Hello there!
This is the "Sounds American" channel.
In this video, we're going to talk about the American consonant sound /w/,
as in the word "way."
You can also hear this sound in words like
"well" - "quick" - "work" or "one."
We'll be using a special phonetic symbol - /w/ - for this sound.
Take a look at the last example.
As you can see, the word "one" has the /w/ sound but doesn't have the 'w' letter.
Which kind of gives you an idea that this sound isn't as simple as it seems.
And, unfortunately, spelling is not the only problem.
The /w/ sound is quite special.
It's considered to be a consonant but pronounced without blocking the airstream.
Wait a minute…
Let's check what a consonant sound is.
Here is a definition from Sounds American:
Something doesn't add up here, right?
The /w/ is made without blocking the airstream, so it's pronounced more like a vowel.
But unlike the vowels, it doesn't form a syllable.
At least in American English.
And that's why linguists call the /w/ a semivowel. :)
Well, whatever…
Anyway, if it's a semivowel it's still a semiconsonant!
There's something more important you should know about this sound.
The /w/ belongs to the category of consonants that are called the "glides."
Here's how they are defined:
Awesome!
And now's the perfect moment to find out how to make this consonant.
To make the /w/ sound correctly, focus on the movement of your lips and the position of your tongue.
First, let's learn how to move your lips.
Slightly open your mouth,
round your lips, and pull them into a small tight circle.
Then as you make this sound, you'll stretch your lips wide with a quick and sharp movement:
Now, let's put your tongue in the correct position for this sound.
Start with your tongue in a neutral position.
When making this sound, pull your tongue far back to your throat and make it tense:
Remember, even though the /w/ is a consonant,
it's pronounced like a vowel.
So, you should feel the air gliding over your tongue.
And of course, the /w/ is a voiced sound, so don't forget to add your voice.
Let's try saying it:
One of the most common mistakes that non-native speakers make
is replacing the /w/ sound with another consonant sound, the /v/ fricative.
The problem is that the /w/ sound doesn't exist in some languages
or it's used interchangeably with the /v/ in others.
Be careful, in English, this can lead to misunderstandings.
Compare:
Do you see the difference?
Correct, the /v/ is a fricative consonant,
so it's made by partially blocking the airstream with your lower lip and your upper teeth.
Unlike the /w/ sound, which is a glide consonant
and made without blocking the airstream at all.
We know, it may be hard to avoid making this mistake.
Especially for those who don't have the /w/ sound in their native language.
But we also know that practice makes perfect.
And this is the only way to learn to pronounce this sound correctly.
Speaking about practice, this is how it works.
You'll see a word on the screen and hear its pronunciation.
Like this.
You'll have a few seconds to pronounce the word.
♪
Try to go through as many words as possible.
We'll start with the /w/ represented by the letter 'w'.
Let's begin.
Let's stop here for a second and take a short break.
Next, we'll practice words where this sound is represented by the letter 'u'
in the combinations of letters 'qu' or 'gu'.
Let's continue.
Let's pause here for a second to catch our breath.
Next, we suggest you practice words in which the letter 'w' is actually NOT pronounced.
Let us know in the comments if you have any questions!
You're done!
Congratulations!
Let's talk about the spelling for the /w/ sound.
Most often,
the /w/ sound is represented by the letter 'w'
as in "woman," or "away."
It's also written with the letter 'u' in the following combinations of letters:
'qu', as in 'quite' or 'queen'.
'gu', as in "language" or "penguin,"
and 'su', as in "suite" or "persuade."
Before you go, do you want to hear something interesting?
In the 'qu' combination, the letter 'u' is either pronounced as /w/, as in "queen"
or it's silent, like in "tequila"
but there are very few words in which it's pronounced as /u/ or /ju/.
If you know what words we're talking about, tell us in the comments!
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