English vowel sounds

British English vowel sounds

We explain the 20 British English vowel soundsย in videos (Lessons 1-5) and give examples of spelling and quizzes as part of our English pronunciation sounds course.

Learn pronunciation with videos

We also recommend watching the introduction to our British English pronunciation sounds course.

The whole course has 12 videos and you can learn all the British English pronunciation sounds in less than 30 minutes.


(1) English vowel sounds: iห ษช สŠ uห

You can watch, listen and repeat each vowel sound (iห ษช สŠ uห) and the examples.

Spellings: iห ษช สŠ uห

Here are spelling examples for each vowel sound (iห ษช สŠ uห).

iห be, see, beach, ski, city
ษช big, busy, England, been, myth
สŠ full, look, woman
uห who, food, music, you, new

Quiz: iห ษช สŠ uห

Choose the vowel sound (iห ษช สŠ uห) ย that we haveย underlinedย in each word.

1. pull

2. grew

3. soon

4. to

5. pretty

6. sit

7. three

8. team

9. me

10. good


(2) English vowel sounds: e ษ™ ษœห ษ”ห

You can watch, listen and repeat each vowel sound (e ษ™ ษœห ษ”ห) and the examples.

Spellings: e ษ™ ษœห ษ”ห

Here are spelling examples for each vowel sound (e ษ™ ษœห ษ”ห).

e egg, head,ย any,ย friend,ย said
ษ™ the,ย brother,ย doctor,ย popular,ย arrive
ษœห person,ย nurse,ย bird,ย work,ย earth
ษ”ห for,ย door,ย saw,ย walk,ย warm

Quiz: e ษ™ ษœห ษ”ห

Choose the vowel sound (e ษ™ ษœห ษ”ห) that we haveย underlined in each word.

1. floor

2. many

3. ten

4. jaw

5. weather

6. turn

7. around

8. heard

9. regular

10. bread


(3) English vowel sounds: รฆ สŒ aห ษ’

You can watch, listen and repeat each vowel sound (รฆ สŒ aห ษ’) and the examples.

Spellings: รฆ สŒ aห ษ’

Here are spelling examples for each vowel sound (รฆ สŒ aห ษ’).

รฆ apple
สŒ sun, money, does, touch, flood
aห car, father, are, aunt, heart
ษ’ dog, watch, because, cough

Quiz: รฆ สŒ aห ษ’

Choose the vowel sound (รฆ สŒ aห ษ’) that we haveย underlined in each word.

1. hot

2. some

3. arm

4. chat

5. trough

6. cut

7. animal

8. heart

9. couple

10. path


(4) English vowel sounds: ษชษ™ eษช สŠษ™ ษ”ษช

You can watch, listen and repeat each vowel sound (ษชษ™ eษช สŠษ™ ษ”ษช) and the examples.

Spellings: ษชษ™ eษช สŠษ™ ษ”ษช

Here are spelling examples for each vowel sound (ษชษ™ eษช สŠษ™ ษ”ษช).

ษชษ™ ear, beer, here, idea
eษช cake, day, train, great, they
สŠษ™ tour, Europe, cure
ษ”ษช boy, voice

Quiz: ษชษ™ eษช สŠษ™ ษ”ษช

Choose the vowel sound (ษชษ™ eษช สŠษ™ ษ”ษช) thatย we haveย underlined in each word.

1. year

2. tourist

3. cheer

4. toy

5. sincere

6. rain

7. really

8. choice

9. make

10. say


(5) English vowel sounds: ษ™สŠ eษ™ aษช aสŠ

You can watch, listen and repeat each vowel sound (ษ™สŠ eษ™ aษช aสŠ) and the examples.

Spellings: ษ™สŠ eษ™ aษช aสŠ

Here are spelling examples for each vowel sound (ษ™สŠ eษ™ aษช aสŠ).

ษ™สŠ open, coat, grow, although, toe
eษ™ hair, share, bear, their, there
aษช time, fly, high, pie, eye
aสŠ now, house

Quiz: ษ™สŠ eษ™ aษช aสŠ

Choose the vowel sound (ษ™สŠ eษ™ aษช aสŠ) that we haveย underlined in each word.

1. no

2. my

3. boat

4. fine

5. chair

6. round

7. show

8. care

9. fight

10. brown


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