Long A
The vowel sound heard in words like "say", "make", "rain", and "eight". It's a diphthong, meaning it's a combination of two vowel sounds: it starts with a sound similar to the 'e' in "bet" (/ɛ/ or a slightly higher /e/) and glides towards the 'ee' sound in "see" (/i/ or /ɪ/).
Start with the jaw mid-open and the tongue mid-high and towards the front of the mouth. Then, glide the tongue slightly higher and forward while the jaw closes slightly. The lips start relatively neutral or slightly spread and become more neutral or slightly retracted as the sound finishes.
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Example Words
seɪmeɪkreɪnpleɪeɪtgreɪtweɪtleɪtfeɪsneɪmPronunciation Practice
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weɪtwɛtleɪtlɛtpeɪnpɛnmeɪnmæn