Today in the Fun Easy English classroom you are going to
learn to pronounce the sound aw as in
the words bought,
cost,
lawn,
walk. Remember "practice makes
perfect" if you want to improve your English speaking ability.
Hey
if you cannot understand something on this page,
then use the Fun Easy English
dictionary
(opens in a new window)
Pronounce the sound aw as in
the words bought,
cost,
lawn,
walk. Watch the following pronunciation
videos and learn to pronounce this sound correctly.
Video:
American English Pronunciation Lesson 10
Spelling
a
all,
call, small,
talk, walk
au
audience,
caught, clause,
daughter, pause
aw
awful,
dawn, law,
lawn, raw,
saw
o
cost,
lost
ou
bought,
cough
Note: the red
letters all have the same sound
Sound:
Voiced and Unvoiced
This is a VOICED sound which means Your Vocal Cords DO
vibrate when making this sound.
You CAN
LISTEN to your Vocal Cords vibrating if you cover
your ears with your hands.
Try covering your ears with your hands as Akiko is doing in
the picture.
Now make the sound of this lesson. Can you listen to your vocal cords vibrating?
VERY GOOD
You CAN
FEEL your Vocal Cords vibrating if
you place your hands on your neck.
Try placing your hands on your neck as Akiko is doing in the
picture.
Now make the sound of this lesson. Can you feel your vocal
cords vibrating?
VERY GOOD
The following diagram shows the most important parts of your
head and mouth used for pronouncing the sounds of English.
It also shows the location of your Vocal Cords.
Position: Mouth, lips,
and tongue
The following descriptions explain the proper mouth, lips,
and tongue position when you make this sound.
Mouth
Your
mouth should be relaxed.
Lips
Your lips should be rounded.
Tongue
The front part of your tongue should be in the center part of your
mouth.
Practice video
Listen to the video and practice repeating each word.
Pronunciation practice words
Look at your mouth in a mirror and practice pronouncing
the following words. Make sure your mouth, lips, and
tongue are in their proper positions.
call
audience
awful
cost
bought
talk
clause
lawn
lost
cough
walk
raw
Note: the red letters all
have the same sound (watch the video above)
Test: Pronunciation word test
Choose the correct letter or
letters to complete each of the following words.
1. c_ll
2. _ _dience
3. _ _ful
4. c_st
5. b_ _ght
6. t_lk
7. cl_ _se
8. l_ _n
9. w_lk
10. r_w
Note:
the letter or letters needed to complete each word all have
the same sound.
From
YOUR Teacher:
An Interesting Sound
This sound is used a lot. Although it can be spelled
many different ways, this still seems like an A sound.
Additional Lessons
About These
Lessons
The following classroom lessons are great for students
who want additional conversation, listening, and reading
practice.
Conversation Lesson -
Intermediate Level. Let's
Learn English conversation lesson
with a conversation video, a video script, audio
listening practice, and a new
words section.
Conversation Lesson
28 - For the Birds
(Intermediate -
Conversation, Listening, Reading)
In this lesson Anna looks for birds but finds ice cream
trucks. And then she finds...a spy? But, what is he
hiding?
Lesson Video
Watch the video and then read the video script.
Video Script
KELLY: Oh, Anna, there you are! I am so glad we joined the Great City Bird
Count! Aren't you?
ANNA: No. Today has been a bust … a flop … a bummer!
KELLY: I’m sensing a little disappointment.
ANNA: A little?
KELLY: My official bird-watching form is almost full!
ANNA: I've only seen pigeons ... lots and lots of pigeons! But I did write down
some other valuable information.
KELLY: Did you find a bird's nest?!
ANNA: No.
(She shows Kelly a map of ice cream trucks.)
ANNA: I found 10 ice cream trucks in this five-block area. Their music seems to
follow me everywhere.
KELLY: We're supposed to be counting birds, not ice cream trucks. This is
important scientific work!
ANNA: Well, when you want ice cream, my data will be pretty important.
KELLY: Anna, birds are everywhere! I’m sure you’ll find something. Use your
imagination! But, make sure that you put it on the official form.
(Anna walks away with her ice cream truck map.)
PROF. BOT: Anna was supposed to find birds, but she didn’t.
PROF. BOT: Kelly says, “We're supposed to be counting birds, not ice cream
trucks.” To be supposed to means you are expected to do something.
PROF. BOT: It’s different from have to and ought to. Have to means you must do
something. And ought to means you should do it but you don’t have to.
PROF. BOT: Keep watching for have to and ought to!
(Anna looks through binoculars but doesn't see birds. She talks to herself.)
ANNA: No birds. Oh wait, there’s another ice cream truck! Anna, focus on birds.
Aw, but that truck has my favorite flavor ... banana!
ANNA: That man is in the way. I can’t see the price. I wonder what flavor he's
getting.
ANNA: Strawberry? He doesn't seem like a strawberry kind of guy.
ANNA: In fact, he doesn't seem like an ice cream truck kind of guy. That suit
looks expensive.
ANNA: Maybe he's a spy! You know what that means: The ice cream truck driver is
a spy, too!
ANNA: Genius! It’s a perfect disguise.
ANNA: What?! The man in the suit left his briefcase at the ice cream truck!
ANNA: I was right! He is a spy! And, he just dropped off top-secret information!
I ought to do something. Something needs to be done! I need to do something.
(Anna runs to the ice cream truck and takes the briefcase.)
ANNA: I did it! I took the spy’s briefcase!
ANNA: What’s that?! The ice cream truck -- it’s following me! It wants the case
back! I have to hide.
(She runs and hides behind a tree.)
ANNA: This is my life now -- running, scared, alone.
