Vowel Sounds in the English Language:
The English language has a complex vowel system with a variety of sounds. Here are some examples, categorized by the position of your tongue and how open your mouth is:
Front Vowels:
* High & Front:
* i: as in "see"
* ɪ: as in "sit"
* Mid & Front:
* e: as in "say"
* ɛ: as in "set"
* Low & Front:
* æ: as in "cat"
Back Vowels:
* High & Back:
* u: as in "shoe"
* ʊ: as in "put"
* Mid & Back:
* o: as in "go"
* ɔ: as in "caught"
* Low & Back:
* ɑ: as in "father"
Central Vowels:
* Mid & Central:
* ə: as in "about" (the "schwa" sound)
* Low & Central:
* ʌ: as in "but"
Diphthongs:
* Diphthongs are sounds that involve a glide from one vowel to another. Some common diphthongs include:
* aɪ: as in "my"
* aʊ: as in "house"
* ɔɪ: as in "boy"
* eɪ: as in "say"
* oʊ: as in "go"
Examples:
* "I see a cat sitting on the mat."
* i: see, sitting
* ɪ: sit
* æ: cat, mat
* ə: on, the
* "Go put the shoe in the box."
* o: go
* ʊ: put, shoe
* ʌ: but, box
* "My house is by the river."
* aɪ: my
* aʊ: house
* ɪ: is, river
* ə: by, the
Note: This is a simplified overview of English vowel sounds. The exact pronunciation of each sound can vary slightly depending on the dialect and context.