Front vowels oppositions

Front vowels

[J]

 

Spelling

e he, she, me, meter, complete

ee see, meet, beef

ea sea, tea, beat, leak

ie piece, niece, brief

ei seize, ceiling, receive, conceive

i machine, fatigue

Also: key, quay [ki:], people

 

Monosyllabic words

each, eel, east, peal, peach, peak, be, beam, beak, tea, teen, deem, deal, niece, lea, leave, leap, see, seen, zeal, seek, feel, feast, veal, week, weep, weave, wheeze, key, gee [GJ], gene, cheat, cheap, cheek, she, sheep, heel, heat, reel, reach, clean, please, three, grief, green, yeast

 

The Positional Length

E–eve–eat

pea–peas–peace

bee-bead–beat

me-meal-meat

tea-team-teeth

D-deal-deep

knee-need-neat

lea-lead-leak

sea-seed-seat

fee-feed-feet

free-freed-freak

we-wheel-wheat

he-heed-heap

key-keel-keep

she-sheen-sheep

 

Polysyllabic words

· Stressed position
epoch, equal, evening, eavesdrop, fever, teacher, leader, creature, dreamer, recent, chieftain, seizure, seaside, teapot, peacock, sweetheart, 'pretext, meantime, eagerness, frequency, scenery;
indeed, succeed, appeal, machine, complete, repeat, police, agree, trustee,
refugee ["refjV'GJ], employee ["emplOI'J]

· Unstressed position
sunbeam, latchkey, colleague, series, herpes, mouthpiece, linseed, Sub-dean, deadbeat, buckwheat, mincemeat, gangrene, hygiene, masterpiece, imbecile, obsolete, submarine, pedigree, jubilee

Words with [J] [I]

indeed, esteem, fifteen, degree, between, secret, teaching, beating, feeling, meaning, meeting, reading, eating, stealing, being, thesis, evening, besiege, beseech, believe, sealskin, steamship, intrigue, extremely

 

[I]

 

Spelling

i fit, pin, kill, live, mirror

y symbol, system, nymph

e effect, enable, elastic, before, decide, because

a village, cabbage, delicate

ai captain, mountain, fountain

ui guild, build, guinea

Also: busy ['bIzi], minute ['mInIt], forehead ['fLrId], college ['kPlIG]

 

Monosyllabic words

it, ill, itch, pill, pit, big, miss, milk, myth, tit, tick, till, did, disk, list, lick, lip, flit, sip, six, film, fist, fifth, vint, Vic, wish, wind, wink, with, hill, hitch, kiss, kick, king, give, shift, shin, chin, chick, thin, thing, think, rib, spring

 

The Positional Length

is–in–if

pig–pin–pick

bid-bill-bit

mid-mill-mist

tig-tin-tip

dig-din-Dick

nig-nil-knit

lid-limb-lit

fib-fin-fit

wig-win-wick

his-him-hiss

kid-kill-kit

gig-gild-gift

chisel-chill-chip

rid-ring-wrist

 

Polysyllabic words

· Stressed position
visit, city, ditty, busy, kitchen, finish, living, printing, whiskey, winter, history, institute, district, chimney, victory, mystery, interesting, infinitive, indifferent, indignity, submit

· Unstressed position
itself, involve, begin, exactly, example, excuse, electric, eleven, enough, escape, invite, mistake, important, direct, discuss, behind, before, decide, devoid, fetches, busses, bushes, ended, shouted, rested, profit, promise, nothing, worship, unit, practice, office, artist, pocket, basket, actress, voiceless, forest

 

Opposition [J] [I]

eat-it

each-itch

ease-is

peak-pick

deed-did

seat-sit

keel-kill

feel-fill

leap-lip

sheep-ship

feast-fist

team-Tim

beach-bitch

heel-hill

heap-hip

fees-fizz

wheel-will

weep-whip

jean-gin

bean-bin

read-rid

cheap-chip

meek-Mitch

cheek-chick

week-wick

neat-knit

keen-kin

seek-sick

dean-din

wheat-wit

 

Positional length (in oppositions)

leave-live-leaf-cliff

bead-bid-beat-bit

heed-hid-heat-hit

lead-lid-leap-lip

deem-dim-deep-dip

reed-rid-reach-rich

peal-pill-peach-pitch

seen-sin-seek-sick

[e]

