This means your mouth should move from one position to another.
Spelling:
- "ow" - cow, brown
- "ou" - about, found
- "ough" (less common) - bough, drought
LISTEN
| stressed_-au-.mp3 |
This vowel is usually stressed, as in these words:
- power
- loudly
- about
| unstressed_-au-.mp3 |
However, /ɑʊ/ can also be unstressed, as in these words:
- doghouse
- turnout
- outside
COMPARE
Compare /ɑʊ/ with /ɑ/:
| compare_au-a_1.mp3 |
/ɑʊ/.../ɑ/.../ɑʊ/.../ɑ/.../ɑʊ/.../ɑ/...
The sound /ɑ/ is a low, central vowel. The sound /ɑʊ/ starts as /ɑ/, but it moves quickly into a high, back vowel.
The sound /ɑ/ is a low, central vowel. The sound /ɑʊ/ starts as /ɑ/, but it moves quickly into a high, back vowel.
You can hear the difference between /ɑʊ/ and /ɑ/ in these words.
| compare_au-a_words.mp3 |
1. A. mouse, B. moss
2. A. bound, B. bond
3. A. pout, B. pot
4. A. our, B. are
5. A. mouth, B. moth
6. A. tower, B. tar
2. A. bound, B. bond
3. A. pout, B. pot
4. A. our, B. are
5. A. mouth, B. moth
6. A. tower, B. tar
Now compare /ɑʊ/ with /ow/:
| compare_au-ow_1.mp3 |
/ɑʊ/.../ow/.../ɑʊ/.../ow/.../ɑʊ/.../ow/...
The sound /ow/ is a mid, back vowel. The sound /ɑʊ/ starts as a low, central vowel but moves into a high, back vowel.
The sound /ow/ is a mid, back vowel. The sound /ɑʊ/ starts as a low, central vowel but moves into a high, back vowel.
You can hear the difference between /ɑʊ/ and /ow/ in these words.
| compare_au-ow_words.mp3 |
1. A. out, B. oat
2. A. rouse, B. rose
3. A. couch, B. coach
4. A. bowel, B. bowl
5. A. drown, B. drone
6. A. found, B. phoned
2. A. rouse, B. rose
3. A. couch, B. coach
4. A. bowel, B. bowl
5. A. drown, B. drone
6. A. found, B. phoned
PRACTICE
| words_-au-.mp3 |
Listen and repeat these words:
|
1. now
2. mouse 3. crowd 4. couch 5. outer 6. allow 7. brown 8. count 9. sound 10. vowel |
11. shower
12. loudly 13. lounge 14. renowned 15. doghouse 16. doubtless 17. pronounce 18. powerful 19. coward 20. roundabout |
Now, practice /ɑʊ/ in sentences. Say the words first, then the sentences.
| sentences_-au-.mp3 |
1. how - about - now
How can you think about food right now?
2. encountered - crowd - outside
We encountered a large crowd outside.
3. scout - down - mountain
The scout led us down the mountain.
4. our - flowers - brown
Our flowers are turning brown.
5. allowed - loud - house
You're not allowed to play loud music in the house.
6. found - couch - lounge
I found him on the couch in the lounge.
How can you think about food right now?
2. encountered - crowd - outside
We encountered a large crowd outside.
3. scout - down - mountain
The scout led us down the mountain.
4. our - flowers - brown
Our flowers are turning brown.
5. allowed - loud - house
You're not allowed to play loud music in the house.
6. found - couch - lounge
I found him on the couch in the lounge.
To practice with different varieties of English, choose another native English speaker by clicking one of the links below:
