schwa sound / ə /

very short and relax.

The schwa sound / ə / symbol is used to

represent almost any unstressed British

English vowel. The schwa is a very short ,

neutral vowel sound that is generally heard in

weakly stressed syllable.

The exact sound of this mid- central vowel

depends on the consonants before and after it.

We can find the schwa anywhere that the

vowel letters " a, e, i, o, u" appear in weak

syllables.
/ə/

about / ə ˈ baʊt /

America / ə ˈ merɪkə /

alone / ə ˈ ləʊn /
/ə/

enemy / ˈ enəmi /

problem / ˈ prɒbləm /

supply / sə ˈ plaɪ /
/ə/

sofa / ˈ səʊfə /

thorough / ˈ θʌrə /

mother / ˈ mʌðə /
The biggest difference between British
Engish and American English is
pronuncing / r /sound particularly at the
end of the word.
5 different endings in British English.
-er
-ar
-or
-our
-re
/ə/

water / ' wɔː tə /

brother / ˈ brʌðə /

calendar / ˈ kæləndə /

regular / ˈ regjələ /

doctor / ˈ dɒktə /
/ə/

colour / ˈ kʌl.ə(r) /
flour / flaʊə(r) /
figure / ˈ fɪg.ə(r) /
mother / ˈ mʌð.ə(r) /
daughter / ˈ dɔː . tə(r) /
Rule 1

Comparative Adjective end in - er

lighter / ˈ laɪtə(r) /
Rule 2
- or ending often follows:
-ct actor / ˈ æk. tə(r) /
-it visitor / ˈ vɪz.ɪ.tər /
-at dictator / dɪk ˈ teɪtə(r) /
-rr horror / ˈ hɒrə(r) /
-ss successor / sək ˈ sesə(r) /
Rule 3

-AR often follows L:

- collar / ˈ kɒlə(r) /
- similar / ˈ sɪmələ(r) /
- regular / ˈ regjələ(r) /
/ə/

us / əs /

about / əˈ baʊt /

again / ə ˈ gen /

letter / ˈ let.ə(r) /

mother / ˈmʌð.ə(r) /
/ə/
computer / kəm ˈ pjuː . tə(r) /

worker / ˈ wɜː .kə(r) /

flower / flaʊə(r) /

baker / ˈ beɪ. kə(r) /

summer / ˈ sʌm. ə(r) /

/ə/

actor / ˈ æk . tə(r) /

singer / ˈ sɪŋ. ə(r) /