 

Spelling

e get, bed, text, ferry, terror

a ate, any, many

ea deaf, ready, bread

Also: said, says, bury ['beri], Themes [temz]

 

Monosyllabic words

egg, end, edge, etch, pet, spell, bed, bend, best, mess, meant, tend, tense, tell, deck, deaf, death, nest, neck, leg, lend, left, send, says, zed, zest, felt, fence, vest, vend, vent, well, west, when, help, held, hedge, hence, kept, keg, get, guest, guess, shelf, chest, chess, check, jess, jet, theft, thread, threat, then, thence, red, rest, wreck, thresh, friend, breath, yell, yet, yes

 

The Positional Length

ebb-ell-ate

peg-pen-peck

beg-bell-beck

Ted-ten-text

dead-den-debt

 

Ned-Nell-net

said-sell-set

wed-well-wet

fed-fell-fetch

shed-shell-chef [Sef]

 

Polysyllabic words

· Stressed position
effort, elbow, entry, errand, ever, essence, element, enemy, energy, editor, every, elephant, envelope, exercise, everybody, any, anything, ready, better, lemon, lesson, pepper, necessary, sentence, centre, lecture, pressure, recognize, breakfast, relative, weather, question, seminar;
e'ffect, e'lection, ex'ception, as'sembly, de'fence, im'pression, ex'tension, her'self, him'self

· Unstressed position
'congress, 'prospect, 'sunset, 'protest, 'comment, 'architect, 'sequence, 'permanent

 

Opposition [I] [e]

pin-pen

pig-peg

bit-bet

bid-bed

pick-peck

sit-set

did-dead

tin-ten

till-tell

lid-led

lit-let

big-beg

bill-bell

bin-Ben

fin-fen

Nick-neck

miss-mess

him-hem

built-belt

win-when

wit-wet

mist-messed

spilt-spelt

since-sense

filled-felled

bitter-better

spilling-spelling

 

 

[x]

 

Spelling

a sad, cat, ash, carry, parrot, arrow

Also: have [hxv], plaid [plxd]

 

Monosyllabic words

act, alb, apt, as, ass, pad, Pat, bad, bat, badge, match, mass, tag, tack, tact, stand, Dad, nag, nab, nap, lad, land, lass, sag, sack, sand, fag, fact, van, wax [wxks], hand, has, cad, cat, gas [gxs], gag, shag, sham, thatch, than, that, chap, jazz, Jack, rat, crab, crap, yak [jxk]

 

The Positional Length

add-Ann-at

bag-bang-back

mad-man-mat

 

 

Dad-dam-dash

tab-tan-tap

rag-ran-rack

lag-lamb-lack

 

sad-Sam-sat

fad-fan-fat

has-ham-hat

cab-can-cap

 

 

Polysyllabic words

· Stressed position
adder, affix, absent, acid, action, adverb, actress, atom, anger, aspect, analyze, attitude, appetite, agony, avenue, animal, accident, alibi ['xlIbaI],'accuracy;

manner, travel, jacket, ladder, fatter, happen, manage, racket, scandal, practice, chalice, chapter, fantasy, gallery, tragedy, camera, Saturday, passenger;

alack, adapt, attract, attack, exam, perhaps, hilarity, analogy, academy, reaction, fantastic, understand

· Unstressed position
ambition [xm'bIS(q)n], ambassador [xm'bxsqdq], anxiety [xN'zaIqti], canteen [kxn'tJn], practitioner [prxk'tIS(q)nq], pragmatic [prxg'mxtIk], plantation [plxn'teISqn], placidity [plx'sIdIti], tranquility [trxN'kwIlIti], transcribe [trxn'skraIb], transform [trxns'fLm], translate [trxnz'leIt], transmit [trxns'mIt], taxi-cab ['txksikxb],
rucksack, ['rAksxk], asphalt ['xsfxlt]

 

 

Opposition [e] [x]

ate-at

ember-amber

mess-mass

merry-marry

dead-Dad

set-sat

said-sad

send-sand

beck-back

bed-bad

better-batter

blend-bland

guess-gas

neck-knack

hem-ham

head-had

fed-fad

fetter-fatter

pen-pan

pet-Pat

lend-land

letter-latter

led-lad

ketch-catch

kettle-cattle

ten-tan

then-than

wreck-rack

 

