Rachel's English Vowels and the IPA
Rachel's English Vowels and the IPA introduces the vowel sounds of American English through their phonetic symbols, published by Rachel's English, an American pronunciation site run by a teacher known for her sound-by-sound video lessons. The lesson explains why English spelling hides the sounds, then goes through the core vowels one at a time with their symbols and example words, giving the schwa its own place.
100% Free (unlimited): The lesson is open to any reader with no account and no sign-up, and the whole text, symbols and example words included, sits on one page. Rachel's English also sells an Academy membership and offers a cheat sheet by email; neither is needed to read this page.
How It Helps Your Business English
The lesson starts from the gap between English spelling and English sounds, with the letters oo in boo and book as the example. It then takes the core American vowels in turn, each with its phonetic symbol and three example words, from AH and AW through EE, IH and AA to the two OO sounds and ER. The schwa is set apart as the most common vowel in spoken English.
You go down the list one vowel at a time and say the three example words aloud, which ties a symbol to a sound you can already produce. The schwa section tells you where that sound hides in unstressed syllables, so you start hearing it in ordinary speech. Once the symbols are familiar, a dictionary transcription tells you exactly which vowel a word takes instead of leaving you to guess from the spelling.
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