/ow/ as in no, cold, and tone
Another diphthong in English is /ow/. This other complex vowel has its particular way of being pronounced. It is very similar to the way it is pronounced in Spanish, for instance.
In this section, we will examine the way this sound is produced. Pay attention to the following characteristics.
- Hold the front part of your tongue low in your mouth, with the tip slightly touching the lower front teeth.
- As you begin to say the sound, raise the back of your tongue towards the roof (soft palate) of your mouth.
- Round your lips and push them forward a little.
- The opening of your mouth is smaller than for the sound /ɔ/ as in “tall.”
Pronounce the following words:
| Word | IPA |
| oh | /ow/ |
| sew | /sow/ |
| law | /lɔ/ |
| calm | /kam/ |
| talk | /tɔk/ |
| not | /nat/ |
| cut | /kʌt/ |
| nut | /nʌt/ |
| boat | /bowt/ |
| bone | /bown/ |
| abroad | /ǝ’brɔd/ |
| coal | /kowl/ |
| knot | /nɔt/ |
| soak | /sowk/ |
Now pronounce the following contrasting words.
| /ow/ | /a/ | /ʌ/ |
| note | not | nut |
| comb | calm | come |
| soak | sock | suck |
| coat | cot | cut |
| robe | rob | rub |
| phoned | fond | fund |
