Lesson 4. Father and Mother.

/a:/ and /a/

Lesson 4; Part A

How to make the sound /a:/

/a:/ is a long sound.
Look at the diagram.
Listen and then say the sound.
Open your mouth wide.
Target sound: /a:/

Sound and spelling /a:/ is usually spelled a or ar. Listen and say these words. after afternoon ask answer bath bathroom can't class dance fast father glass tomato bar car card far park star start
Listen and say these other words with /a:/. aunt laugh heart half
Listen and say these sentences. 1 How far's the car park? 2 We went to a large bar full of film stars. 3 We're starting in half an hour.
Important for listening! In words with a letter r after the /a:/ sound, most Americans and someBritish people pronounce the r. Listen to the same sentences, this timewith the letter rs pronounced. Some people, especially in the north of England, pronounce the letters a or au as /æ/ in some of these words. Listen. after afternoon ask answer aunt bath bathroom class dance fast glass laugh
Listen to these sentences, first with /a:/, then with /æ/. 1 See you tomorrow afternoon. 3 We were laughing and dancing in the classroom. 2 I'll ask my aunt. 4 I left my glasses in the bathroom. Note: The name of the letter R is pronounced /a:/ or /a:r/. Note: The word are is often pronounced /a:/ or /a:r/.

How to make the sound /a/
/a/ is a short sound. Look at the diagram. Listen and then say the sound. Open your mouth wide. Target sound: /a/

Sound and spelling /a/ is usually spelled u, but sometimes ou or o. Listen and say these words. bus colour come cup front London luck Monday month mother much nothing number run study sun uncle under Note: The words son and sun have the same pronunciation. Note: The number one is pronounced /wan/.
Listen and say these sentences. 1 Good luck with your exam next month! 2 Take the number one bus. 3 I said 'Come on Monday', not 'Come on Sunday'. 4 My brother's studying in London.
Important for listening! Some people, especially in the north of England, say /u/ instead of /a/. Listen to the same sentences, this time with /u/

Exercises

1 Listen and write the words.

Listen and write the words in the correct column.
artist square

words with /a:/	words with other vowel sounds
artist	square

Check with the Key. Then listen again and repeat.

Listen and write the words in the correct column.
business country

words with /a/	words with other vowel sounds
country	business

Check with the Key. Then listen again and repeat.

Complete the sentences with one /a:/ word and one /a/ word. butter carpet dark hard husband love Prague son
The buter's too _______hard I'd _______love to buy that _______carpet! Their _______son's got _______hair hair. I first met my _______husband in _______Prague. Listen to check your answers. Check with the Key. Then listen again and repeat.

Listen and circle the word you hear. Check with the Key.

Check with the Key. Then listen again and repeat.

Lesson 3 Lesson 4 Lesson 5