Congratulations-you’re making different vowels!Īs soon as you restrict or close your airflow, you start making a consonant. When you change the position of your tongue, those sounds change as well. If you round your lips, you make more of an “o” sound. If you stretch your mouth wider into a spread shape, you make more of an “e” sound. One way to help understand this concept is by opening your mouth and saying “ahh.” Now try changing the shape of your mouth without blocking the flow of air. You can also change the shape of your lips (rounded, neutral, or spread).

You can create unique sounds by placing your tongue in various different positions (front, central, or back) and at various heights (high, mid, or low).

The Difference Between Short & Long VowelsĪccording to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, a vowel is a speech sound made with your mouth open and your tongue in the middle of your mouth, not touching your teeth or lips.Ī vowel is a speech sound made without a significant constriction of the flow of air from the lungs.Įvery vowel sound is made by shaping the mouth in a specific way without blocking the airflow.

Why Are Vowels so Important in English?.

What makes a vowel a vowel