Many languages have one "i" sound, one "u" sound and one "e" sound. American English has two or more of each, and they change the meaning of words. Learners naturally use the closest sound from their own language, so "ship" and "sheep" sound the same, or "bed" and "bad" become one word. In this episode: • Ship and sheep: ih and ee • Full and fool: uu and oo • Bed and bad: eh and a • Cut and cot: uh and ah • Listening scene • Practice • Self-check questions with answers Key phrases from this episode: ship (SHIP) — a big boat; sheep (SHEEP) — a farm animal with wool fill (FIL) — make full; feel (FEEL) — touch, or have an emotion live (LIV) — to have your home somewhere; leave (LEEV) — to go away sit (SIT) — sit down on a chair; seat (SEET) — a place to sit it (IT) — the small word; eat (EET) — have food bit (BIT) — a small amount; beat (BEET) — very tired (casual), or to win against Can you fill the bowl with water? — put water in it Can you feel the bowl? Is it hot? — touch it full (FUUL) — no more space; fool (FOOL) — a silly person pull (PUUL) — move toward you; pool (POOL) — water for swimming look (LUUK) — use your eyes I'm full, thanks — I ate enough (casual) Pull the door, don't push it — move it toward you bed (BED) — for sleeping; bad (BAD) — not good pen (PEN) — for writing; pan (PAN) — for cooking said (SED) — past of say; sad (SAD) — unhappy met (MET) — past of meet; mat (MAT) — a small rug by the door send (SEND) — mail or text something; sand (SAND) — the ground at the beach Wipe your feet on the mat — clean your shoes before you come in Season 2 · Real American English: the complete spoken course for learners worldwide — accent, everyday grammar, prepositions, articles, phrasal verbs, idioms, slang and real conversations at home. Listen, repeat out loud, then take the 52-question quiz. Audio voiced with AI from an original script by Dr. Rashmi R Nair.