👄 Tim's Pronunciation Workshop: The Schwa

Hi, I'm Tim and this is my pronunciation workshop. Here, I'm gonna show you how

English is really spoken. It'll help you to become a better listener and a

more fluent speaker. You ready? Come on, follow me.

Now, there's an idiom in the English language that means that something is

really easy.

Any idea what it is?

Well, here's a clue. Do you know now? Let's ask the people of London.

It's a piece of cake. It's a piece of cake.

It's a piece of cake. It's a piece of cake. A piece of cake - an expression that

means that something is really easy to do, as well as meaning - a piece of cake.

But listen again to the words

'a' and 'of'. They're actually pronounced the same. What is the sound and are those

words stressed? It's a piece of cake. It's a piece of cake.

It's a piece of cake. It's a piece of cake.

The words 'a' and 'of' are both pronounced as /ə/

and they are not stressed. This sound /ə/ is the most common sound in the whole English

language. It's so common that it even has its own name,

schwa. Now, it can be difficult to hear the schwa because it's never stressed.

However, it's a vowel sound that's used in many grammar words like articles and

prepositions. Here are some more examples.

I like a cup of tea in the morning.

Could you get me a packet of biscuits?

Can you give it to me?

I had an apple for lunch today.

So, you've heard the examples, and now it's your turn.

Are you ready to start? Listen and repeat.

I like a cup of tea in the morning.

Could you get me a packet of biscuits?

Can you give it to me?

I had an apple for lunch today.

Great work. Now remember, if you want to learn more about pronunciation then

please visit our website: bbclearningenglish.com. And that's about it from

the pronunciation workshop for now. I'll see you soon. Bye bye. Now, I've got a

cup of tea and I've got a biscuit, I'm looking forward to a piece of cake.

That was a mistake, but a tasty one.