 

 

Front vowels oppositions

[J] – [I] [e] [x]

eat-it-ate-at

peak-pick peck-pack

peat-pit-pet-Pat

peel-pill-pell-pal

bead-bid-bed-bad

beat-bit-bet-bat

beater-bitter-better-batter

wreak-rick-wreck-rack

Jean-Jim-gem-jam

feel-fin-fen-fan

meat-miss-mess-mass

teen-tin-ten-tan

dean-din-den-Dan

deed-did-dead-Dad

lead-lid-led-lad

seat-sit-set-sat

seed-Sid-said-sad

heed-hid-head-had

 

 

Back vowels

[H]

 

Spelling

u June, rue, conclude, duty, tune

oo too, soon, fool

o do, who, prove

ou soup, you, route

ue true, due, Tuesday ['tjHsdeI]

ew few, view

ui suit, fruit

Also: beauty ['bjHti], shoe [SH]

 

Monosyllabic words

ooze [Hz], pool, spoon, booze, boot, move, moon, two, stool, tomb [tHm], do, doom, noon, blue, soon, soup [sHp], Zoo, fool, food, wound, whose, cool, coop, goose, shoes, shoot, chew [CH], June, rude, root, truth, mew, muse, hue, feud

 

Positional length

boo – boon – booth shoe – shoes – chute

moo – mood – moot Jew – June – juice

too – tool – tooth brew – brood – brute

glue – lose – loop rue – rude – roof

sou – soothe – sooth dew – dues – duke

who – whom – hoot sue – sued – suit

coo – school – coot you – use (v.) [jHz] – use (n.) [jHs]

 

Polysyllabic words

· Stressed position
student, future, neutral, wounded, shooter, toothless, Tuesday, unit, union, useless, moody, music, coolness, stupid, stooping, humour, foolish, rumour, moonlight, unity, cucumber, feudalism, beautiful, numerous, screw-driver, rudiment, usually, supermarket;
re'view, pur'sue, sham'poo [Sxm'pH], ex'cuse, in'trude, im'prove, "after'noon

· Unstressed position
u'nique, 'interview, 'avenue, 'institute, 'parachute, 'grape-fruit, 'horse-shoe, 'attitude

[V]

Spelling

u put, full, bush, butcher

oo book, took, foot, good

ou could, should, would

o wolf, bosom ['bVz(q)m], woman

 

Monosyllabic words

push, puss, book, bull, bush, took, nook, full, foot, wolf, would, hood, could, shook, rook, crook

 

Positional length

good – could – cook stood – full – took

hood – pull – hook would – bull – brook

should – room – shook wood – wool foot

 

Polysyllabic words

· Stressed position
bookcase, bully, bookish, bookworm, crooked ['krVkId], cuckoo ['kVkH], football, footstep, sugar, bullet, pudding, pulpit, pushing, goodness, woolen, umlaut ['VmlaVt], pussy-cat, cookery, sugary, rookery, bulletin ['bVlqtIn]

· Unstressed position
bouquet ['bVkeI], childhood, helpful, output, manhood, brushwood, helpful, handful, bedroom, bathroom, modulate ['mPdjVleIt], modulation ["mPdjV'leIS(q)n], regular, regulate, regulation

 

Opposition [H V]

pool – pull soon – wool

boom – bull noon – wood

fool – full roof – rook

stool – stood womb – woman

 

Positional length [H] – [V] [H] [V]

brood – bull – boot – brook

cooed – could – poop – push

food – full – suit – soot

two – stood – loop – look

shoes – should – shoot – shook

 

Words with [H] [V]

footrule ['fVtrHl], spoonful ['spHnfVl], poolroom ['pHlrVm]

 

[L]

 

Spelling

or short, port, afford, force, more, before

a hall, all, talk, false; war, water, quarter

aw saw, paw, straw, hawk

au cause, pause, caught, taught

ou ought, thought, bought

oor door, floor

oar oar, hoarse, roar

our your, four, pour, course

Also: broad [brLd], wrath [rLT]

 

