Practice Your English Pronunciation: /ɪ/ vs /iː/ Vowel Sounds | Course #1

Hi, guys.

This is Fanny.

Welcome to this English pronunciation video.

In this video we will focus on two English vowel sounds:

/I/ and /i:/

Now I know they sound very similar, but they are different.

And they are two very important vowel sounds in English.

So let's start with our two example words:

sit

Now listen to how I pronounce this word.

sit

Can you hear the /I/ sound?

sit

Now listen to another word:

seat

Can you hear the pronunciation?

seat

/i:/

sound.

seat

sit

seat

I know it can be difficult at first.

But with a little bit of practice, I'm sure you will hear them differently.

Although they are similar, they are two different vowel sounds.

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

So keep watching!

Get ready students.

I'm gonna help you make these vowel sounds /I/ and /i:/.

I really want you to be  able to hear the difference 

and to pronounce them correctly.

It is very important for you to know the IPA spelling.

Watch how I move my mouth.

And always repeat after me in this video.

I know that you can master these vowel sounds.

Let's get started.

First, let's try to make the sound /I/.

/I/

So when you pronounce, it your tongue is a little higher in your mouth, closer to the front.

/I/

Stretch out your lips a little.

And it's a short sound.

/I/

Repeat after me.

/I/

/I/

/I/

Let’s now practice with the word, sit.

Repeat after me.

sit

sit

sit

Good guys.

Let's now practice the second sound, /i:/.

So the tongue has the same position.

It's a little bit higher, closer to the front.

But, when you say /i:/, you stretch out your lips a little more.

And it's a long sound.

/i:/

Your lips should feel a little tighter, too.

/i:/

Repeat after me.

/i:/

/i:/

/i:/

Let's practice with the word, seat.

Repeat after me.

seat

seat

seat

Good guys.

So we're going to use minimal pairs.

They’re words with very similar sounds, but the actual vowel sounds are different.

And they're a very good way to practice these vowel sounds.

So let's now practice together.

First, just the sounds.

Watch my mouth.

And repeat after me.

/I/

/I/

/I/

/i:/

/i:/

/i:/

/I/

/i:/

/I/

/i:/

/I/

/i:/

Can you see my mouth?

Okay let's now practice with the words.

sit

sit

sit

seat

seat

seat

sit

seat

sit

seat

sit

seat

Good job guys.

Okay, guys.

Let's now move on to minimal pairs. I have a few for you.

I'm gonna read them to you.

I want you to be very careful. Look at my mouth - how it moves.

And repeat after me.

Let's get started.

bid

bead

bin

been

bit

beat

bitch

beach

biz

bees

blip

bleep

chick

cheek

chip

cheap

chit

cheat

did

deed

dip

deep

fill

feel

fist

feast

fit

feet

fizz

fees

gin

gene

grid

greed

grin

green

hid

heed

hill

he’ll

hip

heap

his

he’s

hit

heat

ill

eel

is

ease

it

eat

itch

each

kid

keyed

kip

keep

knit

neat

lick

leak

lip

leap

mill

meal

mitt

meet

pick

peek

pill

peel

pip

peep

piss

peace

pit

peat

pitch

peach

risen

reason

slick

sleek

slip

sleep

slit

sleet

shin

sheen

sick

seek

sill

seal

sim

seem

sin

seen

sip

seep

skid

skied

skim

scheme

skit

skeet

still

steel

till

teal

tin

teen

wit

wheat

Let's practice further. I'm now going to show you some words.

And I want you to read them with the proper English vowel sound.

/I/ or /i:/

Let's get started.

Let's start with the first word.

Which one is it?

Is it sit or is it seat?

Of course it is sit.

Next word.

Is it chick or is it cheek?

It's chick.

Next word.

fill or feel?

fill

Next word.

his or he's?

Of course his.

chit or cheat?

Its cheat.

Is it pip or is it peep?

Of course people it’s pip.

Next word.

bitch or beach?

It's beach.

Then we have sit or seat.

Which one is it?

It's seat.

his oh he's?

It's he's.

And finally, is it hill or heel?

It's heel.

Great guys.

Let's continue on.

Okay guys, let's now move on to sentences.

I have a few sentences for you with different /I/ and /i:/ sounds.

So pay attention and repeat after me.

The first sentence is:

Pick a seat and sit without making a peep.

The second sentence:

Don't peel a peach or eat its pit.

And finally...

I feel sick and ill after eating the big meal.

Excellent guys.

Let's move on.

Great job guys.

I know you now have a better understanding of the difference between the English vowel

sounds /I/ and /i:/.

It's difficult.

It takes time and practice to master, but you can do it.

So keep practicing and make sure to watch my other pronunciation videos

very important if you want to improve your English skills.

See you next time.