Speaking: Pronunciation A2 - Lesson 3: Basic Vowel Sound Distinction (e.g., sit/seat)

Speaking: Pronunciation A2 - Lesson 3

Basic Vowel Sound Distinction (e.g., sit/seat)

By the end of this lesson, you will be able to hear and produce the difference between short and long vowel sounds, like the sounds in "sit" and "seat".

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Why Vowel Sounds Are Important

English has many different vowel¹ sounds. Sometimes, a small change in a vowel sound can completely change the meaning of a word. We will practice with minimal pairs² - pairs of words that are exactly the same except for one vowel sound.

The most common challenge is the difference between a short vowel and a long vowel.

Short Vowel Sound /ɪ/ (quick)	Long Vowel Sound /iː/ (long, like a smile)
sit3 (verb: to be on a chair)	seat4 (noun: a chair)
live5 (verb: to have your home somewhere)	leave6 (verb: to go away)
ship7 (noun: a big boat)	sheep8 (noun: an animal)

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Vocabulary Glossary

1. Vowel (Noun) | ស្រៈ | The letters a, e, i, o, u, and the sounds they make. ↩
2. Minimal Pair (Noun) | គូពាក្យសំឡេងស្រដៀង | Two words that are different by only one sound (e.g., sit/seat). ↩
3. sit (Verb) | អង្គុយ | To rest your body on a chair. ↩
4. seat (Noun) | កៅអី | A chair, or a place to sit. ↩
5. live (Verb) | រស់នៅ | To have your home in a place. ↩
6. leave (Verb) | ចាកចេញ | To go away from a place. ↩
7. ship (Noun) | កប៉ាល់ | A very large boat for traveling on the sea. ↩
8. sheep (Noun) | ចៀម | An animal with a woolly coat. ↩
9. bad (Adjective) | អាក្រក់ | Not good. ↩
10. bed (Noun) | គ្រែ | A piece of furniture you sleep on. ↩

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record_voice_over Pronunciation Focus: How to Make the Sounds

Short /ɪ/ vs. Long /iː/

• For /ɪ/ (in sit): Your mouth is relaxed and only a little open. The sound is short and comes from your throat. It's a lazy sound. Listen: ih... ih... sit.
• For /iː/ (in seat): Your mouth becomes wide, like you are smiling. Your tongue is high in your mouth. The sound is long. Listen: eee... eee... seat.

Another Common Pair: /æ/ vs. /e/

• For /æ/ (in bad⁹): Open your mouth wide and drop your jaw down. It's a very open sound. Listen: aah... bad.
• For /e/ (in bed¹⁰): Your mouth is relaxed and not very open. It's a simple, short sound. Listen: eh... bed.

lightbulb Why It Matters: Different Sound, Different Meaning

Using the wrong vowel can cause confusion. Look at these sentences:

• "Please have a seat." (You are offering someone a chair.)
• "Please sit." (This is a command to sit down. It is much more direct.)


• "The sheep is on the big ship." (The animal is on the boat.)
• "I'm tired. I'm going to bed." (I will go to sleep.)

sports_esports Practice the Vowels

Activity 1: Which Word Do You Hear?

Listen to the audio guide. I will say one word from the pair. Circle the word you hear.

1. live / leave
2. ship / sheep
3. bad / bed
4. sit / seat

Activity 2: Read the Sentences Aloud

Practice saying these sentences. Focus on making the two different vowel sounds clearly.

• Please sit in this seat.
• Don't leave where you live.
• The black sheep is on the big ship.

task Your Pronunciation Mission

This week in Siem Reap, your mission is to master the "sit" and "seat" sounds.

1. Find a mirror. Look at your mouth as you say the sounds. For "seat", your mouth should be wide (a smile). For "sit", it should be relaxed.
2. Teach a friend the difference between these two sounds. Teaching is the best way to learn!