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    Pronunciation · diphthong

    The /əʊ/ sound: o as in go

    In short

    /əʊ/ is a closing diphthong: glides from schwa /ə/ towards /ʊ/, the diphthong you hear in go, home, know. 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 /əʊ/

    1. 1Start from the neutral schwa position, lips relaxed.
    2. 2Glide back and round your lips towards /ʊ/.
    3. 3Go, home, know.

    Sounds like: the letter O said the British way, 'uh-oo' blended

    /əʊ/ in words, with audio

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

    • goɡəʊ · sound is final
    • homehəʊm · sound is medial
    • knownəʊ · sound is final
    • boatbəʊt · sound is medial
    • openˈəʊpən · sound is initial
    • thoughðəʊ · sound is final

    The mistake almost everyone makes

    Using a pure /oː/ with no glide: the most common giveaway of a non-native 'o'. British /əʊ/ starts neutral; let the rounding happen during the sound.

    Who struggles with this sound:

    • Hindi speakers: /əʊ/ flattens to a pure long o: 'go' and 'no' lose their glide
    • Urdu speakers: /əʊ/ flattens to /oː/: the glide in 'go', 'home' disappears

    Spellings of /əʊ/

    These letter patterns commonly spell /əʊ/: o o_e ow oa ough. English spelling is unreliable; trust the IPA, not the letters.

    British vs American: American English starts more rounded: /oʊ/ ('go' = /ɡoʊ/). Both are fine; the glide is what matters.

    Words that drill /əʊ/

    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.

    progressPROH-gresprotestPROH-testclothesKLOHDHZespressoe-SPRES-ohprosciuttopruh-SHOO-toh

    Browse the whole word bank

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    Frequently asked questions

    How do you pronounce the /əʊ/ sound?
    Start from the neutral schwa position, lips relaxed. Glide back and round your lips towards /ʊ/. Go, home, know.
    What is the most common mistake with /əʊ/?
    Using a pure /oː/ with no glide: the most common giveaway of a non-native 'o'. British /əʊ/ starts neutral; let the rounding happen during the sound.
    Which spellings make the /əʊ/ sound?
    Common spellings include “o”, “o_e”, “ow”, “oa”, “ough”, as in go /ɡəʊ/, home /həʊm/, know /nəʊ/.
    Is /əʊ/ different in American English?
    American English starts more rounded: /oʊ/ ('go' = /ɡoʊ/). Both are fine; the glide is what matters. IELTS accepts both; pick one model and stay consistent.
    Does /əʊ/ 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.

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