In this video I'm going to give you a simple method to learn the '/ə/' pronunciation and the '/​ʌ​/' pronunciation.
This is the 'schwa' pronunciation '/ə/' and the '/​ʌ​/' pronunciation as in 'but'. These two sounds can be very difficult to tell the difference between and the 'schwa' sound is the most
common vowel sound in English. So it's absolutely essential to learn, the schwa sound correctly.
The techniques I'm going to teach you here, I've used countless times we have many of my clients,
and they've had brilliant results. So you're going to get tons of value too let's dive in.
Hello and welcome to go global with Michael Roberts. This video will be looking at the difference between '/ə/' and
'/​ʌ​/' was a request from one of the subscribers on the channel so thank you for making the request.
and what we're going to focus on is the '/ə/' ,'/ə/', '/ə/' 'schwa' sound and then looking at the '/​ʌ​/' sound as well.
I'll cover the '/​ɑː/' sound in another video here. So click here if you'd like to look at that.
But in this video we're going to look at it in comparison to the 'schwa'.
We're going to start by, learning the 'schwa' sound itself just focusing on the 'schwa' sound.
Then I'm going to put it into an exercise comparing it to the '/ə/' sound, as in 'but'. and then we're going to put it into some,
words some 'schwa' words. And then we're going to put the '/​ʌ​/' sound into some words and then we'll do some comparing.
So let's get to it. The 'schwa' sound is as I said the most common vowel sound,
in English. It comes from the middle of your mouth. So first of all I'm going to make the sound and,
tell me what do you notice '/ə/', '/ə/,' '/ə/', '/ə/', '/ə/'. Okay my lips are they rounded or unrounded. '/ə/', '/ə/,' '/ə/',. Okay they are unrounded.
'/ə/', '/ə/,' '/ə/', '/ə/,' '/ə/'
my lips are unrounded. '/ə/,' '/ə/'. The sound is the from in a middle height position so it's not,
'/iː/' and it's not '/əʊ/'. It's '/ə/,' '/ə/', '/ə/'. And it really is right in the middle of my mouth. So if you think of all
the vowel sounds, that come from all the different positions in your mouth: the front of the mouth,
the back of the mouth, the top and the bottom. The 'schwa' sound really is located right there in the middle.
'/ə/,' '/ə/', '/ə/'. Comparing it to the '/​ʌ​/' sound which is a very similar sound the main difference is that,
my mouth for '/ə/' is more widely open. So let's have a look this is the 'schwa' sound followed by the '/​ʌ​/'.
sound '/ə/', '/​ʌ​/', '/ə/', '/​ʌ​/', '/ə/' a great way to learn the sound is first of all just to practice putting,
your lips in the same position as me. Look at my lips '/ə/', '/ə/', '/ə/', '/ə/', '/ə/'. And just making the sound the sound is kind
of like I'm waking up in the morning I'm tired I don't know what's going on when I say '/ə/', '/ə/', '/ə/', '/ə/' what's going
on okay. It's that kind of sound '/ə/', '/ə/', '/ə/', '/ə/' '/ə/'. That's compared to the '/​ʌ​/'sound where my mouth is having to
I am actually having to pull my mouth down to make it '/​ʌ​/', '/​ʌ​/', '/​ʌ​/' compared to '/ə/' '/ə/' it's an easy sound to make.
The most important thing to say about the 'schwa' sound is this: '/ə/' bottle of water, '/ə/' jacket,
'/ə/' knows. What I'm saying there is the 'schwa' sound. So I don't normally say in normal conversation
when I'm speaking normally I want to go and buy 'a' jacket. I wouldn't normally say I want to go and buy,
'a' jacket okay. In normal speech I'd say I want to go and buy '/ə/' jacket I want to go and buy '/ə/' jacket.
Can you hear how that sounds more normal than me saying I want to go and buy 'a' jacket or
I want to go and buy 'a' coffee right in speech. We normally try to make words easier to say and
it's very common in English speech. It's normal in English speech to use the 'schwa' sound as the
way of saying '/ə/' and if you think how often you'll say this in English you'll say all the time.
So it really is so important to learn it and what you'll realize all of a sudden is when you
do learn it just how often you're hearing it being used: '/ə/' car I've just bought '/ə/' car I would like to buy.
'/ə/' house okay can you hear it we use it all the time. An example of when you wouldn't use it in
this situation is if you are emphasizing it's 'a' house if someone says is that 'a' car or is this 'a' van?
You say it's 'a' van if you're really trying to stress it it's 'a' van okay that person was making
the noise over there, he's probably using 'a' hammer okay if I'm really trying to stress you it's 'a' hammer.
If I'm trying to force what I'm saying but if I'm just saying it normally he's using '/ə/'hammer.
Okay but other time where the 'schwa' sound is used all the time in English all the time is 'the' ('/ə/').
So if you think of 't' 'h' 'e' I either say it as 'the' or the so I'm going to 'the' car. I'm going to
'the' house. I'm going to 'the' cafe. I'm going to 'the' restaurant what I'm saying is 'the', 'the', 'the'.
Okay in the same example as before what I would say 'the' when I'm stressing it I'm going to the restaurant,
you know it's if I think of my favorite restaurant I will say to you it's 'the' restaurant it's 'the',
best restaurant. Okay so let's look at /ə/ and 'the' in a bit more detail. When I say /ə/ I am simply,
just making the 'schwa' sound so '/ə/', '/ə/ ','/ə/ '.And then when it goes into words we're going to put a word behind,
it now so we're going to say ('/ə/') a car a car a car, or it's ('/ə/') a restaurant a restaurant a restaurant.
