Gregory
when ɒ ʌ uː ʊ?
Are there any rules when which sound is it? or I just have to remember that?

A wash /wɒʃ/
A road /rəʊd/

O dog /dɒɡ/
O love /lʌv/
O move /muːv/
O wolf /wʊlf/

U much  /mʌtʃ/
U true /truː/
U pull /pʊl/

OU cough /kɒf/
OU young /jʌŋ/
OU soup /suːp/
OU could /kʊd/

OO blood  /blʌd/
OO pool /puːl/
OO book /bʊk/
Apr 4, 2020 8:25 AM
Comments · 6
1
April 4, 2020
Benny: I’m fairly sure you commented on this discussion, but it’s looking like your comments have disappeared. You’ve probably gotten banned — this happens frequently to active members who accidentally use a forbidden word (apparently, there’s a long list of innocent words used by spammers). Anyhow, if it isn’t fixed automatically, you may eventually want to contact support via the web page or email: [email protected]

April 5, 2020
For the word “wash” and for “wolf”, there is a rule relating to vowels between a W and a coronal consonant. 

For “road”, the “oa” is usually pronounced that way; “when two vowels go walking, the first one does the talking” (and is pronounced as its name in the alphabet). In “true”, we see the same rule in action as for “road”; "ue" is usually pronounced that way. The rest of your examples, are, sadly, exceptions, so you’ll have to memorize them. Why can’t every language be as phonetic as Polish? At least you’re not learning Chinese or Japanese :)

I didn't invent this crazy English language; I just teach it.
April 5, 2020
Unfortunately, there is no reliable way to determine the vowel (and consonant) sounds from the spelling.

Please note that dog is /dɔg/ in American English and I sometimes here the same thing from British too.


The different between /ɔ/ and /ɒ/ is that the /ɒ/ has more muscle tension. I beleive most non-native speakers pronounce "hot" as /hɔt/ not /hɒt/ but it's still understandable.

Also, both British and American use the symbol /ʊ/ as in wolf. Anyway, if you listen closely, the American /ʊ/ sound is more relaxed than the British one.

April 5, 2020
I see. Sorry.
Yes, they are very similar.
April 4, 2020
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