LISTEN

/uw/…/uw/…/uw/…/uw/

food…cute…soon…tu​tor

WHAT IS IT?

Pronunciation:
The sound /uw/ is a high, back, tense, round vowel.

• Make a tight circle with your lips
• Pull your tongue back.
• Tighten your tongue
• Breathe out and let your vocal cords vibrate.

This vowel is usually stressed, as in these words:

• neutral
• beautiful
• confuse

However, /uw/ can also be unstressed. In an unstressed syllable, /uw/ is pronounced quickly and softly. 

• curfew
• virtue
• unique

Spelling:

• “u” – mute, humid 
• “ui” – juice, fruit
• “oo” – spoon, food
• “ou” – group, you
• “ue” – blue, true
• “ew” – few, pewter
• “o” – who, move
• “eu” – neutral, feud
• “oe” (not common) – shoe, canoe​

Note: In English, some words have a /y/ sound before /uw/. This sound is “invisible” – it’s not shown in spelling. 

If the /uw/ is spelled “u,” “eu,” “eau,” or “ew,” there is usually an invisible /y/, unless the syllable begins with “j”, “r”, or “ch.”

Words with invisible /y/:

• confuse
• menu
• music
• unity

Words without invisible /y/:

• juice
• rude
• chew
• soon

For other words, there may be variation in whether speakers pronounce an invisible /y/ before /uw/. For example, invisible /y/ is usually pronounced after the “n” in “menu” but may or may not be pronounced after the /n/ in “newspaper” or “nutrition.”  This variation occurs when /uw/ is spelled “u,” “eu,” “eau,” or “ew” and comes after “t,” “d,” “s,” “x,” “l,” or “n.”

COMPARE

Compare /uw/ and /ʊ/:

/uw/…/ʊ/…/uw/…/ʊ/…/uw/…/ʊ/

These are both high, back vowels. However, /uw/ is a tense vowel and /ʊ/ is a lax vowel. To pronounce /uw/, your tongue must be tense (tight).

You can hear the difference between /uw/ and /ʊ/ in these words.

1. A. stewed, B. stood
2. A. duel, B. dull
3. A. nuke, B. nook
4. A. suit, B. soot
5. A. pooling, B. pulling
6. A. wooed, B. would

Practice recognizing words with /uw/ and /ʊ/ by taking the quiz here (external site).

Now, compare /uw/ and /ow/:

/uw/…/ow/…/uw/…/ow/…/uw/…/ow/

These are both back, tense vowels. However, /uw/ is a high vowel and /ow/ is a mid vowel.

You can hear the difference between /uw/ and /ow/ in these words.

1. A. sue, B. so
2. A. hoop, B. hope
3. A. pool, B. pole
4. A. lose, B. lows
5. A. tune, B. tone
6. A. ruler, B. roller

Practice recognizing words with /uw/ and /ow/ by taking the quiz here (external site).

PRACTICE

Listen and repeat these words. (Words with invisible-/y/ are marked with *.)

Now, practice /uw/ in sentences. Say the words first, then the sentences.

1. interview – new – Tuesday
I have an interview for a new job on Tuesday.
2. blueberries – fruit – juice
We need blueberries for the fruit juice.
3. beautiful  – truly –  unique
Your art is beautiful and truly unique.
4. confused – rules – amusement
I’m confused by the rules at the amusement park.
5. blue – shoes – cute
Those blue shoes are really cute.
6. June – too – humid
​The weather in June is too humid.

To practice with different varieties of English, choose another native English speaker by clicking one of the links below:

Male – US Midwest (St. Louis)

Male – US Midwest (Iowa)

Male – US Midwest

Female – US Northeast

Female – US Southeast

Prepare:
What activities do you do to improve your English?

• Attending a full-time language school
• Studying grammar rules
• Using English everywhere you go
• Attending events in an English-speaking community
• Keeping a notebook of new words that you learn
• Studying on the computer
• Listening to English music
• Reviewing vocabulary every day
• Tutoring someone else in English
• Reading the news in English
• Communicating with an English-speaking friend

Record:
​Imagine you are speaking to a group of new English learners. In your recording, recommend three activities that students can do to improve their English. Explain why each activity will help them improve.

©2024, Christine Wingate

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