{"id":2030,"date":"2012-09-28T09:00:30","date_gmt":"2012-09-28T13:00:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/english\/?p=2030"},"modified":"2012-09-14T18:35:57","modified_gmt":"2012-09-14T22:35:57","slug":"vowel-sounds-looking-at-the-letter-a","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/english\/vowel-sounds-looking-at-the-letter-a\/","title":{"rendered":"Vowel sounds: Looking at the letter a"},"content":{"rendered":"

Today I am going to begin a series of posts looking at different vowel sounds.\u00a0 Since the letter \u2018a\u2019 is the first letter of the alphabet it makes the most sense to begin with this letter.\u00a0 Before we begin, it is important to remember that all vowels in English make two different types of sounds on their own: short and long vowel sounds.\u00a0 Vowels can also make other sounds when combined with other vowels, these are called diphthongs.\u00a0 For now we will just be focusing on the individual vowel sounds, the long and short sounds each vowel makes, along with example words and directions on positioning the mouth for producing these sounds.\u00a0 Today we are looking at the letter ‘a’, here we go\u2026<\/p>\n

a (short vowel sound)<\/strong><\/p>\n

This sound is made with the jaw quite open, the lips slightly apart with the tongue relaxed, low in the mouth, and slightly pushed forward.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Example words:
\na<\/strong>pple<\/em><\/em>
\nba<\/strong>dge<\/em>
\nda<\/strong>nce<\/em>
\nca<\/strong>tch<\/em>
\ncra<\/strong>sh<\/em>
\nha<\/strong>lf<\/em>
\nga<\/strong>llon<\/em>
\npa<\/strong>t<\/em><\/p>\n

a (long vowel sound)<\/strong><\/p>\n

This sound is made with the jaw slightly open and the lips pulled back toward the corners of the mouth.\u00a0 The tongue starts out relaxed and low in the mouth, but then tenses and moves slightly higher in the mouth.\u00a0 Note: All long vowel sounds “say their name.”\u00a0 This means they make the sound of the letter as you would say it when saying your abc’s or naming the letters of the alphabet.<\/em>\"\"<\/a>Example words:
\na<\/strong>ce<\/em>
\na<\/strong>te<\/em>
\neduca<\/strong>te<\/em>
\ngra<\/strong>y<\/em>
\nstra<\/strong>ight<\/em>
\nsa<\/strong>y<\/em>
\nwa<\/strong>y<\/em><\/p>\n

Below is a quick grouping exercise.\u00a0 Look at the six words listed below and divide them into two groups based on whether the word contains either a short or long \u2018a\u2019 sound.\u00a0 Hint: There are three words with short \u2018a\u2019 sounds and three with long \u2018a\u2019 sounds.<\/p>\n

Once you have finished deciding which group each word belongs to you can check your answers by clicking on this link and hear each word: http:\/\/www.abcfastphonics.com\/vowel-letters\/vowel-a.html<\/a>.<\/p>\n

lake
\ngate
\napple
\nape
\naxe
\nsack<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"\"\"

Today I am going to begin a series of posts looking at different vowel sounds.\u00a0 Since the letter \u2018a\u2019 is the first letter of the alphabet it makes the most sense to begin with this letter.\u00a0 Before we begin, it is important to remember that all vowels in English make two different types of sounds…<\/p>\n

Continue Reading<\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"author":85,"featured_media":2063,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"content-type":""},"categories":[135139],"tags":[219025,219051,219023,7278,219022,3056],"class_list":["post-2030","post","type-post","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-english-language","tag-long-a","tag-short-a","tag-the-letter-a","tag-vowel","tag-vowel-sounds","tag-vowels"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t