Vowel Sound Placements | Phonetics

front vowels

/i/ /ɪ/ /e/ /ɛ/ /æ/

central vowels

/ɝ/ /ɜ/ /ɚ/ /ʌ/ /ə/

back vowels

/u/ /ʊ/ /o/ /ɔ/ /a/

/i/

ex. he high, front, tense, unrounded

/I/

ex. hid mid-high, front, lax, unrounded

/e/

ex. vacation mid, front, lax, unrounded

/ɛ/

ex. head low-mid, front, lax, unrounded

/æ/

ex. had low, front, lax, unrounded

/ɝ/

ex. her (stressed) mid, central, tense, rounded

/ɜ/

ex. her (british/boston) mid, central, tense, rounded

/ɚ/

ex. honor (unstressed) mid, central, lax, rounded

/ʌ/

ex. hub (stressed) low-mid, central, lax, unrounded

/ə/

ex. above (unstressed) mid, central, lax, unrounded

/u/

ex. who high, back, tense, rounded

/ʊ/

ex. book mid-high, back, lax, rounded

/o/

ex. towrope mid, back, tense, rounded

/ɔ/

ex. awl low-mid, back, tense, rounded

/a/

ex. hop low, back, tense, unrounded