The Schwa Sound Pronunciation | American English

Let's talk about the schwa. The schwa is the most common sound in English and

that's because it's a reduction of all possible vowels. If I try to pronounce

the schwa it will sound something like "uh". Very short. Very neutral. Very relaxed - "uh". The

schwa is the weak stress in a word. In English there are three stresses: primary

stress, secondary, and weak - the schwa. The primary stress is always higher, louder,

and longer. For example "cre-A-tive". "A" -

"cre-A-tive". You also have a secondary stress, "cree" - "cre-A-tive" - and a weak

stress, "div". "Cre-A-tive". Although it's written with an 'I', it's reduced -

"uh" "duh". Notice that I also flipped my T to a D - "duh" - "cree-A-div". You can find the

schwa at the beginning of the word: 'ability', 'about', 'arise', 'o'clock'.

You can also find it in the middle of the word. In this case, it almost sounds

like you're dropping the vowel completely. "Kem" - 'computer', 'communicate'.

"Te-day", not "to-day". "Te-day". 'Tonight'. 'Tomorrow'.

"Yu-ne-ver-seh-dee", not "Yu-ni-ver-see-tee", but "Yu", "nuh", "ver" - primary stress -"seh-dee". University.

Also, it is found at the end usually on suffixes. "shen" - 'graduation'.

"Kel" - 'political'. "Uh-dee" - 'ability', not "ah-bi-li-tee", but "uh-bi-luh-dee". So, if you are able

to understand and to implement the schwa in your speech you'll be able to get a

better rhythm, pace, intonation, and of course, pronunciation. Good luck.