In many languages, words are pronounced in the same way they are spelt.
In English, spelling and pronunciation are not identical. English has inherited many foreign words, including those from Latin, French, Dutch, and German, and it has anglicised the pronunciation while retaining the original spelling.
In this article, I will give examples from our elocution apps of how one letter “o” represents several sounds:
In words, “come, oven, front, company” it represents the / ʌ/ sound as in “duck” (Lesson 9)
In words, “those, phone, no ” it is pronounced as a diphthong /əʊ/ as in “blow” (Lesson 16)
In words, “corner, storage, form” it is pronounced as a long /ɔː/ sound (Lesson 3)
In words, “stop, office, box” it is a short /ɒ/ sound (Lesson 10)
In unstressed syllables, it is pronounced as schwa /ə/, as in “the”. I highlighted the schwa: “confirm, London, potatoes” (Lesson 6)
You noticed that I mentioned lesson numbers from our elocution apps in brackets. This is to help you practise these sounds.
British English
American English
When using the apps, avoid looking at the spelling the first time you practise a sound. This helps you overcome confusion caused by English spelling and focus purely on pronunciation. Listen carefully and repeat the sound in words, phrases, and verses.
There are no fixed rules for when a particular sound is used. However, by working with our elocution apps, you’ll start to notice pronunciation patterns and have plenty of opportunities to practise them.
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