(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.