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LISTEN |
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/æ/…/æ/…/æ/…/æ/…
sat...past...fan...camera... |
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WHAT IS IT? |
Pronunciation:
The sound /æ/ is a low, front, tense vowel.
Spelling:
The sound /æ/ is a low, front, tense vowel.
- Lower your jaw
- Widen your lips
- Tighten your tongue
- Breathe out and let your vocal cords vibrate
Spelling:
- "a" - cat, fan
- "au" - laugh, aunt
- "ai" - plaid
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COMPARE |
Compare /æ/ with /ɛ/:
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/æ/…/ɛ/…/æ/…/ɛ/…/æ/…/ɛ/…
These are both front vowels. However, /æ/ is a low, tense vowel and /ɛ/ is a mid, lax vowel. When you pronounce /æ/, your tongue should be lower than when you pronounce /ɛ/. |
You can hear the difference between /æ/ and /ɛ/ in these words.
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1. A. bag, B. beg
2. A. fad, B. fed 3. A. past, B. pest 4. A. jam, B. gem 5. A. batter, B. better 6. A. expand, B. expend |
Practice recognizing words with /æ/ and /ɛ/ by taking the quiz below.
Now, compare /æ/ with /ɑ/:
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/æ/…/ɑ/…/æ/…/ɑ/…/æ/…/ɑ/…
These are both low, tense vowels. However, /æ/ is a front vowel, and /ɑ/ is a central vowel. When you pronounce /æ/, your tongue should be near the front of your mouth and your lips should be spread wide. |
You can hear the difference between /æ/ and /ɑ/ in these words.
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1. A. sack, B. sock
2. A. math, B. moth 3. A. cap, B. cop 4. A. band, B. bond 5. A. jab, B. job 6. A. lagged, B. logged |
Practice recognizing words with /æ/ and /ɑ/ by taking the quiz below.
Practice recognizing words with /æ/ and /ɑ/ by taking the quiz below.
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PRACTICE |
Listen and repeat these words:

words_with_-ae-.mp3 | |
File Size: | 841 kb |
File Type: | mp3 |
1. sat
2. cap 3. bag 4. pack 5. crash 6. path 7. have 8. match 9. pal 10. strand |
11. grasp
12. passion 13. nasty 14. translate 15. challenge 16. capital 17. example 18. attitude 19. attachment 20. collaborate |
Now, practice /æ/ in sentences. Say the words first, then the sentences.
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1. had - bad - accident - Saturday
She had a bad accident on Saturday 2. saxophone - jazz - band He plays saxophone for a jazz band 3. family - travel - California My family is travelling to California. 4. absent - class - last You were absent from class last week. 5. example - bad - habit Can you give me an example of a bad habit? 6. haven't - had - chance - answer I haven't had a chance to answer your e-mail. |
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To practice with different varieties of English, choose another native English speaker by clicking one of the links below:
To practice with different varieties of English, choose another native English speaker by clicking one of the links below:
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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:
Imagine you are traveling to another town to visit a friend for a weekend. You’re taking a backpack that will only hold 5 items. Look at this list and decide which 5 items you would pack.
Prepare:
Imagine you are traveling to another town to visit a friend for a weekend. You’re taking a backpack that will only hold 5 items. Look at this list and decide which 5 items you would pack.
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- Snacks
- Jacket
- Pajamas
- Shampoo
- Laptop or tablet
- Sandwich
- Napkins
- Hand sanitizer
- Cash (money)
- Passport
- Glasses or contact lenses
- Notepad
Record:
In your recording, explain which 5 items you would pack and why.
©2018-2021, Christine Wingate

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