SLQ notes: American English

S vs Z Pronunciation (English)

What they are

/s/ = voiceless “s” sound
/z/ = voiced “z” sound

How to feel the difference (easy test)

Put your fingers on your throat (Adam’s apple area).
- /s/: no vibration
- /z/: vibration (your voice box is “on”)

How to make them

Mouth position is almost the same (tongue near the ridge behind the top teeth, air goes through a narrow gap).
The key difference is voice:
- /s/: air only (like “snake”)
- /z/: air + voice (like “buzz”)

Common examples

/s/: see, sun, bus, rice, hiss
/z/: zoo, zero, music, boys, is

Very common spelling rule (plural / -s, third person -s)

After a voiceless sound → usually /s/
- cats /kæts/, books /bʊks/
After a voiced sound → usually /z/
- dogs /dɔːgz/, kids /kɪdz/
After s, z, sh, ch, x, j sounds → /ɪz/
- buses /ˈbʌsɪz/, watches /ˈwɑːtʃɪz/

Quick practice

Hold a long sound: ssssss (quiet throat) vs zzzzzz (buzzing throat)

S 和 Z 发音（中文）

它们是什么

/s/ = 清音的 “s”
/z/ = 浊音的 “z”

怎么快速分辨（最简单的方法）

用手指摸喉咙（喉结附近）。
- /s/：几乎没有震动
- /z/：有明显震动（声带在工作）

怎么发出来

口型几乎一样（舌头靠近上齿龈后方的齿龈脊，气流从狭窄通道出去）。
关键差别是 有没有“带声”：
- /s/：只有气流（像 “snake” 里的 s）
- /z/：气流 + 声带振动（像 “buzz” 的嗡嗡感）

常见例子

/s/：see, sun, bus, rice, hiss
/z/：zoo, zero, music, boys, is

超常见拼写规则（复数 / -s，第三人称 -s）

前面是 清辅音 → 通常读 /s/
- cats /kæts/，books /bʊks/
前面是浊音 → 通常读 /z/
- dogs /dɔːgz/，kids /kɪdz/
结尾是 s, z, sh, ch, x, j 这类音 → 读 /ɪz/
- buses /ˈbʌsɪz/，watches /ˈwɑːtʃɪz/

快速练习

拉长发音：ssssss（喉咙不震） vs zzzzzz（喉咙在震）

Intro to the EAR Diphthong (American English)

In American English, the EAR diphthong is most commonly the sound /ɪr/—a quick glide from a relaxed /ɪ/ (“ih”) into /r/. You hear it in words like ear, here, near, cheer, fear, and weird (often /wɪrd/).

1) What it sounds like

Start with a short “ih” sound: like the vowel in sit.
Then slide immediately into /r/.
The vowel part is usually short, and the /r/ is strong in American English (rhotic).

2) How to make it (step-by-step)

Jaw: slightly open, relaxed.
Tongue (vowel /ɪ/): high and forward-ish, not tense.
Slide to /r/: pull the tongue back slightly and raise the sides of the tongue; the tongue tip usually does not touch the roof of the mouth.
Lips: often slightly rounded for /r/.

Try it slowly: ih → r = /ɪr/.

3) Common spelling patterns

You’ll often see ear / eer / ere / ier / ir:

ear: ear, hear, near
eer: cheer, deer (many Americans say /dɪr/)
ere: here, sincere
ier: pierce, tier
ir: weird, spirit (varies by word)

4) Practice words

Say each one clearly, then faster:

ear, here, near, fear, cheer, beard, weird, pier

5) Quick sentence practice

“I’m here near the pier.”
“I can hear the cheer.”
“Don’t fear being weird.”

