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    Pronunciation · vowel

    The /æ/ sound: a as in cat

    In short

    /æ/ is a short near-open front vowel, the vowel you hear in cat, apple, hand. Like every diphthong, the glide between two positions IS the sound. Below: exactly how to position your mouth, audio you can copy, the mistakes learners actually make, and drills to fix them.

    How to pronounce /æ/

    1. 1Open your mouth wide, wider than feels natural at first.
    2. 2Push the front of your tongue low and forward.
    3. 3Say a bright, open 'a': cat, hand, plan.

    Sounds like: the sound a doctor asks for, 'aaa', but shorter and brighter

    /æ/ in words, with audio

    Listen, then copy. The slow (turtle) version exaggerates the mouth movement.

    • catkæt · sound is medial
    • appleˈæpəl · sound is initial
    • handhænd · sound is medial
    • planplæn · sound is medial
    • matterˈmætə · sound is medial
    • examɪɡˈzæm · sound is final

    The mistake almost everyone makes

    Closing the mouth too much so 'bad' sounds like 'bed', or backing it so 'cat' sounds like 'cut'. The /æ/ vs /ʌ/ and /æ/ vs /e/ contrasts carry many word pairs.

    Who struggles with this sound:

    • Spanish speakers: /æ/, /ʌ/ and /ɑː/ collapse into one Spanish 'a': cat/cut/cart blur together
    • Turkish speakers: /æ/ merges with /e/: 'bad' and 'bed' sound the same

    Spellings of /æ/

    These letter patterns commonly spell /æ/: a. English spelling is unreliable; trust the IPA, not the letters.

    Don't confuse it with…

    Minimal pairs isolate the exact contrast, the fastest way to train both your ear and your mouth.

    Words that drill /æ/

    Each has a full breakdown, audio in both accents and a recording drill. Practising a sound inside a real word transfers better than practising it alone.

    cacheKASHparadigmPA-ruh-dymecameraKAM-ruhfamilyFAM-leesalmonSAM-uncontractKON-traktgarageGA-rahzhcroissantKWAS-on

    Browse the whole word bank

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    Frequently asked questions

    How do you pronounce the /æ/ sound?
    Open your mouth wide, wider than feels natural at first. Push the front of your tongue low and forward. Say a bright, open 'a': cat, hand, plan.
    What is the most common mistake with /æ/?
    Closing the mouth too much so 'bad' sounds like 'bed', or backing it so 'cat' sounds like 'cut'. The /æ/ vs /ʌ/ and /æ/ vs /e/ contrasts carry many word pairs.
    Which spellings make the /æ/ sound?
    Common spellings include “a”, as in cat /kæt/, apple /ˈæpəl/, hand /hænd/.
    Does /æ/ matter for IELTS?
    Yes. This is a high-priority sound. Errors here frequently change one word into another, which examiners hear as reduced clarity (the exact Band 6 wording is “mispronunciation … reduces clarity at times”).

    Next step

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