British Vowel Sound Masterclass: Lesson 13 - 3 “O” Sounds: /ɒ/ vs /ɔː/ vs /əʊ/
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British Vowel Sound Masterclass: Lesson 13 - 3 “O” Sounds: /ɒ/ vs /ɔː/ vs /əʊ/
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About this listen
In this episode, we focus on three key British vowel sounds linked to the letter O that learners often confuse: /ɒ/ (as in octopus), /əʊ/ (as in go), and /ɔː/ (as in door).
You’ll learn how to clearly distinguish these sounds by focusing on mouth position, length, and movement—not just how they sound, but how they feel when you produce them.
We break down:
- The difference between /ɒ/ and /ʌ/ (e.g. cot vs cut)
- The contrast between /ɒ/ and /ɔː/ (e.g. cot vs caught)
- How to correctly produce the diphthong /əʊ/ and avoid flattening it
- Key distinctions between movement vs stillness and length vs glide
You’ll also practise with clear minimal pairs to build awareness and control.
By the end, you’ll have a simple framework:
- /ɒ/ = short and open
- /ɔː/ = long and rounded
- /əʊ/ = moving from neutral to rounded
In the next episode, we’ll focus on practice to help you build consistency and accuracy.
If you found this episode interesting, follow this podcast for more tips. And if you would like to work on your accent one on one book a lesson with me on italki.
https://www.italki.com/en/teacher/9446274