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    ɑː

    The /ɑː/ sound: ar as in car

    • Vowel
    • Long
    • Medium priority

    Hear it

    in car

    Lips
    Relaxed
    Tongue
    Low and to the back
    Voice
    On
    Length
    Long: hold it

    The sound on its own: recording by No machine-readable author provided. Denelson83 assumed (based on copyright claims)., CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons. Credits

    How to make /ɑː/

    1. 1

      Open your mouth wide and drop your jaw.

    2. 2

      Pull your tongue low and to the back.

    3. 3

      Hold the sound long: caaar, faaather.

    Sounds like
    the long 'ah' you make for a doctor, from deep in the mouth
    British and American
    American English pronounces the r ('car' = /kɑr/) and uses /æ/ in words like 'ask', 'laugh' and 'dance'.

    /æ/ vs /ɑː/: cat vs cart

    Every pair

    /æ/ is short, bright and at the front; /ɑː/ is long, dark and from the back of the mouth with a dropped jaw. Feel the sound physically move backwards between 'cat' and 'cart'.

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    Which word do you hear?

    How /ɑː/ is spelled

    • ar
    • a
    • al
    • ear
    • au

    The usual mistake

    Cutting it short so 'heart' sounds like 'hut', or pronouncing the letter r after it in British English; in RP 'car' is /kɑː/ with no r sound.

    Words to practise

    Say it and get scored

    Read car, father, ask, heart, calm, laugh aloud. Free, no account.

    Check my /ɑː/

    Questions

    How do you pronounce the /ɑː/ sound?
    Open your mouth wide and drop your jaw. Pull your tongue low and to the back. Hold the sound long: caaar, faaather.
    What is the most common mistake with /ɑː/?
    Cutting it short so 'heart' sounds like 'hut', or pronouncing the letter r after it in British English; in RP 'car' is /kɑː/ with no r sound.
    Which spellings make the /ɑː/ sound?
    Common spellings include “ar”, “a”, “al”, “ear”, “au”, as in car /kɑː/, father /ˈfɑːðə/, ask /ɑːsk/.
    Is /ɑː/ different in American English?
    American English pronounces the r ('car' = /kɑr/) and uses /æ/ in words like 'ask', 'laugh' and 'dance'. IELTS accepts both; pick one model and stay consistent.
    Does /ɑː/ matter for IELTS?
    It matters moderately. Errors are noticeable but only sometimes affect understanding. Fix the high-priority vowel contrasts and final consonants first, then polish this one.