Make the sound
®
DVD
Vowel grid reference: 10
This vowel is short.
1 Relax your tongue and allow the tip to rest just behind your bottom front teeth.
2 The back of the tongue is low, almost as low as for /a: / as in'bath'.
ft
122
ft
123-125
When do I use this sound?
Spelling
Examples
0	not, gone, pottery
a	wanted, watch, quantity
ou	cough
Now try it!
Say each of these words and sentences aloud. Then compare your pronunciation with the model on tracks 123-125.
hfit shot robflt      clo.th      spatted cough
trough      wrojig      want       what      washing salted
1 She needed lots of strong, hot coffee.
2 The boss has a lot of dodgy old documents in boxes at the office.
3 She lost her plot at the allotment and had nowhere to grow her poppies.
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Section B: The sounds of English
Work on your Accent LOT
C Dogs
A lot of my friends have got dogs. They're a really popular pet, because they're so loyal. There are a lot of different sorts of dogs. You can choose whatever kind of dog you want to suit your lifestyle. Some dogs are working dogs, and help humans by doing various jobs. Some work on farms, controlling sheep; others help with transport, particularly in snowy areas. It's also common for dogs to help the emergency services, or soldiers, because they have such a wonderful sense of smell.
Am I doing something wrong?
X   Making the same vowel sound in the words LOT and CUP.
1/  Rounding your lips more. This vowel needs a rounded lip shape. Look at the Vowel positioning diagram (page 53) and compare the shapes of these vowels.
Use a mirror to make sure you are making the correct shape with your lips. Watch the DVD to see and hear the difference between the two sounds.
X   Making the same vowel sound in the words LOT and THOUGHT. This mistake is very common.
S The /d/ vowel is short, with lips rounded a little, whilst the /d:/ vowel is long with lips rounded much more. Go to the exercises in the Am I doing something wrong? section of the /d:/ vowel sound (see page 77) to work on this.
Watch the DVD to see and hear the difference between the two sounds.
X   Making the same vowel sound in the words LOT and BATH.This is due to the influence of American English on the way English is spoken around the world.
1/  Look in a mirror and use the Vowel positioning diagram (page 53) for the difference between these two shapes.The /d/, as in LOT, has lip rounding, whereas the lips are unrounded for the /a:/, as in BATH.
X   Making the vowel sound too similar to a schwa.
S You are not opening the mouth enough and you are not rounding the lips.Try some mouth exercises before you go on.
Make your mouth as big as you can.
Now make it as wide as you can with a huge smile.
Now think of someone you love and blow a big kiss.
Now go back to the /d/ instructions and check yourself in a mirror. Make sure this sound is rounded and open enough.
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