “Worse” Are Harder Than They Look
The hidden coordination problem between /w/ and the American R-colored vowel A few days ago, we posted on how to master the American…
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The “Lip Sound” Consonant: Mastering the American /w/
You might think you already know how to pronounce the American /w/. After all, it appears in some of the most common words…
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Making the /ɑ/: Why “Lot,” “Palm,” and “Bother” Need More Space Than You’re Probably Giving Them
We’ve previously discussed the importance of opening your mouth adequately to make sounds in American English. Let’s now take a deeper look at…
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The American R-Colored /ɝ,ɚ/ Vowel: Why “Bird,” “Word,” and “Heard” All Sound the Same
Despite being spelled three different ways, the vowel sound in the words bird, word, and heard is exactly the same: the R-colored vowel…
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“Pool” vs. “Pull”: A Tiny Vowel Difference Makes a Big Impact
For many English learners, the difference between words like pool and pull, fool and full, or Luke and look, can feel almost invisible.…
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The Hidden Sound in “Bottle”: Mastering the American English Syllabic L
If you’ve ever learned that bottle is pronounced something like BOT-ul, you’re not alone. You may have been learned it from a textbook,…
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