美式英语中的 EAR 双元音入门

在美式英语里，EAR 双元音最常见的读音是 /ɪr/——从放松的 /ɪ/（“ih”）快速滑向 /r/。你会在这些词里听到它：ear, here, near, cheer, fear，以及 weird（常见读法是 /wɪrd/）。

1) 听起来像什么

先发一个短促的 “ih”：类似 sit 里的元音。
然后 立刻滑到 /r/。
元音部分通常很短，而美式英语的 /r/ 很明显（卷舌音/儿化特征，rhotic）。

2) 怎么发（分步骤）

下巴：微微张开，放松。
舌位（元音 /ɪ/）：舌头较高、偏前一些，但不要紧绷。
滑向 /r/：舌头略向后收，同时 抬高舌头两侧；舌尖通常不碰上颚。
嘴唇：发 /r/ 时常常 略微圆唇。

慢慢试：ih → r = /ɪr/。

3) 常见拼写规律

你经常会看到这些拼写：ear / eer / ere / ier / ir：

ear：ear, hear, near
eer：cheer, deer（很多美式发音会读成 /dɪr/）
ere：here, sincere
ier：pierce, tier
ir：weird, spirit（不同单词会有差异）

4) 练习词

每个词先清晰读，再加快：

ear, here, near, fear, cheer, beard, weird, pier

5) 句子快速练习

“I’m here near the pier.”
“I can hear the cheer.”
“Don’t fear being weird.”

Intro to the “UH” Vowel (American English)

1) What sound is “UH”?

In American English, “UH” most often means the /ʌ/ sound (the STRUT vowel), like in cup, luck, sun.
There’s also a very common “uh” sound called schwa /ə/ in unstressed syllables, like about, sofa.
In this intro, we’ll focus on /ʌ/ and briefly compare it to /ə/.

2) How to pronounce /ʌ/ (mouth + tongue)

Jaw: slightly open (not wide)
Lips: relaxed, not rounded
Tongue: relaxed in the center of the mouth (not high, not front)
Voice: ON (it’s a voiced vowel)
Quick feel: Say “ah” then relax your mouth and let the sound move toward a neutral “uh”.

3) /ʌ/ vs. schwa /ə/ (easy comparison)

/ʌ/ = usually stressed: CUP, LUCK, SUN
/ə/ = usually unstressed: aBOUT, SOfa, again
A helpful rule: if the syllable is strong and clear, it’s often /ʌ/; if it’s weak and quick, it’s often /ə/.

4) Common spellings for /ʌ/

u: cup, sun, luck, rush
o: love, come, mother, some
ou: young, tough
oo: flood, blood (common exceptions)

5) Minimal pairs (hear the difference)

/ʌ/ vs /æ/: cup vs cap, luck vs lack
/ʌ/ vs /ʊ/: cut vs could, luck vs look
/ʌ/ vs /oʊ/: cut vs coat, son vs sew (name “Sew”)

6) Quick practice routine (5 minutes)

Step 1 (sound): hold /ʌ/ for 2 seconds: “uhhh”
Step 2 (syllables): bʌ, kʌ, sʌ, lʌ
Step 3 (words): cup, luck, sun, love, come
Step 4 (phrases): a cup, so much, just one, come back
Step 5 (sentence): “I just want one cup.” (stress just / want / one / cup)

7) Common mistakes to avoid

Too rounded (turning into /ʊ/ like book): keep lips relaxed.
Too open (drifting toward an “ah” sound): don’t drop the jaw too much.
Using schwa in a stressed syllable: keep /ʌ/ clear when the syllable is stressed.

8) Self-check tips

Record yourself saying “cup” and “coop” (to compare /ʌ/ vs /u/).
Put a finger under your chin: /ʌ/ should be small jaw movement, not big.
If it sounds “lazy” but the word is stressed, make it a bit clearer: /ʌ/, not /ə/.

“UH” 元音简介（美式英语）

1) “UH” 是什么音？

在美式英语里，“UH” 最常指 /ʌ/ 这个音（STRUT 元音），比如 cup, luck, sun。
还有一个非常常见的 “uh” 音叫 弱读元音 schwa /ə/，出现在 非重读 音节里，比如 about, sofa。
这篇简介会重点讲 /ʌ/，并简单对比 /ə/。

2) /ʌ/ 怎么发（口型 + 舌位）

下巴： 微微张开（不要张太大）
嘴唇： 放松，不要噘圆
舌头： 放松在口腔中间（不高、不靠前）
声带： 要振动（这是浊元音）
快速体感： 先说 “ah”，然后放松口腔，让声音回到更中性的 “uh”。

