English Vowel Sounds

These flashcards provide key vocabulary and concepts related to English vowel sounds, their classifications, and characteristics.

Vowels

Letters that represent vocal sounds in spoken language, specifically 'a', 'e', 'i', 'o', 'u'.

Front Vowels

Vowels produced with the tongue positioned toward the front of the mouth.

High Front Tense Vowel

/i/, as in 'beet', is characterized by a high tongue position and is tense.

High Mid Front Lax Vowel

/ɪ/, as in 'bit', characterized by a high-mid tongue position and is lax.

Mid Front Tense Vowel

/e/, as in 'bait', characterized by a mid tongue position and is tense.

Low Front Lax Vowel

/ɛ/, as in 'bet', characterized by a low tongue position and is lax.

Low Front Lax Unrounded Vowel

/æ/, as in 'bat', characterized by a low tongue position and usually retracted lips.

Diphthong

A complex vowel sound that begins with one vowel sound and glides into another.

Unrounded Vowels

Vowels produced without rounding the lips.

Vowel Space

The classification of vowels based on tongue height and backness.