English Pronunciation: How to say words beginning in W + vowel

Hello. I'm Gill at engVid, and today we have a lessonon pronunciation which is connected with the letter “w”, and how in some words, which areusually very short words, the “w” makes a difference to the vowel sound. Okay. So, it's worth knowing about these, and alsoto know that there are exceptions as well. So, some words this happens; other words itdoesn't happen, so it helps to know which ones are which, which ones change the vowel sound and which ones don't change the vowel sound. Okay, so let's have a look at some examples. .

So, these short words, they all have the samevowel sound, so: “bad”, “dad”, “had”, “lad”, “mad”, “sad” have the “ah” vowel sound. I'll explain the meanings of the words ina minute, but when you come to “w”, it's not pronounced: “wad”; it's pronounced “wod”,so it's like an “o”: “wo” sound. “ah”, “o”. So, the “w” changes the vowel sound. Okay. So, let me just go over that again. So, you probably know the word “bad”. .

“Dad” is an informal name for a father. Your father, you might call them: “Dad” or”Daddy”. So: “bad”, “dad”. “Had” – past tense of “have”. “Lad” is another slightly informal word fora boy; a young boy or a young man. A lad. “Mad” is if you're angry or if you're crazy;it can mean both. “Mad” in two different ways. And “sad” if you're feeling… .

If you're feeling sad, you're unhappy. I'm sure you know that word. Okay. Oh, and then this word: “wad” is a strangeword, but it means a collection, usually of either pieces of paper or maybe a piece ofmaterial in a lump. So, you might have a wad of money, for example. If you have some bank notes, paper money andyou have a lot of them in your hand, so 20 or more and it's quite a thick… You'd say: “It's a thick wad of money.” .

Or if you have some cloth in your hand, youcould say: “That's a wad of cloth.” Okay. So, it's a strange word, but it's quite usefulsometimes. So… Okay, so: “bad”, “dad”, “had”, “lad”, “mad”,”sad”, “wad”. Right. So, next one, so this is the “ah” vowel sound:”ban”, “can”, “man”, “ran”, “tan”, “van”. But when we come to this, it's: “wan”, “wan”. So, it's the same vowel sound as “wad”; “wad”,”wan”, “wan”. .

So, I'll explain the meanings of the wordsas well. “Ban” – when you ban something, you try tostop it happening. “Can”, it's either I can do something or it'sa metal can container for a drink or whatever; a tin can for food or drink. “Man”, I'm sure you know. “Ran” – the past tense of “run”. “Tan”. If you go on holiday and your skin gets browner… My skin is very light-coloured. .

If… If I go somewhere hot and sunny and I getbrowner, a browner skin, that's called a “tan”, a “sun tan”. Okay. And a “van” – a vehicle that people drive;bigger than a car. A van. So… And then this one: “wan” is… Means pale. .

So, again, if you think of pale skin, that's”wan”. If someone looks very pale and ill, they look wan. It suggests someone who's not really looking well because they're so pale. Okay. So: “ban”, “can”, “man”, “ran”, “tan”, “van”,”wan”. So, the vowel sound changes. Okay? So, next one we've got: “bar”. So, this is the “ah” sound. .

“Bar”, “car”, “far”, “jar”, “tar”, but thenwe have “war”. So, it's an “aw” sound. Okay. So: “bar” is a… Is a bar; a metal… Piece of metal… A metal rod, or a bar in a cocktail bar ora pub, a wine bar. So, different meanings of that word: “bar”. A “car” that you drive. .

“Far” – a long way; distance. A “jar” is a container. “Tar” is… It's short for “tarmac”, which is the blackstuff that is put on, on the road usually; a covering for the road. The tar; black, sticky stuff that just driesand goes hard – that's tar. So, but “war”, of course, sadly we all knowwhat “war” means – conflict, fighting, battles, and so on. So, we've got: “bar”, “car”, “far”, “jar”,”tar”, “war”. .

Okay? Next one. So, we've got the “ah” sound again. “Bat”, “cat”, “fat”, “hat”, “rat”, “sat”,but then we have “what”, so it's “ah” again. “What”. We have the word: “What?” the question word. “What? What is that? What are you doing? .

