The short A in cat, man and black is one of the most common English vowels. Check if yours is clear in ten real sentences. This version uses C2 sentences: near-native challenges, dense sounds and fast rhythm.
The short A is made with the mouth open wide and the tongue low and forward. It sits between the E in bed and the U in cup, and many learners replace it with one of them, so man sounds like men and cat sounds like cut. In British English it is slightly more open than in American English.
At C2 the aim is effortless, near-native clarity. These proficiency sentences pack difficult sounds into fast, dense phrases, many of them close to tongue twisters, so even confident speakers find out what still needs work.
Saying E instead, so man sounds like men
Saying U instead, so cat sounds like cut
Making the vowel too long, so bad sounds like baad
Closing the mouth too much in words like black and happy
Each sentence trains one sound. The orange label above the sentence tells you which one.
She started from scratch, building a successful bakery from a single oven in her tiny kitchen.
The bad bed of the bud was bid for by the bold bald bard who bowed.
The smaller partner in the coalition holds the balance of power and can therefore demand significant concessions.
We decided to bury the hatchet after realising that our argument had started over something utterly trivial.
Please keep this under your hat until the official announcement, because the negotiations are still extremely delicate.
She keeps her opinions under her hat until she has gathered enough evidence to support her conclusions convincingly.
When the chance to study abroad came along, she grabbed the opportunity with both hands and never looked back.
She knows the entire city like the back of her hand, having worked as a taxi driver for decades.
The village is off the beaten track, so very few tourists ever discover its charming harbour and quiet beaches.
He left at the drop of a hat when his friends invited him on a spontaneous trip to the coast.
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Hear each sentence read by a natural British or American voice, at normal speed or slowly.
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See a score out of 100 with every word in green, amber or red, then practise the red words.
Each sentence above comes from a full ten-sentence pronunciation test. Take the complete test to keep practising.
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Start the testThis test at other levels: A1 · A2 · B1 · B2 · C1
This test in other languages: Deutsch · Português · Español · Italiano
The test shows you what to fix. A tutor shows you how. Practise the exact sounds you find difficult in a free lesson.
