Pure Vowels in English

What Are Pure Vowels?

Pure vowels, also known as monophthongs, are vowel sounds that have a single, unchanging sound quality throughout their duration. In English, there are 12 pure vowels, each with a distinct sound.

Characteristics of Pure Vowels

• Single Sound: Each pure vowel maintains a consistent sound from start to finish.
• Stable Quality: The tongue and mouth position remain steady while producing the sound.
• Vowel Length: Pure vowels can be short or long, affecting their duration.

Examples of Pure Vowels

Here are some examples of pure vowels in English:

• /iː/ as in "see"
• /ɪ/ as in "sit"
• /uː/ as in "blue"
• /ʊ/ as in "put"
• /e/ as in "bed"
• /ə/ as in "sofa"
• /ɜː/ as in "bird"
• /ɔː/ as in "saw"
• /æ/ as in "cat"
• /ʌ/ as in "cup"
• /ɑː/ as in "car"
• /ɒ/ as in "hot"

Testing Vowel Quality

In exams, you may be asked to identify or differentiate between pure vowels in isolated words. Here are some tips:

• Listen carefully to the vowel sound in each word.
• Identify whether the vowel is short or long.
• Note the position of the tongue and lips when producing the sound.