LISTEN
listen_to_-au-.mp3
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/ɑʊ/.../ɑʊ/.../ɑʊ/.../ɑʊ/...

cow...loud...found...tow​el

WHAT IS IT?
Pronunciation:
The sound /ɑʊ/ is a diphthong. This means your mouth should move from one position to another.
  • Lower your jaw and tongue, and make your lips very open and wide (as for /ɑ/). Your tongue should be low, tight, and pulled backwards.
  • Breathe out and let your vocal cords vibrate.
  • As you do this, quickly raise your tongue and move your lips into a small circle (as for /ʊ/).
​
stressed_-au-.mp3
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This vowel is usually stressed, as in these words:
  • power
  • loudly
  • about
unstressed_-au-.mp3
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However, /ɑʊ/ can also be unstressed, as in these words:
  • doghouse
  • turnout
  • ​outside

​Spelling:
  • "ow" - cow, brown
  • "ou" - about, found
  • "ough" (less common) - bough, drought

COMPARE
Compare /ɑʊ/ with /ɑ/:
compare_au-a_1.mp3
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/ɑʊ/.../ɑ/.../ɑʊ/.../ɑ/.../ɑʊ/.../ɑ/...

The sound /ɑ/ is a low, central vowel. The sound /ɑʊ/ starts as /ɑ/, but it moves quickly into a high, back vowel.

You can hear the difference between /ɑʊ/ and /ɑ/ in these words.
compare_au-a_words.mp3
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1. ​A. mouse, B. moss
2. A. bound, B. bond
3. A. pout, B. pot
4. A. our, B. are
5. A. mouth, B. moth
6. A. tower, B. tar​
​
Practice recognizing words with /ɑʊ/ and /ɑ/ by taking the quiz below.

Now compare /ɑʊ/​ with /ow/:
compare_au-ow_1.mp3
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/ɑʊ/​.../ow/.../ɑʊ/​.../ow/.../ɑʊ/​.../ow/...

The sound /ow/ is a mid, back vowel. The sound /ɑʊ/ starts as a low, central vowel but moves into a high, back vowel.

You can hear the difference between /ɑʊ/ and /ow/ in these words.
compare_au-ow_words.mp3
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1. A. out, B. oat​
2. A. rouse, B. rose
3. A. couch, B. coach
4. A. bowel, B. bowl
5. A. drown, B. drone
6. A. found, B. phoned

Practice recognizing words with /ɑʊ/ and /ow/ by taking the quiz below.

PRACTICE
words_-au-.mp3
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Listen and repeat these words:
1. now
2. mouse
3. crowd
4. couch
5. outer
6. allow
7. brown
8. count
9. sound
10. vowel
11. shower
12. lou​dly
13. lounge
14. renowned
15. doghou​se
16. doubtless
17. pronou​nce 
18. powerful
19. coward
20. roundabout

​Now, practice /ɑʊ/ in sentences. Say the words first, then the sentences.
sentences_-au-.mp3
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1. how - about - now 
​How can you think about food right now?
2. encountered - crowd - outside
We encountered a large crowd outside.
3. scout - down - mountain
The scout led us down the mountain.
4. our - flowers - brown
Our flowers are turning brown.
5. allowed - loud - house
You're not allowed to play loud music in the house.
6. found - couch - lounge
I found him on the couch in the lounge.

​To practice with different varieties of English, choose another native English speaker by clicking one of the links below:

USE IT!
​​Practice the task below. Then, record yourself completing that task. Give your recording to a teacher or an English-speaking friend for feedback.

​Prepare:
Which of these things do you do when you need to figure out ​(solve) a problem?​
  • Outline what you know and don’t know 
  • Pout about it
  • Sit and think about it for an hour
  • Allow other people to help you
  • Calm down
  • Imagine the worst possible outcome
  • Think aloud
  • Write about it in a journal​
  • Leave your house and walk around
  • Doubt your ability to solve the problem​
  • Outline what you know and don’t know 
  • Pout about it
  • Sit and think about it for an hour
  • Allow other people to help you
  • Calm down​
  • Imagine the worst possible outcome
  • Think aloud
  • Write about it in a journal​
  • Leave your house and walk around
  • Doubt your ability to solve the problem​

​Record:
​Imagine you're giving advice to a friend about how to solve a problem. In your recording, explain 2 things your friend should do and 1 thing your friend should not do.

©2018-2021, Christine Wingate