Vowels are a key component of speech and the English language. There are 5 vowels that are considered “pure” vowels in the English language. These pure vowels are: A, E, I, O, and U. Understanding these 5 pure vowels can help improve pronunciation and spelling.
What are vowels?
Vowels are the speech sounds that are made without any obstruction or constriction in the oral cavity. When pronouncing vowels, the air flow from the lungs passes without any obstruction through the mouth. Vowels are voiced, meaning the vocal cords vibrate during their production.
Vowels contrast with consonants, which are speech sounds where there is some kind of obstruction or constriction in the oral cavity that blocks or restricts the air flow. Examples of consonants include sounds like “t”, “p”, “k”, etc.
Vowels are considered the nucleus or core of syllables in English. Each syllable contains at least one vowel sound. For example, the word “cat” has one syllable with the vowel “a” at its nucleus.
What are pure vowels?
Pure vowels, also sometimes called monophthongs, are vowel sounds that are made with a steady state and quality. The position of the tongue and lips remains stationary during the articulation of pure vowels.
Pure vowels contrast with diphthongs, which are vowels where there is movement or gliding of the tongue during their articulation. In diphthongs, the quality or resonance of the vowel changes from the beginning to the end.
Many grammarians and phoneticians consider the 5 pure vowels in English to be: A, E, I, O and U. These are considered “pure” because they have just a single stable quality when pronounced, rather than gliding between two vowel qualities as in a diphthong.
The 5 Pure Vowels of English
Here is more detail on the 5 pure vowel sounds of English:
/ɑ/ – “A” as in father
This is the open back unrounded vowel represented by IPA symbol /ɑ/. It is the vowel sound in words like:
- father
- hot
- bond
- bland
To make the /ɑ/ sound, the tongue is positioned low and retracted in the back of the oral cavity. The lips are neutral and relaxed.
/i/ – “E” as in me
This close front unrounded vowel is represented by IPA symbol /i/. Some examples of words containing this vowel sound include:
- bee
- team
- experience
- marine
To articulate /i/, the tongue is raised and pushed forward with the tip nearly touching the lower teeth. The lips are unrounded.
/iː/ – “EE” as in green
This is the long counterpart of the /i/ vowel represented as /iː/. Words featuring this pure vowel include:
- green
- gene
- theme
- receive
It is articulated just like the short /i/ but held for a longer duration before moving on to the next sound.
/ɒ/ – “O” as in lot
This open back rounded vowel sound is represented by the symbol /ɒ/ in IPA. It appears in words such as:
- off
- box
- cloth
- jog
It is produced with both tongue and lips in a rounded position and the tongue retracted.
/uː/ – “OO” as in soon
This is the long close back rounded vowel /uː/. Some examples are:
- soon
- rude
- truth
- room
To make this vowel, the tongue is raised and retracted, and the lips are rounded.
Special Considerations
There are some special notes to be made about the 5 pure vowels in English:
- The “A” vowel /ɑ/ is different from the short “U” /ʌ/ as in “cup.” The latter is technically considered a diphthong by some linguists because of a slight glide at the end.
- The “E” vowel /i/ does not match the vowel “E” as in “bed,” which is /ɛ/, a near-close front unrounded vowel.
- The “O” vowel /ɒ/ does not exactly match a short o as in “hot,” which is /ɑ/ – the open back unrounded vowel.
- The vowels can differ across dialects. The examples given are based on standard British and American pronunciation.
Rare Pure Vowels
There are some additional pure vowels that exist in English but are quite rare:
- /ɜ/ – “Uh” as in nurse
- /ʌ/ – “U” as in cup (sometimes considered a diphthong)
- /ə/ – “Uh” as in comma
These vowels appear in some limited contexts but the 5 main pure vowels mentioned previously are considered the nucleus and most important.
Uses of Identifying Pure Vowels
There are some key applications for understanding pure vowels in English:
- Pronunciation – Knowing the pure vowel sounds helps proper pronunciation of words.
- Spelling – Spelling in English is closely linked to pronunciation and pure vowel sounds.
- Language learning – The pure vowels are important sounds for English language students to master.
- Vowel discrimination – Being aware of the pure vowels assists in auditory discrimination in both listening and reading.
- Phonetics – The pure vowels are important to understanding English phonology and phonetics.
Teaching the Pure Vowels
When teaching the 5 pure vowels, some best practices include:
- Using IPA symbols so students understand the exact vowel pronunciation.
- Starting with short vowels then moving to long vowels.
- Contrasting similar vowels like /i/ vs /ɪ/.
- Using minimal pairs like bit/bait, cot/caught, pull/pool.
- Focusing on tongue and lip position.
- Including plenty of practice words and repetition.
With proper instruction, practice and feedback, English learners can master the 5 pure vowels.
Conclusion
The 5 pure vowels in English—/ɑ/, /i/, /iː/, /ɒ/, and /uː/—represent the basic nucleus vowel sounds of the language. They are called “pure” because of their steady quality without glides or changes. Mastering these 5 vowel sounds and understanding their tongue and lip positions is key to proper English pronunciation, spelling and fluency. With practice and dedication, English learners can become proficient in recognizing, producing and distinguishing these 5 pure vowel sounds.