Okay so you start by saying this the 'schwa' and then you put a word after it 'a' cat, 'a' mat, 'a' scarf,
'a' bag. Okay then we can put words before it. I've brought 'a' bag, I've bought 'a' scarf, I've brought 'a' hat.
Okay or I've bought 'a' computer, right. I've bought 'a' computer. I've brought 'a' computer.
so if you think about how it fits into speech I've brought 'a', I've brought 'a' it kind of adds on
to the end of the last words, and merges into the beginning of the next words so I'm not saying I've
bought 'a' computer or I bought 'a' computer I'm saying in normal general speech I've brought 'a' computer.
I've brought 'a' computer it almost is tacking on to the end of the last word.
I've bought 'a' computer can you hear that I've bought 'a' computer. Now let's look at 'the'. So I'm going to,
'the' car. I'm going to 'the' car. Let's break it down ('/ə/') 'the', the' so with this word you've got the 'th'
sound to begin with: 'th', 'th', 'th' so my tongues vibrating, my throat's vibrating, my tongues in
between my teeth: 'th', 'th', 'th', 'th' really try and learn the 'schwa' sound correctly before practicing,
this word because, you might struggle to make it correctly if you can't actually make the sound right in the first place.
'The', 'the', 'the', 'the', 'the'. Okay 'the', car 'the' car, 'the' cafe, 'the' cafe, 'the' restaurant.
'The' restaurant, 'the' restaurant, 'the' mat, 'the' mat, 'the' cat, 'the' cat, 'the' cat, 'the' dog 'the' dog, 'the' dog.
Okay can you hear how just with the '/ə/ ' sound when it's in ('/ə/ ') 'a' : in 'a' car it glides into the beginning,
of the next word. 'The' car I'm not saying I'm going to 'the' car unless I'm emphasizing it.
I'm saying I'm going to 'the' car. I'm going to 'the' car. Can you hear that I'm going to 'the' car. Okay.
I'm just going, look at some other words now that have the 'schwa' sound in so (/ə/) 'about', 'about', 'about', 'about'.
What's this, English pronunciation lesson 'about'. It's 'about' the, 'schwa' sound and the /ə/ sound. It's about the 'schwa' sound,
and the /ə/ sound. Can you hear that? Another word: 'supply', 'supply', 'supply'.
Okay can you 'supply' me with some English pronunciation classes. Yes I can 'supply' you with them. 'Supply', 'supply' 'supply'
or in business you might think of 'supply' and demand. 'Supply' and demand. 'Supply' and demand.
So we've got two words there: ('/ə/') 'about', 'supply', 'about', 'supply'. Another, time where you hear this sound in words is at the, end of the word.
What is someone that specializes in looking after your health? What do you call them?
'Doctor', a 'doctor', a 'doctor' here you can hear the 'schwa' sound at the end of the word: 'doctor', 'doctor', 'doctor', 'doctor' 'doctor'.
Okay another profession would be: 'farmer', 'farmer', 'farmer', 'farmer'.
If you like buying, lots of fresh vegetables like I do you you might go to a 'farmers' market, a 'farmers' market.
Oh I've got a headache, I'm going to see the 'doctor'. I've got a headache. Can you hear? I've got a headache I'm going to see the 'doctor'.
I've got a headache I'm going to see the 'doctor'.
So right there there's three examples of the 'schwa' in one simple sentence I've got 'a' headache I'm going to see 'the' 'doctor'.
Alright so that is the 'schwa' sound. The 'schwa' sound is so so important to your English speech.
And if you want to speak better English and really learn English pronunciation well the 'schwa' sound is just essential.
Let's go back and compare again to the '/ʌ/' sound alright '/ʌ/', '/ʌ/', '/ʌ/', '/ʌ/', '/ʌ/', '/ʌ/'.
So let's think ('ʌ'): 'run' 'run' 'run' 'the' 'run'. I'm going to 'the' 'run'. I'm going to 'the' 'run'. There's a big 'run' on Saturday. I'm going to 'the' 'run'
Okay or let's think of another one ('ʌ'): 'bun'. If you like eating 'buns' which are a kind of piece of bread. You might say I'm going to buy the 'buns' I'm going to buy the 'buns' do we have any 'buns'.
'/ə/', '/ʌ/', '/ə/', '/ʌ/'. So there's really practice this exercise. This exercise alone is essential and valuable to helping you speak better English.
'/ə/', '/ʌ/', '/ə/', '/ʌ/', '/ə/', '/ʌ/'. I really recommend spending a long time practicing the 'schwa' sound.
It's the most common vowel sound in English. It's such an important English vowel sound.
And if you put in the effort you really really will notice a big improvement in your speech.
Because it appears everywhere okay so practice the '/ə/', sound practice the /ʌ/sound.
Comment below with words that have the 'schwa' sound in that you are finding difficult ok do you find 'about' difficult to say?
Do you find 'supply' difficult to say? Do you find 'doctor' difficult to say?
Do you find 'farmer' difficult to say? whichever ones it is put them in the words below in the comments below.
And I'll be able to see and then make some more videos so like the video if it helped you.
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Clear and credible English it's going to really benefit you so much if you practice this stuff.
So put in the effort and you'll be pleased that you did. I'll see you in the next video.