Improve your accent: Introduction to the IPA and vowel sound training

Learn the English vowels:
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I will teach you four phonemes from the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA). You will learn /e/ as in pet, schwa /ə/ as in to (unstressed), /ɜː/ as in bird, and /ɔː/ as in court. This lesson is for beginners who are unfamiliar with IPA (the individual sounds of English). Learn the IPA vowel symbols to greatly improve your pronunciation. This lesson is also for more advanced students who are already familiar with the sounds of English and their IPA phonetic symbols, and who wish to refresh their knowledge as a result of doing some practical pronunciation practice. Do these exercises for some time and you WILL hear a difference.
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TRANSCRIPT
Hi, everyone. In this lesson I’m going to teach you four English vowels. Here are the vowels: “e”, “ɜ:”, “ə”, “ɔ:”. The reason to learn these four English vowels in IPA is that these are the actual sounds in English words; and if you know IPA, when you’re learning words, you can get the right pronunciation. The thing about it is these symbols are hard to learn. I know it took me a really, really long time to learn, and that’s because I learn sounds in a practical way. So, me just trying to memorize these sounds didn’t work for me, but doing practical exercises like this was how, after a lot… not… no. It took me a long, long, long time before I did practical exercises to remember these sounds. So I wish I did something like this at the beginning. So aren’t you lucky? Because I’m going to teach you the shortcut to remembering these vowels.
What’s… What we should know about these vowels is that they are grouped together, because they are central vowels. The position that our tongue takes when we make these four vowels is central - it’s not high; it’s not low. And the difference between them is we move from a more forward position with our tongue to a more backward position.
Now, another thing is that ɜ: and ə (schwa), the position is actually the same in the mouth; nothing changes, except the ɜ: sound is stressed and we can hear it very clearly and notice it; whereas the schwa sound: “uh”, “uh”, it’s hard to say by itself because it’s an unstressed sound, but we do it in exactly the same position. We don’t have to move our tongue for that one; it’s just a difference in the power of the sound.
Let’s look at the lip position now. We start with the lips lightly spread. Okay? It’s not as much as “e” which is spread as wide as possible. “E” is not on here. It’s not as wide as “e”; it’s lightly spread: “e”, so a little bit less. “e”. And then the next two are the same position. This I would just call spread, so a little bit wider. “ɜ:”, “ə”, “ɔ:”. You can see the big difference between here, when I go to “ɔ:”. “ɜ:”, “ɔ:”. So, when I get to “ɔ:”, my lips are in the most rounded position.
All right, let’s look at some contrasting words now so that we can get more used to these vowels in words. We’ll read like this, starting with: “pet” for “e”; “bird” for “ɜ:”. The way I always remember this symbol is to imagine a bird, flying, and that’s the most perfect word for me to remember that sound. Imagine a bird: “bird”. “Red”, “wa-…” This is “word”, “word”. “Word”. “Red”, “word”; “ten”, “murder”; “head”, “burden”; “said”, “curse”; “many”, “burn”.
Now, what can be confusing about this is when we look at the spellings of these words and we think: “What’s going on here?” because if I say… If I say: “head”, and that’s the vowel, “e”, why is it spelt with an “a” in there? That’s just confusing, right? Well, that’s English spelling, unfortunately. Trying to learn too many spelling rules for the IPA isn’t that helpful. It’s helpful sometimes, but it only takes you so far. We can see a pattern in here, though. The “ɜ:” sound is often spelt with “r”. Often “ur” in a lot of words; “murder”, “burden”, “curse”, “burn”.
Now let’s look at schwa. When I write schwa, I can write: “uh”. That’s the closest I can get to pronouncing schwa as an unstressed sound. Usually it’s resting in the middle of other sounds. And the way I remember it myself is that in English, a dog goes: “Woof. Woof, woof.” But in Turkish, a dog goes, like: “Uh, uh. Uh, uh.” That’s their sound for “woof”. But, basically, it’s a schwa sound. So it helps me; I don’t know if it helps you. But we’re going to go side to side, here. Schwa: “uh”, “aw”. “Uh”, “paw”; “problem”, “more”; “freedom”, “boring”; “album”, “sword”; “again”, “sure”; “parrot”, “lord”. Okay?
What’s hard about schwa is that in these words we’ve got two syllables, so we have to… Which ones got the schwa in it? I don’t know which ones got the schwa in it. I’ve underlined where the schwa is in the word. And the annoying thing about schwa as well is that it sounds slightly different, depending on… […]

