/ɒ/ vs /ɔː/: shot vs short
In British English the short /ɒ/ and the long /ɔː/ separate spot/sport, cot/caught and pot/port. The written r in many /ɔː/ words is silent in RP; only the vowel length changes.
- Medium impact
- 7 pairs
- Three voices
1 / 10
Which word do you hear?
See the difference
Both are rounded and at the back, but /ɔː/ is longer and closer, with firmer lip rounding. Count silently to two while holding the vowel in 'short'.
All 7 pairs
In a sentence
Hardest for speakers of
Questions
What is the difference between shot and short?
shot /ʃɒt/ uses the /ɒ/ sound while short /ʃɔːt/ uses /ɔː/. Both are rounded and at the back, but /ɔː/ is longer and closer, with firmer lip rounding. Count silently to two while holding the vowel in 'short'.
Which learners find the /ɒ/ vs /ɔː/ contrast hardest?
It is most challenging for Spanish, Portuguese, Arabic, Indonesian speakers, whose first languages don't separate these two sounds.