Vowel sounds in unstressed syllables – Exercise 471

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Vowels in unstressed syllables

If the vowel is in an unstressed syllable, we reduce it. The rules below show only the common cases and are not always applicable.

/ə/ (Schwа)	/ɪ/
with unstressed a, o, u, e ('musical, po'lice, sur'round)	with unstressed i y ('music, im'portant, syn'thetic)
in function words (the, to, for, some...) in connected speech	with unstressed e (e'rase, be'gin)
	with -age and -iage at the end of words ('average, 'carriage)
	with unstressed u and ui ('minute, 'biscuit)