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Vowel
Schwa
The schwa is the most common vowel sound in English. It is a very short, relaxed, neutral vowel sound that *only* appears in unstressed syllables. Think of it as a lazy "uh" or "ih" sound.
Phonetic
əVoicing
VoicedPlace of Articulation
Central (Mid)Manner of Articulation
VowelMouth Position
Very neutral and relaxed. The lips are not rounded or spread. The jaw is only slightly open. The tongue rests in the middle-center of the mouth, not tense, not high/low/front/back. It requires minimal effort.
How to Make This Sound
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Example Words
aboutMain Example
ə-ˈbau̇tsofa
ˈsō-fətaken
ˈtā-kənpencil
ˈpen(t)-səlsupply
sə-ˈplībanana
bə-ˈna-nəmemory
ˈmem-(ə-)rēproblem
ˈprä-bləmfamily
ˈfam-(ə-)lēsupport
sə-ˈpȯrtPronunciation Practice
11 words
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Quick Practice
3-5 essential words
Full Practice
All 11 words
Minimal Pairs
Listen and compare similar sounds
ə
address (noun)
ˈa-ˌdresCompare with
A
address (verb)
ə-ˈresə
sofa
ˈsō-fəCompare with
S
so far
ˈsō ˈfärə
about
ə-ˈbau̇tCompare with
A
a boat
ə ˈbōtə
comma
ˈkä-məCompare with
C
calmer
ˈkä-mərTongue Twister
Practice: Vowel
“Amanda and Anna analyzed an amazing panorama above the veranda.”
Practice this tongue twister to improve your pronunciation