Monosyllabic words

or, all, pore, pork, bore, born, ball, more, morn, tall, torch, draw, door, dawn, nor, north, lore, lord, saw, sword [sLd], fall, fort, warm, wall, walk, hall, horse, caw, corn, course, gore, gall, gorge, shore, short, thaw, thorn, chore, chalk, jaw, George, raw, broad, your

 

Positional length

or – orb – ought war – ward – wart

paw – poured – port core – cord – court

boar – board – bought score – scorn – scorch

tore – torn – taught thaw – thawed – thought

snore – snored – snort roar – broad – brought

sore – sawed – sort your – yours – York

four – form fork

 

Polysyllabic words

· Stressed position
autumn, author, August, alter, awful, audience, oral, order, orchard, orphan, daughter, morning, normal, sawdust, sportsman, forty, forward, walking, drawbridge, fortress, scorpion ['skLpIqn], laundry, lawsuit, horny, horseman, tawny, naughty, storey, vortex; organism, orchestra ['LkIstrq], ordinary, ornament, organize, strawberry, quarterly;
ac'cord, re'port, sup'port, re'porter, ap'plaud, ap'plause, im'portance

· Unstressed position
al'ready, al'though [Ll'DqV], ordeal, au'xiliary [Lg'zIljqri], for'mation, for'mality, football, drugstore, bookstore, airport, outlaw, blackboard, sideboard,
'corridor ['kPrIdL], 'matador ['mxtqdL]

[P]

 

Spelling

o lot, fog, cost, horrid, porridge, jolly, often, gone [gPn]

a want, quality, squash, yacht [jPt]

ou , ow cough, knowledge

au sausage ['sPsIG], Austria ['PstrIq], ['LstrIq]

 

Monosyllabic words

ox, mob, moss, smog, smock, spot, boss, bog, top, stock, don, dot, nog, knock, knob, lot, lob, fop, fond, watch, wash, squad, squat, hob, hop, cost, cough, shot, shock, chop, jog, jot, rock, frock, frog

 

Positional length

odd – on – off sob – song – sop

pod – pong – pot sod – sol – sock

bog – bomb [bPm] – box fog – vol – fox

tog – Tom – toss wad – wan – what

dog – doll – dock cod – con – cot

nod – non – not god – gone – got

log – loll – lock rod – wrong – rot

lodge – long - loss

 

Polysyllabic words

· Stressed position
object, office, opera ['Pprq], omelet ['PmlIt], olive ['PlIv], orange, obstacle ['Pbstqkl], body, sorry, 'volume, rocket, wallet, donkey ['dPnki], nonsense, lobster, socket, shot-gun, offspring, hobby,
honour ['Pnq], hockey, knowledge, follow, concrete ['kPNkrJt], oddity, omnibus, office, opposite, origin, obviously, 'obstinacy, communism, document, mockery, politics, follower, honesty, monologue ['mPnqlPg], god-mother, popular, holiday, horrible;
for'got, prolong [prq(V)'lPN], apology [q'pPlqGi], exotic, autonomy [L'tPnqmi], 'hobnob

· Unstressed position
monsoon [mPn'sHn], hobgoblin ['hPb"gPblIn], dry-bob, wedlock, letter-box, door-step, somewhat, apricot ['eIprIkPt], everybody, dialogue ['daIqlPg], catalogue ['kxtqlPg]

Positional length [L] [P] [L] [P]

cord – cod – cork – cock

dawn – don – dorsal – dotter

poured – pod – sport – spot

fawned – fond – forks fox

board – bod – port – pot

 

Words with [L] and [P]

Orthodox ['LTqdPks], orthography [L'TPgrqfi], orthophony [L'TPfqni], concord ['kPnkLd], corridor ['kPrIdL], moratorium ["mPrq'tLrIqm], hobby-horse, door-knob

Opposition [L] – [P]

morse – moss wharf [wLf] – waff

stork – stock wart – what

order – odder corn – con

porter – potter court – cot

naught – not wrought [rLt] – rot

sword [sLd] – sod short – shot

 

[A]

 

Spelling

u but, sun, must, hurry, currant; undo ["An'dH], unknown ["An'nqVn]

o son, come, done, one, mother, tongue

ou country, enough, young, cousin

oo blood, flood

Also: does [dAz]

