Short vowel sounds are a subset of vowel sounds that are characterized by their brevity and distinct pronunciation. These vowel sounds are short in duration and are enunciated without any significant alteration in the shape of the vocal tract. Unlike long vowel sounds, which are pronounced for a more extended period, short vowel sounds are quick and crisp. In this comprehensive guide, we will explore the world of short vowel sound words, to enhance your understanding and mastery of them.
Short Vowel Words
In English, there are five short vowel sounds, each represented by a specific vowel letter:
- Short ‘A’ Sound: This sound is heard in words like “cat,” “bat,” and “map.”
- Short ‘E’ Sound: You’ll find this sound in words like “pen,” “red,” and “set.”
- Short ‘I’ Sound: Words such as “sit,” “win,” and “lid” contain the short ‘I’ sound.
- Short ‘O’ Sound: The short ‘O’ sound can be heard in words like “dog,” “hot,” and “top.”
- Short ‘U’ Sound: Examples of words with the short ‘U’ sound include “cup,” “mug,” and “tub.”
Mastering these short vowel sounds is crucial for accurate pronunciation and comprehension of English words. Let’s take a closer look at each of these short vowel sounds.
Chart of Short Vowel Sounds:
Vowel | Example Word |
A | cat |
E | bed |
I | sit |
O | dog |
U | cup |
Short A Vowel Words
The short ‘A’ sound is often described as the sound you make when you say the letter ‘A.’ It is a quick and crisp sound, like a short “ah.” To produce this sound, keep your mouth fairly open and your tongue relaxed. Here are some common words that feature the short ‘A’ sound:
- Ab
- Apt
- Fab
- Cab
- Tab
- Jab
- Gab
- Lab
- Nab
- Dab
- Crab
- Slab
- Fad
- Dad
- Lad
- Pad
- Sad
- Mad
- Rad
- Tad
- Bad
- Gas
- Cap
- Lap
- Tap
- Map
- Gap
- Rap
- Nap
- Zap
- App
- Slap
- Clap
- Fan
- Van
- Man
- Tan
- Ran
- Pan
- Ban
- Glass
- Mass
- Class
- Sass
- Fast
- Mast
- Past
- Ramp
- Stamp
- Lamp
- Damp
- Hand
- Band
- Stand
- Snack
- Shack
- Lack
- Knack
- Hack
- Slack
- Pack
- Rack
- Back
- Tack
- Stack
- Smack
- Quack
- Rat
- Mat
- Pat
- Fat
- Hat
- Cat
- Chat
- Slat
Short E Vowel Words
The short ‘E’ sound is similar to the sound you make when you say the letter ‘E.’ It is a quick and clear sound. To pronounce this sound, position your tongue in the middle of your mouth, and keep your lips relaxed. Here are some words with the short ‘E’ sound:
- Red
- Med
- Led
- Fed
- Sled
- Bed
- Head
- Tread
- Jet
- Met
- Net
- Wet
- Set
- Yet
- Tent
- Cent
- Pent
- Lent
- Rent
- Dent
- Scent
- Men
- Hen
- Ten
- Lense
- Sense
- Dense
- Defense
- Spend
- Lend
- Mend
- Tend
- End
- Defend
- Trend
- Send
- Fell
- Smell
- Tell
- Well
- Yell
- Hell
- Web
- Vest
- Test
- West
- Jest
- Rest
- Pest
- Chest
- Lest
Short I Vowel Words
The short ‘I’ sound is reminiscent of the letter ‘I.’ It is a brief and distinct sound. To create this sound, slightly raise your tongue toward the roof of your mouth, and keep your lips relaxed. Here are some examples of words containing the short ‘I’ sound:
- Rid
- Mid
- Lid
- Id
- Kid
- Hid
- Bid
- Lip
- Clip
- Sip
- Rip
- Tip
- Nip
- Dip
- Whip
- Big
- Wig
- Pig
- Hit
- Bit
- Writ
- Lit
- Fit
- Sit
- Pit
- Nit
- Mitt
- Silk
- Milk
- Win
- Tin
- Twin
- Pin
- Lint
- Glint
- Flint
- Mint
- Fill
- Pill
- Till
- Hill
- Gill
- Dill
- Mill
- Bill
- Chill
- Sill
- Will
- Nil
- Rim
- Dim
- Whim
- Trim
- Fib
- Rib
- Sib
- Whip
- Thick
- Quick
- Sick
- Stick
- Pick
- Lick
- Trick
- Slick
- Quit
Short O Vowel Words
The short ‘O’ sound is akin to the sound of the letter ‘O.’ It is a quick and straightforward sound. To pronounce this sound, form a round shape with your lips while keeping your tongue relaxed. Here are some common words featuring the short ‘O’ sound:
- Cod
- Rod
- God
- Bod
- Pod
- Nod
- Odd
- Off
- Jot
- Pot
- Cot
- Rot
- Tot
- Dot
- Hot
- Not
- Lot
- Got
- Clot
- Trot
- Blot
- Nob
- Job
- Mob
- Rob
- Sob
- Lob
- Cob
- Box
- Ox
- Pox
- Rock
- Sock
- Mock
- Knock
- Lock
- Dock
- Log
- Dog
- Bog
- Hog
- Cog
- On
- Pond
- Con
- Don
- Stop
- Shop
- Drop
- Cop
- Mop
- Hop
- Bop
- Sop
- Top
- Plop
- Mom
Short U Vowel Words
The short ‘U’ sound resembles the letter ‘U’ and is a short, crisp sound. To produce this sound, round your lips and keep your tongue relaxed in the middle of your mouth. Here are some words that include the short ‘U’ sound:
- Sub
- Tub
- Pub
- Rub
- Dub
- Cub
- Hub
- Nub
- Mud
- Dud
- Sud
- Bud
- Cut
- Rut
- But
- Gut
- Nut
- Jut
- Mutt
- Rum
- Chum
- Bum
- Gum
- Lump
- Jump
- Pump
- Plump
- Trump
- Rump
- Dump
- Bump
- Cuff
- Hug
- Mug
- Rug
- Tug
- Dug
- Bug
- Gun
- Bun
- Sun
- Fun
- Pun
- Run
- Crust
- Rust
- Dust
- Must
- Lust
- Trust
- