Today in the Fun Easy English classroom you are going to
learn to pronounce the sound a as in
the words hat,
jam,
pan,
ran. Remember "practice makes
perfect" if you want to improve your English speaking ability.
Hey
if you cannot understand something on this page,
then use the Fun Easy English
dictionary
(opens in a new window)
Pronounce the sound a as in
the words hat,
jam,
pan,
ran. Watch the following pronunciation
videos and learn to pronounce this sound correctly.
Video:
American English Pronunciation Lesson 8
Spelling
a
abbey,
after,
an,
animal, bag,
bath, battle,
bland, fast,
glass, hat,
jab, jam,
lamb, man,
pan, ran,
stand, tap,
valley
Note: the red
letters all have the same sound
Sound:
Voiced and Unvoiced
This is a VOICED sound which means Your Vocal Cords DO
vibrate when making this sound.
You CAN
LISTEN to your Vocal Cords vibrating if you cover
your ears with your hands.
Try covering your ears with your hands as Akiko is doing in
the picture.
Now make the sound of this lesson. Can you listen to your vocal cords vibrating?
VERY GOOD
You CAN
FEEL your Vocal Cords vibrating if
you place your hands on your neck.
Try placing your hands on your neck as Akiko is doing in the
picture.
Now make the sound of this lesson. Can you feel your vocal
cords vibrating?
VERY GOOD
The following diagram shows the most important parts of your
head and mouth used for pronouncing the sounds of English.
It also shows the location of your Vocal Cords.
Position: Mouth, lips,
and tongue
The following descriptions explain the proper mouth, lips,
and tongue position when you make this sound.
Mouth
Your
mouth should be relaxed.
Lips
Your lips should be unrounded.
Tongue
The front part of your tongue should be in the lower part of your
mouth.
Practice video
Listen to the video and practice repeating each word.
Pronunciation practice words
Look at your mouth in a mirror and practice pronouncing
the following words. Make sure your mouth, lips, and
tongue are in their proper positions.
after
an
animal
bag
bland
fast
hat
jam
lamb
pan
ran
stand
Note: the red letters all
have the same sound (watch the video above)
Test: Pronunciation word test
Choose the correct
word from the pronunciation practice word list above to
complete each sentence.
1.
I like to read a book ________ I eat breakfast.
2.
A cheetah can run very ________.
3.
He ________ all the way home from the store.
4.
The ________ was full of groceries.
5.
They had to ________ in line for hours.
6.
The food was very ________.
7.
She likes to wear a ________ during the afternoon.
8.
It is common to cook vegetables in a ________.
9.
Americans often eat bread with butter and ________.
10.
An aardvark is an interesting ________.
From
YOUR Teacher:
Nasal Sound
The sound in this lesson is pretty much a nasal sound
which means it kind of comes from your mouth and your
nose.
Additional Information
Study Tips
(Beginner - Listening)
Avoid Ineffective Study Methods. An audio lesson to help
you study English more effectively. The English is
spoken at 75% of normal speed. Great English study tips.
Click here to visit the lesson page with the written script for this
audio program.
Cool Stuff
Confused?
Found a word in Fun Easy English you do not know? 1.Typethe word in the Online Reference window 2.ClickLook it up
(opens to a new window)
Top Hits
Listen to American music while you study. 1.ClickThe ► button 2.
Enjoy some great music
Resources
These links contain many
English learning resources. Some are for students, some are for teachers. If you
find information not on Fun Easy English, please post a comment below, and I
will make every effort to add it to the site. Thanks.
You CAN
LISTEN to your Vocal Cords vibrating if you cover
your ears with your hands.
You CAN
FEEL your Vocal Cords vibrating if
you place your hands on your neck.
Mouth
Lips
Tongue
