Sounds of letter A

Here is the list of long and short sounds that the vowel A can produce.

Long sounds

1) /ɑː/

Almost always with ar. Mind that we do not pronounce /r/ in British English.

{mp3}/files/mp3/a-vowel/1.mp3{/mp3}father, rather, castle, master, bath, glass, laugh, car, bark

2) /ɔː/

Almost always with all, au, aw, aught.

{mp3}/files/mp3/a-vowel/2.mp3{/mp3}all, ball, tall, wall, water, talk, autumn, fault, dawn, awful, daughter, taught, quarter

3) /ei/

Often with ay, ai and in the pattern A_consonant_E.

{mp3}/files/mp3/a-vowel/3.mp3{/mp3}may, hay, wait, lazy, daisy, grave, fake, create

4) /eə/

Almost always with are and air.

{mp3}/files/mp3/a-vowel/4.mp3{/mp3}care, share, air, chair, fair

5) /æ/

Very often in closed (ending with a consonant) syllables with a.

{mp3}/files/mp3/a-vowel/5.mp3{/mp3}man, hat, traffic, marry, lamb

6) /ɒ/

Mostly in words starting with wa-.

{mp3}/files/mp3/a-vowel/6.mp3{/mp3}watch, was, want, wash

7) /e/

Pay attention: these three words have the /e/, not the /æ/ sound.

{mp3}/files/mp3/a-vowel/7.mp3{/mp3}any, many, said