LISTEN
listen-oo.m4a
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File Type: m4a
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/ʊ/…/ʊ/…/ʊ/…/ʊ/…

good…put…full…pudding

WHAT IS IT?
Pronunciation:
The sound /ʊ/ is a back, high, lax, rounded vowel.
  • Make a circle with your lips
  • Raise your tongue slightly and pull it backwards
  • Relax your tongue
  • Breathe out to pronounce the vowel

Spelling:
  • “oo” – took, good
  • “u” – put, bush
  • “o” – wolf, woman
  • “oul” – would, should

Grammar Tip:
The sound /ʊ/ is in several important modal verbs: could, should, would. These modal verbs are special auxiliary verbs that affect the meaning of the verb following the modal. 

COMPARE
Compare /ʊ/ with /uw/:
compare_oo-uw_1.mp3
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/ʊ/…/uw/…/ʊ/…/uw/…/ʊ/…/uw/…

These are both high, back, rounded vowels. However, /ʊ/ is a lax vowel and /uw/ is a tense vowel. In order to pronounce /ʊ/, your tongue must be relaxed.
​
Listen to words with /ʊ/ and /uw/, and identify which word you hear. Choose A or B. You will hear the word twice, followed by the answer.
compare_oo-uw_2.mp3
File Size: 471 kb
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1. A. could, B. cooed
2. A. look, B. Luke
3. A. full, B. fool
4. A. hood, B. who’d
​5. A. soot, B. suit​
Now compare /ʊ/ with /ʌ/:
compare_oo-uh_1.mp3
File Size: 93 kb
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/ʊ/…/ʌ/…/ʊ/…/ʌ/…/ʊ/…/ʌ/…

These vowels often have the same spelling in English, and they are both lax vowels. However, /ʊ/ is a high, back, rounded vowel and /ʌ/ is a mid, central, ​unrounded vowel. When you pronounce /ʊ/, your lips must be rounded.
Listen to words with /ʊ/ and /ʌ/, and identify which word you hear. Choose A or B. You will hear the word twice, followed by the answer.
compare_oo-uh_2.mp3
File Size: 466 kb
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1. ​A. look, B. luck
2. A. stood, B. stud
3. A. put, B. putt
4. A. roof, B. rough
5. A. shook, B. shuck

PRACTICE
Listen and repeat these words:
words_with_-oo-.mp3
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1. good
2. book
3. foot
4. could
5. push
6. looks
7. dull
8. would
9. cure
10. woman
11.  sugar
12. pudding
13. bully
14. cushion
15. cooking
16. bullet
17. schoolbook
18. football
19. childhood
20. understood

Now, practice /ʊ/ in sentences. Say the words first, then the sentences.
sentences_with_-oo-.mp3
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1. good – books
Have you read any good books lately?
2. put – sugar – pudding
Where did you put the sugar for the pudding?
3. pushed – bushes
The kids pushed the wagon behind the bushes.
4. should – look – textbook
You should look at the review section of the textbook.
5. sure – understood
I’m not sure I understood you correctly.
6. childhood – full  - good
​My childhood was full of good experiences.​

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:
Look at these situations. Think about what advice you would give each person.
  • Joe: “I want to cook for myself instead of eating at restaurants, but I never have enough time.”
  • Andy: “I’m in college, but I can’t afford to buy all my textbooks.”
  • Lin: “My niece is bullied whenever she goes to school.”
  • Ana: “I usually don’t wear makeup or nice clothes, but I want to look good for a date this weekend.”
  • Don: “My girlfriend misunderstood something I said, and now she’s mad at me.”
  • Marta: "I started making a pudding, but then I realized I don't have enough sugar for it."

Record​:
​Choose 2 of the situations. In your recording, give advice about each situation. (Remember, when you give advice or suggestions, you can use the modals should and could.)

​© 2018, Christine Wingate
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