 

Monosyllabic words

un, up, pun, putt, bush, bulb, bulge, mud, must, mutt, tub, ton, tusk, dove, dusk, nun, numb, none, nut, lull, love, bluff, some, son, sum, fund, won, one, hut, hush, come, cuff, gun, shut, chum, judge, just, jug, rum, rough, rub, rust, young

 

Positional length

pub – pun – puff sub – sung – suck

buzz – bun – bus fuzz – fun – fuss

bug – bung – buck hug – Hun – Huck

mug – among – much cub – come – cup

tug – tongue – tuck cud – cull – cut

does – dull – dusk rudd – run – rut

dug – dung – duck rug – rung – ruck

lug – lung – luck thug – thumb [TAm] – thus [DAs]

 

Polysyllabic words

· Stressed position
udder, ugly, ultra, umbra, unco ['ANkqV], usher, utmost ['AtmqVst], curry, hurry, brother, other, thorough ['TArq], stomach ['stAmqk], wonder, honey, money, southern ['sADqn], lovely, worry, nothing, function, hunger ['hANgq], hundred, mustard, drugstore; utterly, ultimate ['AltImqt], underground, ulcerate ['AlsqreIt], company, wonderful,
bungalow ['bANgqlqV], coverage ['kAvqrIG];
a'mong [q'mAN], e'nough [I'nAf], a'bundance [q'bAndqns], a'nother [q'nADq]

 

· Unstressed position
unhappy ["An'hxpi], uneasy ["An'Jzi], umbrella [Am'brelq], upholder [Ap'hqVldq], upturn [Ap'tE:n], unkind ["An'kaInd], umbilic [Am'bIlIk], Hungarian [hAN'geqrIqn], golf-club, step-mother

[R]

Spelling

a after, cask, past, grass, father, chance

ar car, far, part

al calm, palm, calf, half

au laugh, draught [drRft]

Also: heart, hearth [hRT], clerk [klRk], repertoire ['repqtwR], moustache [mq'stRS]

 

Monosyllabic words

ask, aunt, part, parse, barn, balm, barque, mark, mast, March, tar, task, tart, darn, dark, dart, large, laugh, farm, farce, vast, valse [vRls], vase [vRz], harp, harm, harsh, calm, cars, guard, garb, shark, sharp, charge, jar, yah [jR], yard, yarn

 

Positional length

are – arm – art lah – lard – lark

par – palm – park far – farm – fast

spar – parse [pRz] – spar ha – hard – heart

bar – bard – bart car – card – cart

mar – marl – mask char – charm – chart

star – starve - start

 

Polysyllabic words

· Stressed position
army, armour, answer ['Rnsq], arbour, archway, starlet, carbon, varmint, darling, hardship, father, sharpness, martyr ['mRtq], starboard, partner, drama, rather, afternoon, armament, architect, argument, article, gardener, cardinal;
a'larm, armada [R'mRdq], a'partment, mou'stache [mq'stRS], ba'zaar [bq'zR], gui'tar [gI'tR], de'mand, re'mark, com'mand [kq'mRnd], e'xample, dis'armament, em'balmer [Im'bRmq], to'mato [tq'mRtqV]

· Unstressed position
car'nation [kR'neISqn], bar'barity [bR'beqrIti], dairy-farm, hand-craft, 'boulevard ['bHlqvRd]

 

 

Opposition [A] [R]

duck – dark hum – harm fun – farm

dunce – dance hash – harsh buzz – bars

done – darn muck – mark bun – barn

tusk – task musk – mask puck – park

tut – tart buck – bark cut – cart

must – mast lust – last stuck – stark

luck – lark bud – bard lover – larva

cud – card much – March fluster – plaster

cup – carp come – calm muster – master

fuss – farce stuff – staff cover – carver

cuff – calf shut – sharp cutter – carter

budge – barge hut – heart upper – after

chum – charm cluck – clerk summer – farmer

Back vowels – oppositions

 

[A] – [P]

 

cut – cot dull – doll duck – dock

hut – hot bug – bog hug – hog

gun – gone sung – song muddle – model

putt – pot rung – wrong hut – hot

rub – rob luck – lock suck – sock

dug – dog cuff – cough bus – boss

 

