Contrast of Pure Vowels |u| |u:| and |D| - JSS1 English Language Lesson Note

In English, vowels are the building blocks that make words sing! Today, we'll focus on three special vowel sounds: /u/, /u:/, and /ə/.

1. Meet the Vowels:

• Short /u/ ("uh"): This sound is like the "u" in "bus" or "cup." Your lips are rounded, but not as much as for the other two sounds. Try saying "up" while puckering your lips a little.
• Long /u:/ ("oo"): This sound stretches out the short /u/. Think of the "oo" in "food" or "shoe." Your lips are rounded even more than for the short /u/.
• Central vowel /ə/ ("uh"): This sound is a bit trickier. It's a short, neutral vowel sound found in many unstressed syllables in English. It's like the "u" in "about" or the "a" in "ago." Your tongue is kind of relaxed in the middle of your mouth, and your lips are neither rounded nor spread.

2. Feeling the Difference:

Let's practice feeling the difference! Hold your hand in front of your mouth and say each sound:

• Short /u/: You should feel a little puff of air come out with a slight rounding of your lips.
• Long /u:/: The puff of air is longer, and your lips are more rounded.
• Central /ə/: You barely feel any air come out, and your lips barely move.

3. Minimal Pairs:

These are word pairs that differ by only one sound, helping us hear the difference between vowels. Try saying these pairs:

• Short /u/ vs. Long /u:/: "bs" vs. "boose"
• Short /u/ vs. Central /ə/: "cp" vs. "about" (Notice the "u" sound weakens in the unstressed syllable)

4. Remember:

• Short /u/ is a quick sound, like a short tap.
• Long /u:/ stretches out the short /u/ sound.
• Central /ə/ is a weak, neutral vowel sound.

  features	Short /u/	Long /u:/	Central /ə/
  Sound	Short "uh"	Long "oo"	Neutral, weak "uh"
  Lip Shape	Slightly rounded	More rounded than short /u/	Relaxed, no rounding
  Tongue Position	Mid-front of mouth	Mid-back of mouth	Central, relaxed
  Length	Short	Long	Short, weak
  Stress	Can be stressed or unstressed	Usually stressed	Usually unstressed
  Spelling	u, o, ou (bus, son, couple)	oo, ou, u (food, house, juice)	u, a, e, i (about, comfort, every, pencil)
  Example Words	cup, putt, sun	food, moon, shoe	about, sofa, pencil