BLACK CAT “a”

CL E A R EN GL I SH ACA DE MY

BLACK CAT “a” TIPS

Tips to say it: BLACK CAT is a non-moving vowel sound.
Begin with your mouth open- the chin is visibly down.
The corners of the lips pull back slightly.
Make sure you are not holding tension in the back of your tongue.
Exaggerate this sound to find it- give me more BLACK! :)

Most common a: ask, happy, bad, answer

spelling patterns:

Common errors: Saying RED PEPPER “eh” instead of BLACK CAT “a”

MINIMAL PAIRS
RED PEPPER BLACK CAT

said sad

guess gas

beg bag

left laughed

wreck rack

©CL EAR ENGLISH CORNE R

 CONTRAST PHRASES
(Phrases containing the RED PEPPER “eh” and the BLACK CAT “a”)
Self assessment question: When you listen to your recorded practice, do the 2 target vowel sounds
sound distinct and different?

1.bad bet 6. network admin

2. everyone’s happy 7. several chances

3. family member 8. best plan

4. never ask 9. gather together

5. welcome back 10. better stand back

Multi-Syllable BLACK CAT Phrases

Self assessment question: When you listen to your recorded practice, can you hear yourself giving the
target sound “stretch?” Do other syllables sound quicker in contrast?

1.Amazon package

2.financial strategy

3.imagine the reaction

4.dynamic platform

5.actual value

6.natural disaster

7.advanced algorithms

8.after that happened

9.transaction analysis

10.bad attitude

©CL EAR ENGLISH CORNE R

 BLACK CAT Paragraph
Self assessment question: When you listen to your recorded practice, can you hear yourself reading the
target vowel sound? Are you grouping your words into phrases? Are you using your voice to make the
most important words (focus words) stand out?

I hate to ask, but can I have the other half of your sandwich? The lunch bag
I packed last night / is at home, / forgotten. I know exactly what happened.
I got so busy with the task of packing lunch for the rest of the family / that I
forgot to grab my own! Don’t laugh. You can’t imagine / how hungry I am.
It’s bad- I’m about to be hangry! Believe me- nobody wants that! I need
some food, / fast!

BLACK CAT Speaking Prompt

Self assessment questions: Generating our target sounds and rhythm patterns is more challenging than
imitating and reading. As you listen to your recorded practice, are you able to use the target sound as you
answer a conversational question? Are you remaining mindful of your pace and using your voice to
emphasize the most important words?

Have you ever had a bad experience at a restaurant? Or a morning that got
off to a bad start? What about when you find yourself in a bad mood- what
do you do to get out of it?

Tell me about it! :)

Here are some BLACK CAT words you might use: had, bad, that, attitude,
laugh, after, last, happen, plan, doesn’t/didn’t matter

©CL EAR ENGLISH CORNE R