/ɒ/ vs /əʊ/ | Learn English Pronunciation Course | Minimal Pairs Practice

Hello, guys. This is F@nny.

Welcome to this English pronunciation video.

And in today's video, I'm gonna focus on two different vowel sounds in English:

/ɒ/ and /əʊ/

Let's take two example words.

The first example word is ‘hop’.

Can you hear the /ɒ/ sound? ‘hop’

The second word is ‘hope’.

The sound is /əʊ/.

Can you hear it? ‘hope’

So ‘hop’ and ‘hope’.

I know they sound very similar, but if you practice with me

I promise by the end of this video you will hear and pronounce them correctly.

So keep watching.

Get ready guys.

I'm gonna help you make these sounds /ɒ/ and /əʊ/ in English.

I want you to hear the difference and to be able to pronounce them correctly.

Don't forget it's important to know the IPA spelling,

watch how I move my mouth,

and try to repeat after me.

I know you can do this so let's get started.

Let's first learn how to make the sound /ɒ/

So when you produce this sound,

your mouth is round,

your tongue is very low in your mouth,

and it's a very short sound /ɒ/

Repeat after me.

/ɒ/

/ɒ/

/ɒ/

Let's practice saying the word ‘hop’.

Repeat after me.

‘hop’

‘hop’

‘hop’

Now with the sound /əʊ/.

The sound /əʊ/ is a diphthong, so it's actually two vowel sounds - /əʊ/

And as you can see, when I say it, my mouth is round.

It moves and it gets smaller.

/əʊ/

Repeat after me.

/əʊ/

/əʊ/

/əʊ/

Let's practice with the word ‘hope’.

Repeat after me.

‘hope’

‘hope’

‘hope’

Good guys.

Let's now use minimal pairs – words that are extremely similar,

but different vowel sounds.

They're a very good way to practice.

First, let's practice only the sounds.

Repeat after me and watch how my mouth moves.

/ɒ/

/ɒ/

/ɒ/

/əʊ/

/əʊ/

/əʊ/

/ɒ/

/əʊ/

/ɒ/

/əʊ/

/ɒ/

/əʊ/

Let's practice with two words ‘hop’ and 'hope'.

Again, repeat after me.

‘hop’

‘hop’

‘hop’

‘hope’

‘hope’

‘hope’

‘hop’

‘hope’

‘hop’

‘hope’

‘hop’

‘hope’

Great Job.

Okay guys.

Let's now read minimal pairs together.

I want you to repeat after me.

And don't forget to watch my mouth - how it moves.

Let's get started.

block

bloke

blot

bloat

bod

bowed

bond

boned

bossed

boast

clock

cloak

cod

code

cop

cope

con

cone

cost

coast

doss

dose

dot

dote

god

goad

jock

joke

lob

lobe

mod

mode

mop

mope

mot

moat

nod

node

non

known

not

note

odd

owed

pop

Pope

rob

robe

rod

road

rot

rote

shod

showed

slop

slope

smock

smoke

sock

soak

sod

sewed

sop

soap

stock

stoke

Todd

toad

tossed

toast

tot

tote

want

won't

walk

woke

Amazing guys.

Let's move on.

Okay guys let's a practice further.

I'm gonna show you some words. I want you to read them,

but be careful use the proper English vowel sound.

Is it /ɒ/ or is it /əʊ/?

Let's get to it.

Let's start with the first word.

Is it ‘jock’ or ‘joke’?

‘joke’

Next word,

‘clock’ or ‘cloak’?

‘clock’

Next word.

‘cost’ or ‘coast’?

‘coast’

Next word.

‘rob’ or ‘robe’?

‘rob’

Next word.

‘want’ ‘won't’?

‘want’ Good.

Then we have

‘rob’ or ‘robe’?

‘robe’ in this case.

‘cost’ or ‘coast’?

It’s ‘cost’.

Next word.

‘clock’ or ‘cloak’?

‘cloak’

Next word.

‘jock’ or ‘joke’?

It’s ‘jock’.

And finally,

‘want’ or ‘won't’?

‘won't’

Very good. Great job guys.

Let's move on.

Okay guys. Let's now practice with sentences containing

/ɒ/ and /əʊ/ English vowel sounds.

Pay attention and repeat after me.

First sentence.

‘Rob wrote an odd note’.

Second sentence.

‘We won't joke about Todd’s bod’.

And finally,

‘We don't want a cop on that road’.

Amazing students. Let's move on.

That was amazing guys.

I know you now have a better understanding

of the English vowel sounds /ɒ/ and /əʊ/.

Now keep practicing.

It takes a lot of speaking, a lot of listening, a lot of time to really master these vowel sounds.

But you can do it.

And make sure to watch my other pronunciation videos they are very helpful

if you want to improve your English skills.

So see you next time.

Thank you so much for watching guys. If you've liked the video, please show it.

Click like, subscribe to the channel, put your comments below, and share the video.

See you.