UNIT 1 Chapter 3 Lesson 2 /ɚ/

LESSON 2 /ɚ/ 

COMMON SPELLING PATTERNS  

Highlight and click the word to listen to its pronunciation or click the play button to listen to all the words. (only on PC)

vowel+r (unstressed)   doctor, dollar, effort

Source: (Mojsin, 2016)

HOW TO PRONOUNCE /ɚ/

  1. Lips are slightly rounded
  2. Side part of the lips are pushed back
  3. Tip of the tongue is curled up; OR
  4. Middle part of the tongue is pulled back
  5. Tip and middle of the tongue NEVER TOUCHES the roof of the mouth
  6. The side part of the tongue is touching the upper side part of the teeth
  7. This is an unaccented sound

英語耳 p. 78

Note: Accented schwa+r (/ɚ:/) is slightly different from unaccented schwa+r (/ɚ/). It is easier to understand if we listen to the word murmur /mɚ:mɚ/. The first syllable is pronounced higher than the second syllable.

COMMON JAPANESE MISTAKE

Students usually pronounce this sound as /ə/ or /a/.

LET US PRACTICE /ɚ/

Practice pronouncing the /ɚ/sound using the words below.

HOW TO PRACTICE

  1. LISTEN to the audio file.
  2. COPY how the words are pronounced.
  3. SLOWLY read the words.
  4. LOOK at your mouth and tongue movement using a MIRROR.
  5. ALWAYS practice.
TWO-SYLLABLE WORDS /ɚ/
Highlight and click the word to listen to its pronunciation or click the play button to listen to all the words. (only on PC)

 MIDDLE

  1. mustard

/mʌ́stɚd/

  1. backward
/bǽkwɚd/
  1. cupboard

/kʌ́bɚd/

FINAL

  1. rover

/róuvɚ/

  1. other

/ʌ́ðɚ/

  1. fever

/fí:vɚ/

THREE-SYLLABLE WORDS /ɚ/
Highlight and click the word to listen to its pronunciation or click the play button to listen to all the words. (only on PC)

FINAL

  1. similar

/símilɚ/

  1. muscular

/mʌ́skjəlɚ/

  1. remember

/rimémbɚ/

LET US PHRASE IT

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  1. Richard’s orchard

/rítʃɚdz ɔ́ɚtʃɚd/

  1. the author‘s foreword

/ði ɔ́:θɚrz fɔ́ɚwɚd/

  1. her regular barber

/hɚ régjəlɚ bɑ́ɚbɚ/

  1. error in the elevator

/érɚ in ði éliveitɚ/

TONGUE TWISTER

Highlight and click the word to listen to its pronunciation or click the play button to listen to all the words. (only on PC)

Teacher Peter is very particular with grammar.

/tí:tʃɚ pí:tɚ iz véri pɚtíkjəlɚ wiθ grǽmɚ/

Click here to download ALL the AUDIO FILES