3) /ʌ/ 和弱读元音 /ə/（简单对比）

/ʌ/ = 通常重读：CUP, LUCK, SUN
/ə/ = 通常 非重读：aBOUT, SOfa, again
一个好用的规则：音节如果强而清楚，常常是 /ʌ/；如果弱而很快，常常是 /ə/。

4) /ʌ/ 的常见拼写

u: cup, sun, luck, rush
o: love, come, mother, some
ou: young, tough
oo: flood, blood (常见例外)

5) 最小对立对（听出差别）

/ʌ/ vs /æ/：cup vs cap, luck vs lack
/ʌ/ vs /ʊ/：cut vs could, luck vs look
/ʌ/ vs /oʊ/：cut vs coat, son vs sew (名字 “Sew”)

6) 快速练习流程（5 分钟）

步骤 1（音）： 把 /ʌ/ 拉长 2 秒：“uhhh”
步骤 2（音节）： bʌ, kʌ, sʌ, lʌ
步骤 3（单词）： cup, luck, sun, love, come
步骤 4（短语）： a cup, so much, just one, come back
步骤 5（句子）： “I just want one cup.”（重读 just / want / one / cup）

7) 常见错误要避免

嘴唇太圆（变成 /ʊ/ 像 book）：保持嘴唇放松。
口太开（跑向 “ah” 的感觉）：下巴不要掉太多。
重读音节用成 schwa： 该重读时把 /ʌ/ 发清楚，不要变成 /ə/。

8) 自我检查小技巧

录音对比 “cup” 和 “coop”（比较 /ʌ/ 和 /u/）。
手指放在下巴下面：/ʌ/ 的下巴动作应该小，不是大幅度。
如果听起来太“糊”但这个词在重读位置，就把它发清一点：/ʌ/，不是 /ə/。

Intro to the “UH” Vowel (Part 2) — American English

1) Is “uh” always found in the stressed syllable of a word?

Mostly yes (for /ʌ/).

The /ʌ/ vowel (STRUT) is usually stressed: CUP, LUCK, SUN, MOTH-er, BROTH-er.
In unstressed syllables, American English often uses schwa /ə/ instead (a weaker “uh”): aBOUT /əˈbaʊt/, soFA /ˈsoʊfə/.
In fast speech, even a syllable that could have /ʌ/ may sound closer to /ə/ if it’s not stressed.

Takeaway: If the syllable is clearly stressed, “uh” is often /ʌ/. If it’s weak/quick, it’s often /ə/.

2) “u” followed by a consonant = /ʌ/?

Often, but not always.
Common /ʌ/ examples:

cut, cup, luck, fun, bus, rush

Common exceptions (not /ʌ/):

put /pʊt/, push /pʊʃ/, pull /pʊl/, full /fʊl/ (these are usually /ʊ/ in American English)
use /juz/, music /ˈmjuzɪk/ (here “u” is /ju/ or /u/, not /ʌ/)

Tip: If the word is in the “put/push/pull/full” family, it’s usually /ʊ/, not /ʌ/.

3) “u” between two consonants = /ʌ/?

Very often (especially in one-syllable words).

fun, sun, run, luck, duck, jump, lunch

But still watch for the /ʊ/ exceptions:

pull, push, full (and sometimes bull /bʊl/)

4) “o” followed by a consonant, followed by an “e” (the “O–E sandwich”) = /ʌ/?

Most of the time it’s /oʊ/: hope, rope, joke, note
But there’s a small exception set with /ʌ/: come, some, love, shove, done, none
One fun example: dove can be /dʌv/ (the verb “dive” past tense for some speakers) or /doʊv/ (the bird), depending on meaning and speaker.

5) “C-O-M” (like C-O-M-E) = /ʌ/?

Sometimes “o” spells /ʌ/ in common words, but it’s a word-list pattern, not a perfect rule.
Very common /ʌ/ words with o:

come /kʌm/, some /sʌm/, love /lʌv/, money /ˈmʌni/
mother /ˈmʌðər/, brother /ˈbrʌðər/, another /əˈnʌðər/

But many “o” words are NOT /ʌ/:

home /hoʊm/, cone /koʊn/, most /moʊst/

Tip: Memorize the high-frequency set: come, some, love, money, mother, brother, another.