[L] – [R]

port – part cord – card torn – tart

court – cart jaw – jar tore – tar

core – car more – mar stork – stark

bore – bar score – scar board – bard

store – star four – far dawn – darn

story – starry horde – hard taught – tart

form – farm born – barn forced – fast

 

 

[R] – [P]

 

dark – dock darn – don part – pot

lark – lock heart – hot harp – hop

shark – shock barks – box arks – ox

sharp – shop dart – dot clerk – clock

mark – mock card – cod guard – god

last – lost cart – cot tart – tot

barb – Bob cast – cost stark – stock

 

[H] – [V] [L] – [P] [A] – [R]

 

cooed – could – cord – cod – cud – card

coot – cook – court – cot – cut – cart

poop – put – port – pot – putt – part

boot – bull – board – Bob – bud – bard

stoop – took – stork – stock – stuck – start

fool – full – fall – doll – done – darn

pool – pull – Paul – pong – bun – barn

wooed – would – ward – watt – one – vase

Mixed Vowels

[E:]

Spelling

er term, serve, permanent

ear heard, earth, pearl

ir fir, girl, first

yr myrtle, syrtis

ur , urr fur, burn, nurse, purr

wor work, worm, word

our journal, journey, scourge

Also: 'amateur ['xmqtE:], at'torney [q'tE:ni], 'colonel ['kE:n(q)l], "connois'seur ["kPnq'sE:], were [wE:]

 

Monosyllabic words

earl, urge, irk, purse, burn, birth, mirth, myrtle, turn, stern, dirt, nerve, nurse, learn, sir, serve, search, firm, fern, verse, worse, worth, world, heard, curl, scourge, girl, shirt, third, church, germ

 

Positional length

err – earn – earth fur – firm – first

purr – purge – pert her – hurl – hurt

spur – spurred – spurt were – word – work

her – heard – hurt fir – firs – firth

bur – bird – burst cur – curd – curt

sir – serve – surf bur – burn – burp

stir – term – turf blur – blurb – blurt

 

Polysyllabic words

· Stressed position
early, earnest, earner, 'ermine ['E:mIn], urgent, urchin, earthquake, murder, version, service, 'circuit ['sE:kIt], curtain, 'surface ['sE:fIs], workshop, surgeon, 'mermaid, Thursday, purpose, turkey, circus, thirsty, "un'certainly, 'certify ['sE:tIfaI], perfectly, lurking-place, 'circumstance ['sE:kqmstxns];
pre'fer, re'turn, re'serve, oc'cur, in'fer, trans'fer, up'turn, con'cur, re'search, dis'turb, in'terpreter, con'verter, in'sertion, im'personal, de'sertion [dI'zE:Sqn], ex'cursion, ab'surdity [qb'sE:dIti], eternity, re'hearsal [rI'hE:sql]

· Unstressed position
'foreword, 'cockspur, 'outburst, 'nightshirt, 'upsurge, 'schoolgirl, 'night-work, 'adverb, 'sunburn, 'bookworm, thir'teen

 

[E:] – [L]

 

bird – board shirt – short furl – fall

burn – born purr – paw whirl – wall

sir – saw bur – bore herd – hoard

fur – for pearl – pall learn – lawn

stir – store turn – torn hurl – hall

mirth – morse work – walk Turk – talk

curd – cord word – ward firm – form

curt – court sir – sore fern – fawn

pert – port curs – cause cur – core

 

[E:] – [e]

 

turn – ten person – pension earl – ell

bird – bed heard – head Bert – bet

further – feather burst – best world – weld

circular – secular dirk – deck curtain – kettle

dirt – debt fern – fen learnt – lent

hurl – hell germ – gem burned – bend

worst – west erg – egg word – wed

[q]

Spelling

Note: spelt with almost any vowel letter or combination of vowel letters

a(r) a'bout, ad'dress, 'grammar, sonant, logical, 'equal, forward, ca'nary, woman, capable

e letter, student, president

i 'possible ['pPsqbl], 'holiday ['hPlqdeI]

o of'fence, cor'rect, po'tato

u(r) sup'port, pur'suit, sur'vive

er teacher, after

or director, doctor

ure picture, future, furniture

ou nervous, dangerous

our favour, colour, honour