1. English vowel system

2. Vowels are determined by changes in position of the lips, tongue and palate. 3. Vowels are speech sounds produced with no obstruction to the air flow coming from the lungs. Vowels take on their different sound qualities by subtle changes of shape in the vocal tract as they are being produced.For example, in producing the vowel sound /i:/ as in bean, the lower and upper jaw are quite close together and the front part of the tongue is slightly raised towards the roof of the mouth, while in producing /u:/ as in boon, it is the back part of the tongue is raised. In producing /a:/ as in barn, the jaws are quite far apart, and it is the central part of the tongue which is slightly raised. Vowels are also differentiated by the degree to which the lips are rounded or spread, e.g. /i:/ is made with spread lips, /u:/ with rounded lips and /a:/ with the lips in a neutral position. Finally, vowels will vary in terms of their length - how long they are held. The /e/ in pet is short vowel compared to the /u:/ in boon. 4. The English diphthongs in the chart above are illustrated in the words bite, bait, boy, toe, house, poor, ear, and air. 5. /a:/// HatCarCatBarnPatLaughSadBath / / Bus But Come Love 6. /i:/ Read Bead Bean Feet /i/ Pig Kit Me Milk 7. /u/ Book Look /u:/ Food School Blue RoutePut Sugar 8. / / Born Poor/ /Ball SawLot Want Rock Bottle 9. /e/ Send //Letter BreadLetterLeatherUnder Teacher /:/Work Burn Girl FirstSuppose 10. /e/ Send //Letter BreadLetterLeatherUnder Teacher /:/Work Burn Girl FirstSuppose