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LISTEN |
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/ʊ/…/ʊ/…/ʊ/…/ʊ/…
good…put…full…pudding |
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WHAT IS IT? |
Pronunciation:
The sound /ʊ/ is a back, high, lax, rounded vowel.
Spelling:
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.
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.
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COMPARE |
Compare /ʊ/ with /uw/:
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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. |
You can hear the difference between /ʊ/ and /uw/ in these words.
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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 6. A. pulls, B. pools |
Practice recognizing words with /ʊ/ and /uw/ by taking the quiz below.
Now compare /ʊ/ with /ʌ/:
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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. |
You can hear the difference between /ʊ/ and /ʌ/ in these words.
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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 6. A. hoofed, B. huffed |
Practice recognizing words with /ʊ/ and /ʌ/ by taking the quiz below.
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PRACTICE |
Listen and repeat these words:

words_with_-oo-.mp3 | |
File Size: | 568 kb |
File Type: | mp3 |
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.
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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. |
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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.
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.)
©2018-2021, Christine Wingate
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.)
©2018-2021, Christine Wingate

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