English short vowels

English has a large number of vowel sounds; the first ones to be examined are short vowels. The symbols for these short vowels are: I,e, {, V, Q, U. Short vowels are only relatively short; as we shall see later, vowels can have quite different lengths in different contexts.

Each vowel is described in relation to the cardinal vowels.

I (example words: 'bit', 'pin', 'fish') The diagram shows that, though this vowel is in the close front area, compared with cardinal vowel no. 1 [i] it is more open, and nearer in to the centre. The lips are slightly spread,

e (example words: 'bet', 'men', 'yes') This is a front vowel between cardinal vowel no. 2 [e] and no. 3 [ε]. The lips are slightly spread.

æ (example words: 'bat', 'man', 'gas') This vowel is front, but not quite as open as cardinal vowel no. 4 [a]. The lips are slightly spread.

Λ (example words: 'cut', 'come', 'rush') This is a central vowel, and the diagram shows that it is more open than the open-mid tongue height. The lip position is neutral.

ɒ (example words: 'pot', 'gone', 'cross') This vowel is not quite fully back, and between open-mid and open in tongue height. The lips are slightly rounded.

ʊ (example words: 'put', 'pull', 'push') The nearest cardinal vowel is no. 8 [u], but it can be seen that u is more open and nearer to central. The lips are rounded.

There is one other short vowel, for which the symbol is ə. This central vowel - which is called schwa - is a very familiar sound in English; it is heard in the first syllable of the words 'about', 'oppose', 'perhaps', for example. Since it is different from the other vowels in several important ways, we will study it separately later.