[@emmawoolaston7865]

Thank you so much, Jade. I appreciated your time and contributions to teaching us about IPA sounds. Total agree with you more than 100% about how hard it learns those symbols. I watching your videos over and over until I understood your presentation.

[@FoxGoesBrrrr]

This will help me warm up before my English practices, but you can also use these timestamps if you want. 3:15 Two Columns 7:45 The wheels on the bus go round and round~ 9:10 Table of syllables 10:55 Challenge! And thank you for these videos Jade, they're extremely useful.

[@missblue0991]

Omg, this is what I currently study in my Linguistics class at uni (studying English Lit.) and this is definitely one of the worst topics when it comes to IPA and transcription because it takes so much time to finally get it right! What I find extremely taxing is that during a written exam, you are obviously not allowed to speak those words that you have to transcribe, which makes it incredibly frustrating, since those speech sounds need to be spoken aloud (and not simply heard in your head)! Nevertheless, thank you so much for the video! You've done a great job!

[@sKadazhnief]

i find that having a particular word with that sound in it that you can mentally hear helps some

[@ibrahimabdullahbasalamh8993]

It's really wonderful lesson. I believe that it will develop our pronunciations. The more practice the better we become. Thanks a lot.

[@mnhr2000]

Jade never disappoint me, ur class really improved my English :D

[@saidirachid977]

By the by, I falled in luv with ur accent 😍😍

[@Mert-fd7zm]

In Turkish , a dog doesn’t go like uh uh lol The sound that dogs do is ‘’hav hav’’ ( pronounced like ‘how how’ ) . Thank you for the another brilliant video ! :)

[@Mert-fd7zm]

ahahahah olabilir

[@jessica5497]

In portuguese the dogs go like ( Au Au)

[@DVALENCIA1975]

In italian is bau bau... The Babele thing you know...

[@dragvs]

Thanks for another great video on such a difficult topic of English vowels! To add some I’d rather say they all are mid vowels: one front (e), two central and one back (o).

[@jalilalavi7293]

Youre accent is wonderful so as your teaching 👍👍

[@franciscoquezada4323]

Hello teacher, I Love your english lesson. I se you a big hello from Guatemala

[@petarboljevic5447]

I have tranciption at my school, i am from montenegro really did help thanks

[@Franciscoluche]

OMG! 🤗 So interesting. 😍 I need to review this video many times to practice my pronunciation. 😅 More videos like this one will be welcome. 😉👍Thanks Dear Jade 😊🌸 Hi from Vietnam 😊🇻🇳🌴

[@donquinotexx]

Thanks a lot Jade! Your classes is very good!

[@cedricwierzchowski3414]

This is genius.thank you for your hard work Jade.

[@khybermomand4061]

Thank you! I really love your all lesson!

[@jimarques8811]

Thanks a lot Jade. you're video lesson it's so helpful actually I'm working here in (UK) almost 5 years but I couldn't speak like a native.Could you please make more video switch British accent with subtitle please.Greatting From East Timor a part of Indonesia (🇮🇩🇹🇱)🤝GBU

[@becherudoina2257]

This is brilliant. Thank you for your work, Jade.

[@kidseducationbyrajib]

Very helpful course...Thanks..

