əVowels
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/ə/
· · ·
Weakest vowel, never stressed. Mouth neutral, tongue relaxed. Found in 'about', 'the'.
Example words
about
taken
doctor
sofa
How to make the sound
Relax the jaw, tongue, and lips in the middle of the mouth and let the unstressed vowel stay brief.
What to feel and listen for
It is light and unstressed. The spelling can change, but the weak vowel remains similar.
Common mistake: Do not stress or lengthen schwa.
See how it differs