What?” Or this spelling of “watt”, which is a unitof electricity. But they're spelt differently, but they soundthe same, so that's the closest we have to these words with the “w”. So, a “bat” is… Oh dear. A little animal with wings that flies at night. A bat, which people are a bit scared about. But they… .

They hang upside down in caves or on trees,and I think they're… They're blind, but they use radar. They can't see, but they use radar to findtheir way around. So, bats. Or a “bat” can be something you play a sport with, like a cricket bat. Oh, have a look at my cricket lesson if it'savailable yet. Okay? So: “bat” can be a… Something you hit a ball with in a sport. .

Okay. “Cat” – I'm sure you know what a cat is; little animal. “Fat” – someone's who's got too much… They eat too much or they're not… You know, they… They have a lot of excess fat. Okay. “Hat” that you put on your head. A “rat” is like a mouse, only bigger. .

Not very nice. “Sat” – past tense of “sit”: To sit down. He sat. And then I've explained these two. So: “bat”, “cat”, “fat”, “hat”, “rat”, “sat”,”what”, “watt”. Okay. And then this one, it's the “ah” sound again:”gas”, “has”, “jazz”, “was”. So, “aw” again. So, the “w” and the “or” sound go togetherquite a lot. .

We've got: “wad”, “wan”, “what”, “was”. So: “gas” is… Gas, oh. Some sort of not… Not liquid or solid, but gas in the air. “Has” – the verb “to have”; he has, she has. “Jazz” – the style of music; a jazz band,jazz music. “Was”, past tense of “is”, “to be”; it is,it was. So: “gas”, “has”, “jazz”, “was”. .

And then, finally, in this section: “cart”,”dart”, “part”, “wart”, so it's an “aw” again. It changes the vowel to a more circular, amore round shape. “Cart”, so it's “r”: “cart”, “dart”, “part”,”wart”. So, let me just explain the words. A “cart” usually is pulled by a horse or a donkey. It has wheels on it; a means of transport. A cart. A “dart” is something you throw with a sharppoint on it; a dart. A “part”. .

If something is a part of something… This is part of the pen; it's one part, andthat… This is another part. Okay. A “wart” is if you have a little lump on say,for example, your finger or on your face, a little lump of skin, that's called a wartand sometimes you have to have them removed because they… They can cause problems. So, that's a wart. .

“Cart”, “dart”, “part”, “wart”. Okay. But then we have some words where it doesn'tchange. So, we've had one, two, three, four, five,six where they do change; and there are four here where they don't change. So: “fax”, “max”, “sax”, “tax”, “wax”. No different. So, “fax” – “facsimile” is the full word. A fax machine where you can send somethingthrough the fax machine, and a piece of paper, .

And it comes out at the other end. “Max” is an abbreviation for “maximum”. “Maximum” – it's often just used as “max”if… On a sign, for example, if there isn't spacefor the full word, you just get “max”. Or it can be a man's name. “Fax”, “max”… “Sax” is another abbreviation for “saxophone”. “Saxophone” – a musical instrument often usedin jazz. Okay. .

Sax. “Tax” – unfortunately, a lot of us have topay tax on our earnings and the money we get paid, and we also have to pay tax when we buy things in shops. Often there's some sort of tax added. “Wax” – if you think of a candle, a candleis made of wax; the white stuff that the candle is made of, then when you light the candle,the wax melts and you get the flame coming up and it gradually burns down. So, the wax burns down like that. People also have wax in their ears, and sometimesthey can't hear properly because there's too .

Much wax in there. Okay, so those are all the “ah” sound withno change. Next one: “bag”, “jag”, “lag”, “rag”, “tag”,”wag”. Just the “ah” sound again. No change. So, a “bag” – something you put things in. A “jag” is another abbreviation. There's a car called a Jaguar, which is namedafter an animal, a wild animal that runs fast. “Jaguar”. .

So, there's a car called a Jaguar, but oftenpeople just call them a jag. Jag. “Have you seen my Jag? I've bought a new Jag. Come and have a ride in it.” So, that's a jag. “Lag” is if you're a bit behind, you lag behind. If someone's walking ahead quickly, you'retrying to keep up with them, but they say… And they look around and they say: “Don'tlag behind. .