[@professional3455]

you are such a kind a kind person jade, would you mind help me with the weak form, please. i would be grateful to you

[@kevinhuang3631]

Very clear and useful teaching indeed.

[@andreydavydov6417]

I've been always wondering, why i should learn not the English itself, but those weird symbols

[@alejandrafuentes1316]

The English itself 🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@cristiangutierrez420]

Very difficult lesson, thanks so much! :D

[@aparecidoferreiravais321]

Hi Jade how are you doing Thanks a bunch for your efforts Have a nice day

[@abedabiiid2597]

شكرا لك

[@professorBonna]

Thank you so much

[@Irfan_Ali_24]

Thank you Jade!

[@rajahindustani8487]

Superb

[@hederikdiels4796]

That parrot is a serial killer!

[@Rodrigo-bv7uv]

Fantastic as awlays!

[@Ls-jm2bd]

What's the difference between the central vowels, and the 5 regular vowels (a,e,i,o,u)? Regards.

[@BirBey-ik1wj]

Pleaaseee make very video about nativ understad,Catenation, pronunciation ,Linking word....pleaaseee 🇬🇧🇮🇴🇻🇬🎈✌️😸😸

[@ritagarcia5602]

Tnx a lot Jade. Yr a great Engl teacher!***

[@DVALENCIA1975]

Thank you for this!

[@florzinharebi2134]

I loved this! thank you so much!

[@alejandroarino5766]

hello teacher thanks a lot is very usuful for my

[@oscarlondono4591]

The perfect combination: beauty and intelligence. Thank you

[@jakubtuszynski93]

In my opinion an english language shall have completely own alphabet with different signs because arranging latin alphabet simply doesn't work.

[@magyarbondi]

They should've introduced diacritical marks like other languages in Europe.

[@nfdisco3484]

Such an alphabet already exists, is called IPA. The reason people don't use it is because phonetic spelling is impractical for everyday use. Everybody would spell words according to the way they pronounce them, which can vary drastically from dialect to dialect, or even from individual to individual.

[@sKadazhnief]

it used to be this way until the printing press and spelling was incredibly strange and differed from person to person or with dialects. it is better with standard spellings for all dialects of the same language so that speakers of that language can all understand each other with writing. i do agree that english needs an update to its spelling, as some sounds are not present in any dialect of english any more but remain present in the spelling of certain words, or the sound changes english has been through has made the spelling somewhat outdated. such as yacht (ipa: /jɔ:t/) or council (ipa: /kəʊnsɪl/)

[@klaus2045]

In turkish we use "hav" for barking sound it pronounces like "how".

[@claudiodariocolazo1128]

Excellent video

[@dfxdfx5368]

Just one thing, "sure" doesn't have the long "o" but "u" and "shwa" (at least that's what I found). But perhaps there's a difference between the American pronunciation and the British one.

[@simulacrumx258]

It does. It sounds just the same as shore and shaw. The diphthong is a very old-fashioned pronunciation.

[@dfxdfx5368]

Simulacrum x Thanks for the clarification.

[@rche9131]

Superbe ! Merci !

[@techkickin]

Nice one keep it up I appreciate you

[@Elilopez502]

Thank you!

[@michellewolf3762]

Hi, I am an American accent coach in the states. I am currently trying to teach online. I would like to know which IPA program or keyboard you use on your videos and other materials. I need something which is compatible with a MAC. Thank you for sharing.

[@trapmanyag942]

Beautiful

[@markanderson2943]

Only 2 of those are central vowels. One is a front vowel e and the other is a back vowel.

[@k1m1]

Amazing !

[@_Parmar881]

Love from INDIA

[@SirinsCrochet]

In Turkish a dog goes like "hav" :)

[@sangpening3670]

Love your videos :)

[@OjitosChiquititosmaquillaje]

Very difficult

[@guca2024]

Regards from Chile

[@andriys5772]

who named that sound schwa? Arnold Schwarzenegger? :)

[@messiahdejude1912]

Seems like there's a riddle in those word cycles

[@stankormy5717]

Hey Jade

[@keshabmainali7450]

jade how to spell soap and shop

[@thejessta]

That slide in.

