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    Pronunciation · vowel

    The /ɒ/ sound: o as in hot

    In short

    /ɒ/ is a short open back rounded vowel, the vowel you hear in hot, on, job. 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 /ɒ/

    1. 1Open your mouth wide, like for /ɑː/.
    2. 2Round your lips slightly.
    3. 3Keep it short: hot, job, want.

    Sounds like: a short 'o' with lightly rounded lips

    /ɒ/ in words, with audio

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

    • hothɒt · sound is medial
    • onɒn · sound is initial
    • jobdʒɒb · sound is medial
    • wantwɒnt · sound is medial
    • becausebɪˈkɒz · sound is medial
    • knowledgeˈnɒlɪdʒ · sound is medial

    The mistake almost everyone makes

    Replacing it with /ɔː/ or /əʊ/ so 'not' sounds like 'nought' or 'note', or unrounding it to an American-style 'ah'.

    Who struggles with this sound:

    Spellings of /ɒ/

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

    British vs American: General American has no /ɒ/: these words use an unrounded /ɑ/ ('hot' = /hɑt/), so British 'hot' sounds rounder and shorter.

    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 /ɒ/

    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.

    chocolateCHOK-lutrestaurantRES-trontlaboratoryluh-BO-ruh-treepsychologysy-KOL-uh-jeeyachtYOTcolumnKOL-umobjectOB-jiktprojectPROJ-ekt

    Browse the whole word bank

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    Frequently asked questions

    How do you pronounce the /ɒ/ sound?
    Open your mouth wide, like for /ɑː/. Round your lips slightly. Keep it short: hot, job, want.
    What is the most common mistake with /ɒ/?
    Replacing it with /ɔː/ or /əʊ/ so 'not' sounds like 'nought' or 'note', or unrounding it to an American-style 'ah'.
    Which spellings make the /ɒ/ sound?
    Common spellings include “o”, “a”, “au”, as in hot /hɒt/, on /ɒn/, job /dʒɒb/.
    Is /ɒ/ different in American English?
    General American has no /ɒ/: these words use an unrounded /ɑ/ ('hot' = /hɑt/), so British 'hot' sounds rounder and shorter. IELTS accepts both; pick one model and stay consistent.
    Does /ɒ/ 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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