Catch me up. Don't lag behind.” But if you can't walk as fast as them, thenyou're lagging behind them. Okay? “Rag” is like this; a piece of cloth. A rag that you clean something with. “Tag”. Oo, one second. This is a tag. .

This is my YouTube tag for today, which becausewe're in one of their buildings, so that tag, you're supposed to wear it on your clothes,so that's a tag. Okay. Tag. And “wag”. So: “bag”, “jag”, “lag”, “rag”, “tag”. “Wag” – usually… If I do that with my finger, I'm wagging my finger. And also when dogs are happy, they wag their tail. .

They wag their tail. So, he's wagging his tail. So it's that sort of movement. Okay. “Bag”, “jag”, “lag”, “rag”, “tag”, “wag”. Next one: “bay”, “day”, “may”, “pay”, “say”,”way”. So, most of these words are probably familiarto you, but “bay”, it's either a type of tree – a Bay tree or maybe a parking bay, whichis a little space where you can park your car. .

It's called a bay. Also, on the coast at the seaside, you have a… If there's a little piece of sand by the sea,which might be sort of enclosed by some rocks behind it and it's a nice, little privatebeach, you could call that a bay as well. “Day” – I'm sure you know that word. “May”: May I? May I sit down? Or “May” is the name of the month. Different uses for that word – may. .

Or it could be something that grows; it'sa particular type of plant or flower – may. “Pay” – pay money. “Say” – you're speaking; you say something. And “way” is where you're going, the directionyou're going. “Do you know the way to the nearest bank?” something like that. So: “bay”, “day”, “may”, “pay”, “say”, “way”. No change of vowel sound. Then this one: “ball”, “call”, “fall”, “hall”,”tall”, “wall”. .

No change in the vowel sound. So, a “ball” – something that you use in sport. You play with a ball. It might bounce on the ground up and down. Ball. To “call” – if you call someone on the phoneor call to somebody; shout to someone. “Fall” – if you fall down. “Hall” – a big room in a building. “Tall” – I'm not very tall. .

Someone who's up here would be tall. High. Tall. And “wall” – the wall of a building that holdsthe building up. You put pictures up on the wall. So: “ball”, “call”, “fall”, “hall”, “tall”,”wall”. No difference. And, finally: “talk”, “walk”. These two words in themselves are strangebecause you… .

You might think it should be pronounced: “talk” and “walk”, but it's not. It's a strange pronunciation because it doesn'tfollow the spelling, but: “talk” – it's a sort of “or”, “or” sound, which is not suggestedby the spelling at all, so you have to learn this. “Talk”, “walk”. So, there was a saying: “He talks the talk,but he doesn't walk the walk.” Somebody who, you know, says they believein something, like equality, but then he… He talks the talk; he talks about equalitybetween men and women or different age groups, etc. but if he doesn't walk the walk-walking-thenhe doesn't really carry out what he says in .

Practice. He talks about it, but he doesn't do it. He talks the talk, but he doesn't walk thewalk. But anyway, they… They are also there's no change in the vowel sound, there. “Talk”, “walk”. So, I hope that's been a useful run-throughto show how the pronunciation can change when there's a “w” in these short words, but thereare a lot of exceptions to that, and it's really just something you have to learn each one individually. .

