
Welcome to this lesson on mastering the /ɔː/ sound in American English! The /ɔː/ sound is a vital element in American English pronunciation. It occurs in many common words such as "bought," "thought," and "all." Accurate pronunciation of this sound can help you sound more like a native speaker, improve your overall spoken English, and boost your confidence in conversations.

Let's dive in and learn how to make this essential sound!

Introduction


Follow these steps to learn how to make the /ɔː/ sound in American English:

1. **Relax your mouth:** Keep your lips, tongue, and jaw relaxed. The /ɔː/ sound is produced with an open, relaxed mouth.
2. **Round your lips:** Shape your lips as if you're about to whistle, but not quite as tight. Your lips should be slightly rounded and protruded.
3. **Lower your tongue:** Keep the back of your tongue low in your mouth. The middle and front parts of the tongue should be in the middle or slightly raised, but not touching the roof of your mouth.
4. **Open your throat:** To achieve the /ɔː/ sound, you need to open your throat and create a relaxed, deep resonance. This is different from the more closed resonance of the /ʌ/ sound, as in "cut."
5. **Voice the sound:** The /ɔː/ sound is voiced, meaning your vocal cords should vibrate as you produce it.

## Practice Tips

### Classic Mistakes

English learners often make these mistakes when pronouncing the /ɔː/ sound:

1. **Confusing /ɔː/ with /ɑː/:** Some learners may confuse the /ɔː/ sound with the /ɑː/ sound, as in "father." Remember to round your lips and lower the back of your tongue for the /ɔː/ sound.
2. **Not rounding the lips enough:** Make sure to slightly protrude and round your lips to produce the correct sound. Not rounding the lips enough can result in an incorrect sound or create confusion between similar sounds.

### Special Attention Points

Here are some points to focus on while practicing the /ɔː/ sound:

1. **Work on minimal pairs with /ɔː/ and /ɑː/:** For example, practice differentiating between "cot" (/kɑːt/) and "caught" (/kɔːt/). This will help you to better distinguish between the two sounds.
2. **Practice the /ɔː/ sound in various positions within words:** The /ɔː/ sound can appear at the beginning, middle, or end of words. Practice words like "tall," "bought," and "law" to become comfortable with the sound in different contexts.

By following these instructions and practice tips, you will be well on your way to mastering the /ɔː/ sound in American English. Keep practicing, and soon you'll notice a significant improvement in your pronunciation!