|
LISTEN |
![]()
|
/ʌ/.../ʌ/.../ʌ/.../ʌ/...
cup...must...summer...wanted |
|
WHAT IS IT? |
Pronunciation:
The sound /ʌ/ is a mid, central, lax vowel.
Spelling:
The sound /ʌ/ is a mid, central, lax vowel.
- Your lips should be relaxed, not rounded or spread.
- Let your tongue rest in the center of your mouth, without touching any part of your mouth.
- Breathe out and let your vocal cords vibrate.
Spelling:
- "u" - cup, dumb
- "o" - onion, month
- "ou" - rough, country
- "oo" - blood, flood
- "oe" (not common) - does
|
COMPARE |
Compare /ʌ/ with /ɑ/:
![]()
|
/ʌ/.../ɑ/.../ʌ/.../ɑ/.../ʌ/.../ɑ/...
These are both central vowels. However, /ʌ/ is a mid vowel, and /ɑ/ is a low vowel. When you pronounce /ʌ/, your tongue should be in the middle of your mouth and your mouth should not be opened widely. |
You can hear the difference between /ʌ/ and /ɑ/ in these words.
![]()
|
1. A. luck, B. lock
2. A. sub, B. sob 3. A. sung, B. song 4. A. fund, B. fond 5. A. buses, B. bosses 6. A. color, B. collar |
Practice recognizing words with /ʌ/ and /ɑ/ by taking the quiz below.
Now, compare /ʌ/ with /ɜr/:
![]()
|
/ʌ/.../ɜr/.../ʌ/.../ɜr/.../ʌ/.../ɜr/...
These are both central vowels. However, /ʌ/ is pronounced with a central tongue, while /ɜr/ is pronounced with a slightly higher tongue. Your lips should be slightly rounded when you pronounce /ɜr/, but not when you pronounce /ʌ/. |
You can hear the difference between /ʌ/ and /ɜr/ in these words.
![]()
|
1. A. hut, B. hurt
2. A. fuzz, B. furs 3. A. such, B. search 4. A. ton, B. turn 5. A. huddle, B. hurdle 6. A. suffer, B. surfer |
Practice recognizing words with /ʌ/ and /ɜr/ by taking the quiz below.
|
PRACTICE |
Listen and repeat these words:

words_with_-uh-.mp3 | |
File Size: | 747 kb |
File Type: | mp3 |
1. up
2. luck 3. cut 4. mud 5. rough 6. must 7. rush 8. come 9. lump 10. drunk |
11. butter
12. another 13. above 14. color 15. conduct 16. summer 17. among 18. government 19. wonderful 20. uncomfortable |
Now, practice /ʌ/ in sentences. Say the words first, then the sentence.
![]()
|
1. what - cut - butter
What can I use to cut the butter? 2. does - want – country - customs Does he want to learn our country’s customs? 3. mother - coming - Sunday My mother is coming on Sunday. 4. bus - another - one If we miss the bus, we will wait for another one 5. colors – sunset – wonderful The colors of the sunset are wonderful. 6. government – budget – summer The government will set a budget by this summer. |
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:
What is the difference between central (national) and local (city or province) government in your country? These are the responsibilities a government may have:
Prepare:
What is the difference between central (national) and local (city or province) government in your country? These are the responsibilities a government may have:
|
|
- Collect taxes
- Provide guidelines for new industries
- Conduct elections
- Punish criminals
- Conduct foreign affairs
- Create public schools
- Control the money system
- Set a budget
- Provide security
- Improve infrastructure (roads, transportation, power and water systems)
- Provide funds for education
- Inform the public about new policies
- Preserve national traditions and customs
Record:
In your recording, talk about government in your home country. Compare the responsibilities of the central government with the responsibilities of local government.
©2018-2021, Christine Wingate

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.