Okay. So, I hope also you may have learnt some newvocabulary as well while we've been doing this lesson. So, if you'd like to go to the website, www.engvid.com,there's a quiz there to test you on this. Please subscribe to my channel if you've enjoyed the lesson. And hope to see you again soon. Okay. Bye for now.
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Have you noticed anything strange about short words beginning with W? Some of them (but not all) have a different vowel sound from words with a similar spelling. For example, “car” and “war” have a different vowel sound, but “day” and “way” have the same vowel sound. Say them out loud if you are uncertain of what I mean. How do you know what vowel sound comes after the W? Don’t worry, because in this lesson, I will clear up the confusion and show you exactly how to pronounce them. I’ll give you some examples of these words, and I will demonstrate the pronunciation, allowing you to practise with me. You can also take a quiz on this lesson at https://www.engvid.com/english-pronunciation-words-beginning-in-w-vowel/ NEXT, watch these three other pronunciation lessons: 1. Pronunciation – How to say words ending with -OW: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7lc7pucsco4&list=PLjvCo2ax1ZUdXCO23ICAF0H3N9c35SWfv&index=7 2. Pronunciation – TH & THR: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sPIOxYtguhk&list=PLjvCo2ax1ZUdXCO23ICAF0H3N9c35SWfv&index=12 3. Pronunciation – The 2 ways to pronounce ‘THE’: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d3zMxYQC0TM&list=PLjvCo2ax1ZUdXCO23ICAF0H3N9c35SWfv&index=15 TRANSCRIPT Hello. I’m Gill at engVid, and today we have a lesson on pronunciation which is connected with the letter “w”, and how in some words, which are usually very short words, the “w” makes a difference to the vowel sound. Okay. So, it’s worth knowing about these, and also to know that there are exceptions as well. So, some words this happens; other words it doesn’t happen, so it helps to know which ones are which, which ones change the vowel sound and which ones don’t change the vowel sound. Okay, so let’s have a look at some examples. So, these short words, they all have the same vowel sound, so: “bad”, “dad”, “had”, “lad”, “mad”, “sad” have the “ah” vowel sound. I’ll explain the meanings of the words in a minute, but when you come to “w”, it’s not pronounced: “wad”; it’s pronounced “wod”, so it’s like an “o”: “wo” sound. “ah”, “o”. So, the “w” changes the vowel sound. Okay. So, let me just go over that again. So, you probably know the word “bad”. “Dad” is an informal name for a father. Your father, you might call them: “Dad” or “Daddy”. So: “bad”, “dad”. “Had” – past tense of “have”. “Lad” is another slightly informal word for a boy; a young boy or a young man. A lad. “Mad” is if you’re angry or if you’re crazy; it can mean both. “Mad” in two different ways. And “sad” if you’re feeling… If you’re feeling sad, you’re unhappy. I’m sure you know that word. Okay. Oh, and then this word: “wad” is a strange word, but it means a collection, usually of either pieces of paper or maybe a piece of material in a lump. So, you might have a wad of money, for example. If you have some bank notes, paper money and you have a lot of them in your hand, so 20 or more and it’s quite a thick… You’d say: “It’s a thick wad of money.” Or if you have some cloth in your hand, you could say: “That’s a wad of cloth.” Okay. So, it’s a strange word, but it’s quite useful sometimes. So… Okay, so: “bad”, “dad”, “had”, “lad”, “mad”, “sad”, “wad”. Right. So, next one, so this is the “ah” vowel sound: “ban”, “can”, “man”, “ran”, “tan”, “van”. But when we come to this, it’s: “wan”, “wan”. So, it’s the same vowel sound as “wad”; “wad”, “wan”, “wan”. So, I’ll explain the meanings of the words as well. “Ban” – when you ban something, you try to stop it happening. “Can”, it’s either I can do something or it’s a metal can container for a drink or whatever; a tin can for food or drink. “Man”, I’m sure you know. “Ran” – the past tense of “run”. “Tan”. If you go on holiday and your skin gets browner… My skin is very light-coloured. If… If I go somewhere hot and sunny and I get browner, a browner skin, that’s called a “tan”, a “sun tan”. Okay. And a “van” – a vehicle that people drive; bigger than a car. A van. So… And then this one: “wan” is… Means pale. So, again, if you think of pale skin, that’s “wan”. If someone looks very pale and ill, they look wan. It suggests someone who’s not really looking well because they’re so pale. Okay. So: “ban”, “can”, “man”, “ran”, “tan”, “van”, “wan”. So, the vowel sound changes. Okay? So, next one we’ve got: “bar”. So, this is the “ah” sound. “Bar”, “car”, “far”, “jar”, “tar”, but then we have “war”. So, it’s an “aw” sound. Okay. So: “bar” is a… Is a bar; a metal… Piece of metal… A metal rod, or a bar in a cocktail bar or a pub, a wine bar. So, different meanings of that word: “bar”. A “car” that you drive. “Far” – a long way; distance. A “jar” is a container. “Tar” is… It’s short for “tarmac”, which is the black stuff that is put on, on the road usually; a covering for the road. The tar; black, sticky stuff that just dries and goes hard – that’s tar. […]