Basic Vowels
In English, the length of the vowel can change the whole word!
The "Smile" Sound 😊
Rule: For the long /i:/, stretch your mouth wide like a smile!
Click to hear the difference (ចុចស្តាប់)
The "Drop Jaw" Sound 😲
Rule: For /æ/ (Bad), drop your jaw low. For /e/ (Bed), keep your mouth relaxed.
Click to hear the difference (ចុចស្តាប់)
The "Round Lips" Sound 😗
Rule: For the long /u:/, push your lips forward like you are blowing a kiss!
Click to hear the difference (ចុចស្តាប់)
Don't mix up short and long vowels!
If you use a LONG sound here (Leave), it means you want to go away! (ចង់ចាកចេញ)
Use a SHORT sound (Live) to mean you want to stay! (ចង់រស់នៅទីនេះ)
Listen & Choose 🎧
Listen & Choose 🎧
Mission 🎯
Mission 🎯
Mission 🎯
Mission 🎯
Video Lesson
Ask a Question 🙋♂️
Recent Questions
Hi Sovan! English spelling is a mix of many languages over hundreds of years. This is why we use the IPA (like /i:/ and /ɪ/) to study pronunciation, because we cannot always trust the letters! 📚🗣️
How do I know if my mouth is in the right shape for the long /i:/ sound?
Use the "Smile Test"! Look in a mirror. When you say "Seat" or "Sheep", your lips should stretch wide like you are smiling. If your lips are relaxed, it will sound like the short /ɪ/ in "Sit". 😊
Do native speakers really hear the difference? Or can they guess from the sentence?
They hear it VERY clearly! Even though they can sometimes guess what you mean from the context, mixing up these sounds can lead to some very funny or embarrassing mistakes (like in Trap #1). It is worth practicing! 🎧
Why is English spelling so weird? "Read" (present) and "read" (past) are spelled the same but sound different!