Pronunciation · diphthong
The /aʊ/ sound: ow as in now
In short
/aʊ/ is a closing diphthong: glides from open /a/ towards /ʊ/, the diphthong you hear in now, house, about. 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 /aʊ/
- 1Open wide on /a/, as in 'car' but shorter.
- 2Glide back and round your lips towards /ʊ/.
- 3Now, house, about.
Sounds like: the sound you make when something hurts, 'ow!'
/aʊ/ in words, with audio
Listen, then copy. The slow (turtle) version exaggerates the mouth movement.
- nownaʊ · sound is final
- househaʊs · sound is medial
- aboutəˈbaʊt · sound is medial
- crowdkraʊd · sound is medial
- allowəˈlaʊ · sound is final
- outaʊt · sound is initial
The mistake almost everyone makes
Reducing it to a pure /aː/ or /ɔː/ so 'about' loses its glide. The lips must visibly round by the end.
Spellings of /aʊ/
These letter patterns commonly spell /aʊ/: ou ow. English spelling is unreliable; trust the IPA, not the letters.
Keep exploring
Frequently asked questions
How do you pronounce the /aʊ/ sound?
Open wide on /a/, as in 'car' but shorter. Glide back and round your lips towards /ʊ/. Now, house, about.
What is the most common mistake with /aʊ/?
Reducing it to a pure /aː/ or /ɔː/ so 'about' loses its glide. The lips must visibly round by the end.
Which spellings make the /aʊ/ sound?
Common spellings include “ou”, “ow”, as in now /naʊ/, house /haʊs/, about /əˈbaʊt/.
Does /aʊ/ 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.
Next step
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