(7) [a] Open Back Unrounded Vowel ɑː ä

Lips; Completely apart in a "yawing" position.
Jaw: Lower than for any other vowel
Tongue: Flat, on the floor of the mouth.

Possible Pronunciation Problems

EXAMPLES
	Irregular English spelling patterns are the main reason you may have pronunciation problems with the vowel [ɑ]. The letter o in English is frequently pronounced [a], like the ɑ in father
	If you say [ou] instead of [a]
		not will sound like note
	if you say [ʌ] instead of [a]
		not will saound like nut
	If you say [ɔ] instead of [a]
		cot will sound like caught
	Remember to open your mouth wider than for any other vowel when you pronounce [a].
	We're positive you'll soon be on top of [a]!

[a] as in ɑrm, hot and fɑther

[a] At the Beginning of Words
on	are	honest
odd	arch	option
arm	oxen	artist

[a] In the Middle of Words
top	shop	block
cot	wasp	March
lock	watch	rocket

The vowel [a] does not occur at the end of words in English

[a]Spelled

a	o
want	fox
wallet	hot
dark	spot
father	opera
pardon	follow

Hint:

The letter o followed by b, d, g, p, t, or ck is usually pronounced [a]
robin       rod       log       stop       lot       pocket

The letter ɑ followed by r is usually pronounced [a]
farm       alarm       cart       start       are      

Listen and repeat the following pairs of words. Be sure to open your mouth wider when producing the words with the vowel [a] vowel

[a]	[æ]
cop	cap
hot	hat
pot	pat
odd	add
mop	map
top	tap
log	lag
lock	lack
cot	cat
solid	salad

Listen and repeat the following phrases and sentences. The boldfaced words all include the vowel [a].

1. alarm clock
2. stock market
3. not far apart
4. top to bottom
5. cops and robbers
6. Did Father park the car?
7. It was hard to start the car.
8. The doctor wants to operate
9. Honest politicians solve problems
10. My watch stopped at five o'clock.

[a] as in OPERA, FATHER

How to Pronounce [a]: The mouth is wide open and the jaw is dropped mote than for other vowel.

Typical Spelling for [a]: watch, star, rock

[a]Words

Be sure to keep your lips in a "yawning" position as you say [a].

Beginning	Middel
on	luck
arm	want
opera	body
honest	farm

Sentences

Stop watching the clock

Park the car.

Introducing the Sound /a/

To make this sound, drop your jaw until the lips are about 3/4 inch (2 cm) apart, but relaxed

The tongue is in low position.
The sound is short but takes a little longer because your mouth is open so wide!

a	o	ho	e	ow	eau
father wand	cot doll lock option	honor honest	encore ennui	knowledge	bureaucracy
wad waffle wander	bomb doctor fond gosh hot lot motley not pond rot sob toddler		genre

Listen and repeat words with /a/.

Practice
Roz is fond of dolls. John got an honest job Bob stopped in the shop for a mop His knowledge of crops is obvious

Compare /ʌ/ with /a/

/ʌ/	/a/	/ʌ/	/a/
hut buddy cup rut	hot body cop rot	shut putt gut nut	shot pot got not, knot

Practice
Her brother got a hot supper. Some shots are optional. Buddy dropped the hot cup in the shop. Stop fussing and come up.

Recognition Practice

buddy hut shut hut nut

body hot shot hot not

Dictation Practice:

Get a piece of paper and write.

The /a/ when followed by /r/, ends with the lips pushed outward; this changes the sound somewhat.

arm ark far carve

bazaar

guard

sergeant heart

Practice
Are the stars far from Mars?. The hard part is to star the car. Sergeant Barton was the guard. He carved a large heart in the bark

Spelling Challenge

Click here to see the answer

Recognition Practice: body, hut, shut, hut.

Dictation Practice: cop, shot, buddy, cup, knot or not

Spelling Challenge:

• The wolf plays golf.
• We're here to honor the donor.
• Don't bother my brother or my father.
• They found a comb and bomb in the tomb.
• Ron's son won the ribbon.
• Please polish the Polish medal.
• It's warm on the farm.