[@advmalikjahangirkhokhar3674]

You know? Its just wao

[@juniorjunior9980]

hit me on the face

[@randomchannel3498]

From morocco

[@beetlejuss]

Awesome ("3som"?) lesson

[@user-ps6ry4gi6t]

hello

[@dogukancivas]

I'm a native Turkish speaker and the dogs don't go uh uh here :D 5:34

[@fakechloe207]

😂😂😂 greetings from Egypt

[@anneserra4162]

Thankyou tc! 😘 p/s you look like venus angelic.

[@user-of2ky4cr3p]

8:17 لقد تعبت الجميلة

[@hassanechetouane1092]

A man goes to the doctor and says, “Doctor, wherever I touch, it hurts.” The doctor asks, “What do you mean?” The man says, “When I touch my shoulder, it really hurts. If I touch my knee - OUCH! When I touch my forehead, it really, really hurts.” The doctor says, “I know what’s wrong with you - you’ve broken your finger!”Oh Jade It's a joke.I like learning English with jokes.

[@angel936a]

ASMR

[@sandeephansdak314]

....and!....😃

[@anmolsingh8113]

Are you American

[@другПараферналия]

She is English .You are idiot

[@anmolsingh8113]

друг Параферналия what's wrong are you kidding me Have you any sense

[@burakbayram7991]

I guess she is english because she does not stress r sound.

[@sandeephansdak314]

....and!.....then?!.... 😃

[@lyricallife4191]

Nepali Subscriber anyone else

[@sapriantasurbakti3776]

Is there any subscriber from Indonesia here?

[@WahyuExano]

saprianta surbakti yes, i'm from Bandung, Indonesia

[@sapriantasurbakti3776]

Wahyu Exano Salam kenal mas. Saya dari Medan 😊

[@rafli6966]

Hello.. Bogor here

[@linamelani]

Saya dari jogja

[@sapriantasurbakti3776]

lina melani Iya, saya dari Medan 😊

[@sandeephansdak314]

....and!...."them"?!....I, I don't get it?!....FYI I'm a "Vegetarian".....!...and thus, don't quite "mix-up" with others!.... Hope Japan makes an advanced "Female-Robot" for the cause!.... nyet?!....😃

[@sKadazhnief]

some of the terminology is incorrect in this video. e ɜ ɔ are all mid-open vowels as on the ipa chart. in this series only ɜ is a central vowel. (schwa) ə is the central vowel and it only occurs in unstressed syllables such as the o in the common english suffix (-tion)

[@sandeephansdak314]

....and!....I'm afraid!....a "Learner" is more likely to become a "Tutor"(Teacher) him-self/ her-self!......No?!.... 😃

[@2222-o5d]

Hi😍😍😍😍😎😎😘😘

[@mahirita3474]

So talking about very different language way line is possible I pet ten more did go to mind exercises greater decision recommendations word example have solution while just I want loving before teacher sweetheart so amount

[@kronprinz5licurgo470]

You're so pretty Jade. I'm in love with you. Greetings from Lima

[@julioss]

Lima, Peru?

[@nataliaj.1266]

Lima, Peru here too!😁😁😁

[@HarryTchong]

Stay away from my Jade.

[@Thkaal]

Wow this is horrible I have never in my life been so happy to be an American when it comes to language

[@Thkaal]

The funny thing about this is we still speak The King's English not the Queen's but the Kings

[@rabiulawal9619]

I like you mum

[@mexicanono999]

Conclusion: english is the most stupid language ever made... I really hate the phonem snake btw

[@unuskhanday3298]

Vow..hot gil

[@osielaqui4770]

você é muito linda bora casar.

[@llawliet2163]

I'm in love your accent, it's so sexy and charming omg