17.12.10

/ə/ - schwa

It is the most frequent of all English vowels because historically it has replaced many unstressed vowels. It has a restricted distribution: it only appears in unaccented syllables.

a. Description: it is very short and weak. The middle of the tongue lies in a relax position and the lips are neutral (neither spread nor rounded).

b. Spelling: this sound only appears in unaccented syllables and it may be spelt with any single vowel or combined with consonants:

-"a": about, woman, chocolate
-"e": sister, the
-"i": impossible
-"o": synonym, photograph
-"u": suggest, Saturday

Vowels are distinguished by distribution: /ə/ can only appear in unaccented positions and /I, ʊ/ in both accented and unaccented, the rest of the vowels always requiring some kind of stress.

ACTIVITIES:
1. Watch this video about how to pronounce schwa and practice several times with the examples given in this webpage:



2. Schwa prediction
3. Pronunciation practice:
     3a. Open this chart, click on vowels-monophthongs, then click on central: listen and practice the schwa.
     3b.Watch this video and practice.
     3c. Listen, read and practice in this webpage.
4. Visit this ESL pronunciation web page and do the exercises provided to practice the schwa.

27 comments:

  1. Javier and Oliver.17 December 2010 at 17:15

    Hi, we're Javier and Oliver.

    We do all the exercises in class except watch the youtube video because internet was very slow, we'll do it at home.

    Bye.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Hello!
    I've just done these three exercise, and I've done them quite well, I didn't think that I was going to do as well, specially finding schwa in a sentence. But the most difficult is when you say a sentence where you have to join sounds, I don't know when I have to do that!
    Bye! See you!
    Yaiza

    ReplyDelete
  3. Hi!
    These exercises are very interesting.
    I've listened to the first exercise twice.
    In the second exercise, at the first section, I've had 9/12 correct answers; and in the second section, I've had 26/34 correct answers.
    Finally, in exercise 3a, I've has 9/9 correct answers; and in 3b I've had 17/17 correct answers.
    Bye
    Marta

    ReplyDelete
  4. Hi!! These exercises have been very difficult but interesting. In the exercise 2 I have had 8/11 in the first part, and in the second part I have had 23/32 (excluding examples). In the exercises 3.b I have had: in the first part 12/12 (63%) and in the second part 12/13 (60%). It has been difficult but I have passed, haven’t you? Bye-bye!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Hi! I did the first exercise (find the schwa in the words) and I had all the words perfect, but when I did the second (find the schwa in the sentences) I did a little wrong, more and less, the half of the questions because I didn't find all the schwas.
    I did better the Niger's exercise. There are 18 schwas and I failed only four.
    I will do the listenings in home because the computer doesn't want work.
    BYE!

    ReplyDelete
  6. in this exercise I had a 21% correct, it is difficult for me to differentiate the schwa in a few words.
    kisesss SARAY

    ReplyDelete
  7. Hello!
    I've done the last exercise(4) and my results have been:
    -In the first exercise(minimal pairs)I've done 10/10.
    -The second exercise, the dictation, I don't understand it, so I haevn't done it.
    -Exercise 3:
    3.Same or different:I've done 5/5 correct answers.
    4.Dictation: I've done 5/6.
    5.Questions for Answers Given: I've had 3 sentences all correct but in two sentences I've has same mistake.
    The dictation of exercise 3 I can't do it because I need another partner.
    Bye
    Marta Martínez

    ReplyDelete
  8. Hello! I have done three exercises and the last exercise has seemed me a bit difficult, I have not found many of the schwas. In the other two exercises I have repeated the words several times and I believe that I have gone very bad although there are some words that have seemed me more difficult to pronounce.
    Happy new year!
    Byee

    ReplyDelete
  9. Hi!
    Happy New year!!!!
    Well, As I have not could enter in the blog at Christmas I have enter today to do the exercise four but I need a program that I can´t download , so I can not do the last exercise. Sorry!
    Bye
    See you tomorrow!
    Yaiza

    ReplyDelete
  10. Hello !
    I have done the exercises "schwa prediction" and I have had only one fail.
    I have practiced the pronunciation of schwa and it seems a bit difficult.
    Bye :)

    Noe

    ReplyDelete
  11. Hello !I´m Manuel
    I have done the exercises schwa prediction and I have practiced the pronunciation of schwa.
    bye ;)

    ReplyDelete
  12. Hii! I'm Aida
    I have done the exercises about "Schwa prediction", it's not bad! And i have practise the pronunciation and it's well :)
    See you in class byee ;)

    ReplyDelete
  13. Hello!! I´m Jenifer
    I have done the exercises about "Schwa prediction",is very good learn to say.
    bye!!:)

    ReplyDelete
  14. Hello! I'm Irene Hormigos.
    The first exercise was easy but the second was more dificult.
    Bye! :)

    ReplyDelete
  15. Hello! I´m Irene Jiménez.
    The first exercise was normal and the second wasn´t easy.
    Bye.

    ReplyDelete
  16. This exercise is a bit difficult because this sound is very difficult for me.

    ReplyDelete
  17. It is an exercise with a little bit of difficulty but not to much.

    By: Ivan Torres Ramos

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  18. This exercise is interesting because is very important the pronuntiation in each language.

    ReplyDelete
  19. the exercise is a little bit difficult but it is good study schaw

    Jonthan Herrero

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  20. This exercise isn't difficult but it isn't easy too.

    Ángela Vázquez López.

    ReplyDelete
  21. it have a pieee of dificult, but it´s too interesting
    Pablo Fernandez

    ReplyDelete
  22. Hi! I'm Lucia and i do the exercices about schwa and i think it's dificult but interesting too.

    ReplyDelete
  23. I think the exercise is very important for learn english however is very difficult.

    Leticia León

    ReplyDelete
  24. It´s a good exercise for learnt to pronounce the schwua

    Laura

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  25. hello i´m Auda And I think that video is very good for pronunce the schwua

    ReplyDelete
  26. schwua is a way of learning that gets many positive results


    Aysha Sagnia :)*

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  27. I THINK THAT THESE EXERCISES ARE GOOD FOR IMPROVE OUR KNOWLEDGE. THEY AREN'T DIFICULT
    NOELIA R.P :D

    ReplyDelete