This virtual module provides teaching materials on vowels for phonetic and phonology classes. It includes introductions to short and long vowels in English, exercises to practice pronunciation, and a game to reinforce learning. The module aims to help students improve pronunciation, speak confidently, and enhance understanding of vowels in a fun way. Upon completing the module, students will be able to explain and correctly pronounce short and long vowels and identify their positions.

1. VIRTUAL MODULE
Vowels
Teaching & Learning Activities

2. Introduction Module Outcomes
Game
Module Objectives
Exercises Reference
Table of content

3. INTRODUCTION
This module is suitable for
teaching and learning in
Phonetics and Phonology class.

4. to help pupils learn
phonetics in a fun
and stimulating
way
improving students
pronunciation and
enable students to
speak confidently
to enhance their
understanding
towards the topic
“Vowels”
MODULE OBJECTIVES

5. MODULE OUTCOMES
● Teach students how to express themselves
effectively using appropriate pronunciation.
● Help students to develop their oral skills for
academic purposes like presentations,
debates, discussion in group, and speech.
Upon completion of this module, you will able to:

6. UNIT OUTCOMES!
● Explain the short and long vowel
● Correctly pronouncing short and
long vowel
● Place the short and long vowel in the
correct position
By the end of the unit, pupils
should be able to:

7. Vowels
What is vowels ?
- That vowels are sounds in which there is no obstruction to the flow of
air as it passes from the larynx to the lips.
- Vowels are described based on the following criteria; the height of the
tongue, the part of the tongue that is raised or lowered and the position
of the lips. A vowel may be short or long

8. - Some English sounds that we think of as consonants like /w/ and /j/ do
not really obstruct the flow of air more than some vowels do.
-Therefore, we can also say that /w/ /j/ and /h/ are phonetically vowels
because there is no obstruction to the flow of air when the sounds are
produced but, phonologically, they are consonants because they can
occur with vowel sounds

9. Method to distinguish vowels
1.The shape and position of the tongue
–The tongue height – close or open
–The tongue part – front or back
2.The shape of the lips
–Rounded – the corners are brought towards each other and the lips
pushed forwards [u]
–Spread – the corners are moved away from each other as for a
smile [i]
–Neutral – the lips are not rounded or spread as in ‘er’ when people
hesitate

10. Cardinal Vowels
-Cardinal vowels are a standard reference system, and people being trained in phonetics at an
advanced level have to learn to make them accurately and recognise them correctly.

11. ENGLISH SHORT VOWELS
● English has seven short vowel sounds:
● Each vowel is described in relation to the cardinal
vowels.
ʌ ɒ
æ
e
ɪ ə
u
● Since the sounds are short, they are lax.

12. English Short Vowels

13. English Short Vowels Example
I Bit, pin, fish bɪt, pɪn, fɪʃ
e Bet, men, yes bɛt, mɛn, jɛs
ʊ Put, pull, push pʊt, pʊl, pʊʃ
ɒ Pot, gone,cross pɒt, gɒn, krɒs
ʌ But, some, rush bʌt, sʌm, rʌʃ
ə About, better, open əˈbaʊt, ˈbɛtə, ˈəʊpən
æ Bat, man, gas bæt, mæn, gæs

14. LONG VOWELS
● English has five long vowels
● The vowels tend to be longer than the short vowels in
similar contexts.
ɑː ɔː
ɜː
iː uː
● Since the sounds are longer, they are tensed.
● The sounds are

15. English Long Vowels

16. English Long Vowels Examples
I: Tree, Cheese, Canteen triː, ʧiːz, kænˈtiːn
ɑ: March, Large, Chart mɑːʧ, lɑːʤ, ʧɑːt
ɔ: Cord, Sword, Born kɔːd, sɔːd, bɔːn
u: Food, Moon, Spoon fuːd, muːn, spuːn
ɜ: Bird, Serve, Earth bɜːd, sɜːv, ɜːθ

17. Exercises!

18. Easy

19. SAY IT RIGHT
Short vowel sound Example Long vowel sound Example
/ʌ/ cut /ɑː/ barn
/ɪ/ bin /iː/ meal
/ʊ/ soot /uː/ pool
/ə/ her /ɜː/ girl
/ɒ/ rock /ɔː/ door
Short and Long Vowel Sounds and Diphthongs.
Listen and say these words aloud.

