Di seguito una tabella riassuntiva delle caratteristiche delle vocali inglesi
Phonetically, vowels are oral, voiced and aggressive sounds produced without any obstruction to the airstream coming from the lungs.
| ɪ = FRONT,CLOSE,SHORT (BIG = /bɪɡ/) | i: = FRONT, CLOSE, LONG, UNROUNDED (TREE = /triː/) |
| ɛ = FRONT, HALF OPEN, SHORT, UNROUNDED (LEG = /leg/) | æ = FRONT, OPEN, SHORT (CAT = /kæt/) |
| ɑ: = OPEN, BACK, LONG, TENSE (CAR = /kɑːr/) | ʌ = CENTRAL, OPEN, SHORT, LAX (CUP = /kʌp/) |
| ɒ = BACK, OPEN, SHORT (NOT = /nɒt/) | ɔ: = BACK, HALF OPEN, LONG, ROUNDED (CALL = /kɔːl/) |
| ʊ = BACK, CLOSE, SHORT, ROUNDED (BOOK = /bʊk/) | u: = BACK, CLOSE, LONG (FOOD = /fuːd/) |
| ɜ: = CENTRAL, HALF OPEN, LONG (WORK = /wɜːk/) |
/ə/ (schwa) this sound is not included in the vowel phonemic inventory but it is extremely important for pronunciation because it occurs in unstressed syllables, therefore quite frequently in speech. It is a central, lax sound, also used as an expression of hesitation.