6) What about: what, was, of, the, because?

These are function words, so their vowel often changes with stress (strong form vs weak form).

what: usually /wʌt/ (often stays /ʌ/ even in fast speech)
was: strong /wʌz/, weak /wəz/
of: strong /ʌv/, weak /əv/
the: usually /ðə/ before consonants (the book), and /ði/ before vowels (the apple) or when emphasized
because: commonly /bɪˈkʌz/ in American English; also /bɪˈkɔz/ for some speakers; very often reduced in speech to /kəz/ (“’cause”)

Mini practice (natural American rhythm):

What was the problem? → /wʌt wəz ðə ˈprɑbləm/
It was because of the bus. → /ɪt wəz kəz əv ðə bʌs/

“UH” 元音简介（第 2 部分）——美式英语

1) “uh” 一定在单词的重读音节里吗？

大多数情况下是（针对 /ʌ/）。

/ʌ/（STRUT 元音）通常是重读：CUP, LUCK, SUN, MOTH-er, BROTH-er。
在非重读音节里，美式英语常用 schwa /ə/（更弱的 “uh”）：aBOUT /əˈbaʊt/、soFA /ˈsoʊfə/。
在快速语流中，即使某个音节可能有 /ʌ/，只要不重读，也可能听起来更像 /ə/。

**结论：**音节如果明显重读，“uh” 往往是 /ʌ/；如果又弱又快，往往是 /ə/。

2) “u” 后面跟辅音 = /ʌ/ 吗？

经常是，但不总是。
常见 /ʌ/ 例子：

cut, cup, luck, fun, bus, rush

常见例外（不是 /ʌ/）：

put /pʊt/、push /pʊʃ/、pull /pʊl/、full /fʊl/（这些在美式英语里通常是 /ʊ/）
use /juz/、music /ˈmjuzɪk/（这里 “u” 是 /ju/ 或 /u/，不是 /ʌ/）

**小提示：**如果单词属于 “put/push/pull/full” 这一类，通常是 /ʊ/，不是 /ʌ/。

3) “u” 在两个辅音中间 = /ʌ/ 吗？

非常常见（尤其是一音节词）。

fun, sun, run, luck, duck, jump, lunch

但仍要注意 /ʊ/ 的例外：

pull, push, full（以及有时 bull /bʊl/）

4) “o” + 辅音 + “e”（“O–E 三明治”）= /ʌ/ 吗？

大多数时候是 /oʊ/：hope, rope, joke, note

但有一小组 /ʌ/ 的例外：come, some, love, shove, done, none

一个有趣的例子：dove 既可能是 /dʌv/（动词 “dive” 的过去式，对一些说话者而言）也可能是 /doʊv/（鸟），取决于含义和说话者。

5) “C-O-M”（比如 C-O-M-E）= /ʌ/ 吗？

有时 “o” 会拼成 /ʌ/，但这更像高频词清单，而不是完美规则。
非常常见的 o = /ʌ/ 单词：

come /kʌm/、some /sʌm/、love /lʌv/、money /ˈmʌni/
mother /ˈmʌðər/、brother /ˈbrʌðər/、another /əˈnʌðər/

但很多 “o” 的词并不是 /ʌ/：

home /hoʊm/、cone /koʊn/、most /moʊst/

**小提示：**先背最常用的一组：come, some, love, money, mother, brother, another。

6) 那么这些词呢：what, was, of, the, because？

这些是功能词，所以它们的元音常随重音变化（强读 vs 弱读）。

what：通常 /wʌt/（即使语速快也常保持 /ʌ/）
was：强读 /wʌz/，弱读 /wəz/
of：强读 /ʌv/，弱读 /əv/
the：在辅音前通常 /ðə/（the book），在元音前通常 /ði/（the apple），或在强调时用 /ði/
because：美式英语里常见 /bɪˈkʌz/；也有一些人读 /bɪˈkɔz/；口语里经常弱化成 /kəz/（“’cause”）

小练习（自然的美式节奏）：

What was the problem? → /wʌt wəz ðə ˈprɑbləm/
It was because of the bus. → /ɪt wəz kəz əv ðə bʌs/

January 9, 2026

American English - Pronunciation