(She runs to another tree.)
ANNA: That awful music -- it’s following me everywhere!
(The man sees her at the tree.)
MAN: Hey! You found my briefcase.
ANNA: You caught me! I mean, I caught you!
MAN: Well, I just want my briefcase. All my poems are in there.
ANNA: Poems? You’re a poet?
MAN: Well, I'm a lawyer. But I write poems, too.
(Anna gives the man his briefcase.)
ANNA: So, you’re not a spy?
MAN: You look disappointed.
ANNA: No, that’s okay. It’s not your fault. Poems are nice, too. I guess.
MAN: Well, would you like me to read my latest one?
ANNA: Why not?
MAN: On sunny day walks, my hand reaches for ice cream from fragaria.
ANNA: I love your poem!
MAN: I love ice cream.
ANNA: Me too.
MAN: What's your favorite flavor?
ANNA: Banana.
MAN: Well, my favorite flavor is ...
ANNA: Strawberry!
MAN: How did you know that?
ANNA: A little bird told me.
Listening
Now practice listening to only the audio portion of the conversation.
Grammar
In past Let's Learn English lessons, you learned about the modal verbs have to
and ought to. Today, you learned be supposed to. English learners sometimes
confuse them:
Be supposed to means to be expected to do
something. But, sometimes we use it to say what someone is allowed to do.
Examples:
“We're supposed to be counting birds, not ice cream trucks.” -Kelly
I am supposed to meet someone for lunch at noon.
They were not supposed to stay in the store after it closed.
Have to has the same meaning as must. In American
English, have to is much more common than must.
Examples:
“I have to hide!” -Anna
We have to leave by 9am to catch the tour.
What time do you have to be at work?
Ought to has the same meaning as should. But, it
is less common and more formal. Sometimes, it is used for saying what is
probable.
Examples:
“I ought to hide!” -Anna
You ought to visit us for the holiday.
The show ought to be done in an hour.
Modal
Form
be supposed to
am/is/are/was/were + supposed to
+ simple verb
have to
have to + simple verb
ought to
ought to + simple verb
Expressing Disappointment
In friendly situations, we sometimes use informal language to show
disappointment.
For example, Anna says, "Today has been a bust...a flop...a bummer!"
Bust, flop, and bummer are three informal words that show disappointment. Bust
and flop mean a complete failure. A bummer is something unpleasant or
disappointing.
Examples:
I lost my phone. What a bummer!
Last night's event was a real bust.
The film was so boring. It was a flop.
Sometimes, we can tell a person nicely that they did not cause the
disappointment.
For example, Anna learns that the man with the briefcase is not a spy. She is
disappointed, but says: "No, that’s okay. It’s not your fault."
Writing Practice
Now, you try it!
1. Write about something that should or must happen soon in your life or in your
city or town. Use be supposed to, have to and ought to.
2. What is something that you or someone else has felt disappointed about? Write
a few sentences about it. Use language from today's lesson to show
disappointment.
Or, just tell us what you think of the lesson. We'd love to hear from you! Write
to us in the comments section below.
Review
In today's lesson, you saw examples of grammar from past lessons. Look for
sentences in Lesson 28 with:
passive voice
present perfect
adverb clauses
the verb tell
Write your findings in the Facebook comments section below.
New Words
binoculars –
n. a device that you hold up to your eyes and
look through to see things that are far away
bird –
n. an animal that has wings and is covered with
feathers
block –
n. an area of land surrounded by four streets
in a city
briefcase –
n. a flat case that is used for carrying papers
or books
data –
n. facts or information used usually to
calculate, analyze, or plan something
disguise –
n. made to look like something else
drop off –
phrasal verb. to take someone or something to a
place and then leave
fragaria –
n. a flowering plant that bears strawberries
genius –
adj. in a way that uses remarkable talent or
intelligence
guy –
n. a man (informal)
imagination –
n. the ability to form a picture in your mind
of something that you have not seen or experienced
in the way –
expression. making it more difficult for a
person to do something
lawyer –
n. a person whose job is to guide and assist
people in matters relating to the law
A little bird told me –
expression. a way of saying that you do not
want to reveal who told you something
nest –
n. the place where a bird lays its eggs and
takes care of its young
official –
adj. permitted, accepted, or approved by a
person or organization that has authority
pigeon –
n. a gray bird that is common in cities and
that has a fat body and short legs
price –
n. the amount of money that you pay for
something or that something costs
reach –
v. to be able to touch, pick up, or grab
something by moving or stretching
sense –
v. to understand or be aware of (something)
without being told about it or having evidence that it is true
strawberry –
n. a soft, juicy red fruit that grows on a low
plant with white flowers
top-secret –
adj. kept completely secret by high government
officials
valuable –
adj. very useful or helpful
Why not? –
expression. used to make a suggestion, or agree
to a suggestion
Study all 30 English intermediate conversation lessons.
Let's Learn English conversation lessons each with a
conversation video, a video script, audio listening
practice, and a new
words section.
These lessons are for
intermediate students.
Study all 52 English beginner conversation lessons. Let's Learn
English conversation lessons each with a conversation
video, a video script, audio listening practice, video
speaking practice, video pronunciation practice, a new
words section, and a writing activity.
These
lessons are for beginning students.
Avoid Ineffective Study Methods. An audio lesson to help
you study English more effectively. The English is
spoken at 75% of normal speed. Great English study tips.
Click here to visit the lesson page with the written script for this
audio program.
You CAN
LISTEN to your Vocal Cords vibrating if you cover
your ears with your hands.
You CAN
FEEL your Vocal Cords vibrating if
you place your hands on your neck.
Mouth
Lips
Tongue
