A
The "AH"
vowel sound is often difficult for non-native speakers. This is the sound you
make when a doctor asks you to open your mouth and say "ah." (It has pronunciation variations in different
regions of the United States!)
Instructions to
make this sound: Is your mouth open wide?
Is your tongue lying on the floor of your mouth? Are the muscles of your mouth relaxed?
Common problems:
Using an UH sound, so "not" sounds like "nut." Using an O sound, so "not" sounds
like "note."
Common spellings: A
as in “calm,” AU as in “audio,” AW as in “awful,” AUGH as in “taught,” E as in
“entrée,” EAR as in “heart,” O as in “nod,” OA as in “broad,” OUGH as in
“bought,” UA as in “guard”
on off and on
all offer it all
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A tax audit cost
John more than a hundred dollars.
August property sales topped past profits.