20. Diphthong Example Diphthong Example
/aɪ/ why /eɪ/ clay
/ɔɪ/ toy /əʊ/ gold
/aʊ/ round /ɪə/ fear
/eə/ hair /ʊə/ cure

21. Intermediate

22. Short vowel vs. Long vowel
Distinguish short and long vowel sounds. Write the words under the
correct heading.
eve/ [iːv] reach/ [riːtʃ] flash/ [flaʃ] class/ [klɑːs] pine/[pʌɪn] pin /[pɪn]
pet /[pɛt] slope /[sləʊp] mule /[mjuːl] tail /[teɪl] rust /[rʌst] breath / [brɛθ]
SHORT VOWEL SOUND LONG VOWEL SOUND
grow /[ɡrəʊ]
soup / [suːp]

23. Advance
● Listen to the song played. Click
here
● Students need to list down few words which is categorized as short / long
vowel.
Short Vowel Long Vowel
R_ _ B_ _ _ _
C_ _ B_
B _ _ _ F_ _

24. Advance
● Transcribe all the words
● State the 2 differences between short and long vowel
Short Vowel Long Vowel

25. Game

26. SOUNDS GAME
20 Give a word that has
the /ɪə/ sound.
19 Pick out the odd one -
pair bare bear dear
18 Sort the words
according to their sounds-
neck act bent lamb
17 List two words that have
the /ɔɪ/ sound.
13 Pronounce this word –
lure
14 Which word sounds
different? - jeer veer
gear pear
15 Pick out the odd sound
from these words-
now owl near
16 Say which word has the
/əu/ sound -
A boy and his boat hit a
buoy.
12 Give a word that has the
/æ/ sound.
11 Say this aloud correctly:
The pot ought to be hot.
10 Say this word aloud -
ewe.
9 Which of these words
does not have an /eɪ/
sound? - say cake wide
5 Give a word that has the
/ɜː/ sound.
6 Pick out the odd sound
from these words - pen
perk bet end
7 Which of these does not
have the /ʊ/ sound?-
could cooed
8 Read quickly and
correctly
Witty Will winds
wool well.
4 Which word does not
sound the same? - bean
free meal mill
3 Say a word that has a
short vowel sound like
mill.
2 Say a word that has an
/ʌ/ sound as in the word
cut.
1 Say these words aloud:
bun barn
Winner
Start
You need:
A referee - who uses a
dictionary to check if a
word is pronounced
correctly.
A coin - Flip a coin and
move one space for
heads and three
spaces for tails.

27. UNIT SUMMARY
In this unit you have covered the following main points:
- What is short vowel and long vowel
- How to pronounce short vowel and long vowel
- Understand the position of short vowel and long vowel
When you have done this, look through your learning journal to remind yourself of
what you have learned and the ideas you have generated.

28. ANSWER
Easy
Intermediate
Advances

29. Short vowel vs. Long vowel
Distinguish short and long vowel sounds. Write the words under the
correct heading.
eve/ [iːv] reach/ [riːtʃ] flash/ [flaʃ] class/ [klɑːs] pine/[pʌɪn] pin /[pɪn]
pet /[pɛt] slope /[sləʊp] mule /[mjuːl] tail /[teɪl] rust /[rʌst] breath / [brɛθ]
SHORT VOWEL SOUND LONG VOWEL SOUND
grow /[ɡrəʊ]
soup / [suːp]
eve/ [iːv] reach/ [riːtʃ]
class/ [klɑːs] mule /[mjuːl]
soup / [suːp]
flash/ [flaʃ] pine/[pʌɪn] pin /[pɪn]
grow /[ɡrəʊ] pet /[pɛt] slope /[sləʊp]
tail /[teɪl] rust /[rʌst] breath / [brɛθ]

30. Advance Answer
● Students need to list down few words which is categorized as short / long
vowel.
Short Vowel Long Vowel
Run Beat
Can Be
Best For

31. Advance
● Transcribe all the words
● State the 2 differences between short and long vowel
1. Long vowels produce a long vowel sound while short vowel produce a short vowel
sound
2. Long vowel pronounced like the actual name of the vowel and short vowel not
pronounced like the name of the vowel
Short Vowel Long Vowel
rʌn biːt
kæn bɪː
bɛst fɔː

32. REFERENCES
Phonetics: vowels. (2014, April 18).
https://www.lawlessenglish.com/learn-english/pronunciation/vowels-
phonetics/.
Roach, P. (2018). English phonetics and phonology: A practical course,
PP. 13-17
Roach, P. (2018). English phonetics and phonology: A practical course.
Cambridge University Press.

33. Prepared by:
Nur Fatin Athirah Binti Mohd Fareh (4193001461)
Nur Athirah binti Jumaat (4192006491D)
Muhammad Solahuddin Bin Arshad (4201003961)
Shahirah Nur Natasyabella binti Shahul Hamid (4192005111D)
Farrah Hannan Binti Muei (4201002931)