(6) /æ/ (ash) or /ă/ " Short Near-Open Front Unrounded Vowel"

/æ/ or /ă/

Lips: spread

Jaw: Open wider than for [ε]

Tongue: Low, near the floor of mouth.

Possible Pronunciation Problems

EXAMPLES
	The vowel [æ] might not exist in your language and may be difficult for you to hear and produce. Also, irregular English spelling patterns are likely to cause confusion.
	If you say [a] instead of [æ]:
		hat will sound hot
	If you say [ε] instead of [æ]:
		bad will sound like bed
	When producing the vowel [æ], remember to spread your lips and open your mouth. but don't open it too wide, or you will find yourself substituting [a]
	Practice, prctice,and you'll have [æ] down pat!

[æ]as in at,  fat,  and happy

[æ] At the Beginning of the Words:
am	apple	angry
and	after	absent
ask	actor	animal

[æ] In the Middle of the Words:
cat	back	black
map	happy	last
have	rapid	classroom

The vowel [æ] does not occur at the end of words in English.

Note:

A less frequent spelling pattern for [æ] consists of the letter au
laugh        laughter

[æ]	[ɛ]
had	head
mat	met
pat	pet
land	lend
past/passed	pest
tan	ten
sad	said
and	end
bad	bed
add/ad	Ed

Listen and repeat the following phrases and sentences. The boldfaced words all include the vowels [æ]

1. last chance
2. I'll be back
3. at a glance
4. wrap it up
5. is that a fact?
6. Hand me a pack of matches.
7. I have to catch a taxicab.
8. Ralph can't stand carrots.
9. Al is a happily married man.
10. He who laughs last, laughs best!

[æ] Spelled
a	hat	apple	man	answer

[æ] as in APPLE, HAT

How to pronounce [æ] The lips are spread. The jaw is dropped slightly more than for [ε].

Typical Spelling for [æ]: at, have

Less Common Spelling for [æ] laugh

[æ]:Words

Open your mouth just a bit wider than for [ε]

Beginning	Middle
ask	tap
and	back
apple	hand
after	laugh

[æ] Sentences
Dan ran out of gas.
Ann was dancing

Introducing the Sound /æ/

To make this sound, keep your lips 5/8 inch (1.5 cm) apart and form a half-smile, with tense lips.

The tongue is in low position

The sound is short

a	ai	i
back cat tap bag pad cab	plaid	meringue
action black crab fabulous gash had jack

a	ai	i
knack lack master naturally sash

Pack the bags. Have a snack, Jack Pat's cat is fat. Her plaid jacket has black snaps.

Compare /iy/ with /æ/

/iy/	/æ/	/iy/	/æ/
feet, feat seat seed leap	fat sat sad lap	heed, he'd he's heat neat	had has hat gnat

Examples

Please feed the cats. He needs a black hat. Matt has a shack near the sea. She believes that Pete has had a nap.

Recognition Practice

Listen

feet leap he'd seed heat

fat lap had sad hat

Click here to check the Answers

Recognition Practice: fat, leap, he'd, sad, heat.

Dictation Practice:

Get et a piece of paper and write.

Click here to check the answers

Dictation Practice: sad, has, he's, seed, feet or feat.

Contrasting Sound Practice

/ɛ/	/æ/	/ɛ/	/æ/
beg head met pet	bag had mat pat	wreck set said pled	rack sat sad plaid

Examples with /ɛ/ and /æ/

The pet cat sat on the bed. Pat had a red rag on her head. The men said it had a sad ending. The next guest patted Fred on the back.

Recognition Practice

Listen

met set wreck head said

mat sat rack had sad

Click here to check the Answers

Recognition Practice: mat, set, wreck, had, sad.

Dictation Practice:

Get et a piece of paper and write.

Click here to check the answers

Dictation Practice: head, pet, said, rack, beg.

Click here to check the Answers

Recognition Practice: fat, leap, he'd, sad, heat.

Dictation Practice: sad, has, he's, seed, feet or feat.

Recognition Practice: mat, set, wreck, had, sad.

Dictation Practice: head, pet, said, rack, beg.