Introduction to schwa /ə/
The reduced vowel sound called schwa is the most common vowel sound in spoken English.
Schwa is a quick, relaxed, neutral vowel pronunciation very close to a 'short u' /ʌ/. The
purpose of schwa is to allow unstressed syllables to be said more quickly so the main beats of
spoken words are easier to place on the stressed syllables.
Schwa does not have an exact and standard pronunciation. Due to the near-identical
pronunciation of schwa and short u, many dictionaries merge the transcription of the two
sounds and strictly use /ə/. Separate symbols are retained here to indicate whether a vowel
sound falls on a stressed or unstressed syllable.
Schwa occurs in two different circumstances:
1. in an unstressed syllable of a multi-syllable word
2. as a reduced vowel sound in a function word
Schwa in an unstressed syllable
In words with more than one syllable, not every syllable is given equal emphasis when
spoken. Three levels of syllable stress are possible:
1.stressed /⬤/
2. secondarily stressed / ●/
3. unstressed /•/
The spellings of schwa
Many multi-syllable words do not seem to be pronounced as they are spelled. This is because
schwa is a function of syllable stress and not of spelling. Once learners can recognize stressed
syllables, it becomes easier to predict when schwa will be used in an adjacent, unstressed
vowel, regardless of the spelling. The examples below show schwa as it is exhibited when
spelled with each vowel. They syllable containing schwa is bolded.
'a' spelling:
again: /ə 'gɛn/
vitamin: /'vɑɪ t̬ ə mɪn/
'e' spelling
petition: /pə ˈtɪʃ ən/,
celebrate: /ˈsɛl ə breɪt/ “sell”…
'i' spelling
president: /ˈprɛz ə dɛnt/,
experiment: /ɪk 'spɛr ə mənt/
'o' spelling
occur: /ə 'kɚ/,
condition: /kən ˈdɪʃ ən/
'u' spelling
campus: /ˈkæm pəs/,
support: /sə ˈpɔrt/
Dictionaries and schwa
Even for stressed syllables, some dictionaries do not use a separate symbol for schwa /ə/ and
the 'short u' /ʌ/. When schwa is the only symbol used, it can be assumed that the word is
pronounced with /ʌ/. The five examples below compare the transcription used by Merriam-
Webster OnLine Dictionary (first) and Cambridge Dictionary of American English (second).
1. cut: /kət/, /kʌt/
2. sun: /sən/, /sʌn/
3. love: /ləv/, /lʌv/
4. truck: /trək/, /trʌk/
5. stuff: /stəf/, /stʌf/
CONSONANTS:
1 st group:
R-controlled vowels
How to pronounce 'schwa+r' /ɚ/
What is ‘schwa’? ‘Schwa’ is an English vowel sound. In the International Phonetic Alphabet
it’s written as /ə/. Schwa has a special name because it’s the most common English vowel
sound. Schwa is a weak vowel found in unstressed syllables. It sounds like a weak ‘uh’ sound
eg. ‘carrot’ is pronounced /ˈkæ.rət/ KA.ruht.
'Schwa+r' /ɚ/ is an r-controlled vowel. This strange sound is created the same way as the 'r
sound' /r/, and therefore has the same two options available for pronouncing it.
The first option is to raise the back of the tongue so that the sides of the tongue touch the
back teeth. The center of the back of the tongue is lower and the air travels through this
groove to create the sound.
WATCH OUR VIDEO ABOUT PRONOUNCING SCHWA+R.
Alternatively, the tip of the tongue can be raised and curled back behind the tooth ridge while
the back of the tongue stays low. The air still travels over the back of the tongue, but moves
more along the sides and tip.
The tip of the tongue never touches the tooth ridge during the American English
'schwa+r' /ɚ/ or 'r sound' /r/.
Common 'schwa+r' /ɚ/ spellings
1. er
a. her /hɚ/ here (lips in a smile) VS. hear (also lips in a smile, the same) VS.
her (lips in an “O” shape) VS. heard (also lips in an “O”)
b. verb /vɚb/
c. after /'æft ɚ/
2. ir
a. girl /gɚl/ (again, lips in a slight “O” shape)
b. birth /bɚθ/
c. stir /stɚ/
3. ur
a. burn /bɚn/
b. purple /'pɚp l/ (again, lips in “o” shape; “e” is silent)
c. occur /ə 'kɚ/
4. ear
a. learn /lɚn/ (lips in an “o” shape)
b. pearl /pɚl/ (add a bit of “o” in it)
c. heard /hɚd/
5. (w+)or
a. word /wɚd/
b. work /wɚk/
c. world /wɚld/
6. vowel+r (unstressed syllable)
a. doctor /'dɑkt ɚ/
b. forget /fɚ 'gɛt/
c. dollar /'dɑl ɚ/ (DAAAA-ller) with “aaa” open
'schwa+r sound' non-phonetic words
1. were (not the same as “where”, where your lips open a little to the back)
Practice pronouncing 'schwa+r' /ɚ/
Beginning sound
earth (“urrrth”)
early (“urrrly”)
urban (urrrb-n) similar to “turban”
Middle Sound
burn
learn
work
world
concern
modern
worry (letter “O” is a little closed up)
encourage (same as “courage”)
universe (the last “e” is silent)
emergency
End Sound
stir
were (the first “e” is totally silent”; just like HER) “They were with her.”
after
never
over
refer
water (make the “t” into a flapped t – becomes a “d”)
popular
elevator (either “t” or “flapped t/d” are fine!)
Schwa Exercise 1
Schwa Sound Examples when the letter ‘o’ becomes ‘schwa’:
confirm /kənˈfɜːm/ (just like you pronounce “firm”)
combine /kəmˈbaɪn/
purpose /ˈpɜː.pəs/
famous /ˈfeɪ.məs/
Schwa Exercise 2
English Schwa Examples when the letter ‘a’ becomes ‘schwa’:
thousand /ˈθaʊ.zənd/ “no a in this case” thou-znd
atlas /ˈæt.ləs/
salad /ˈsæ.ləd/
amount /əˈmaʊnt/
Schwa Exercise 3
Schwa Sound Examples when the letter ‘u’ becomes ‘schwa’:
focus /ˈfoʊ.kəs/
virus /ˈvaɪ.rəs/
August /ˈɔː.ɡəst/
supply /səˈplaɪ/ (u is almost silent) the stress is the same as in “apply – supply”
Schwa Exercise 4
English Schwa Examples when the letter ‘e’ becomes ‘schwa’:
item /ˈaɪ.təm/
perhaps /pəˈhæps/ (AmE: “purrhaps” / BrE: pe-haps”)
develop /dəˈve.ləp/
business /ˈbɪz.nɪs/
Schwa Exercise 5
Schwa Sound Examples of when the letter ‘i’ becomes ‘schwa’:
pencil /ˈpen.səl/
cousin /ˈkʌ.zən/
mention /ˈmen.ʃən/ =”I” is almost silent
permission /pəˈmɪʃ.ən/ = “I” is almost silent
Schwa Exercise 6
English Schwa Examples of when the letter ‘y’ becomes ‘schwa’:
syringe /səˈrɪndʒ/
vinyl /ˈvaɪ.nəl/
catalyst /ˈkæ.tə.lɪst/ either “t” or “d” – fine!
pyjamas /pəˈdʒɑː.məz/ (j sound – your jaw has to drop!), PJs
MORE PRACTICE HERE:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HaQUTdemPQ8
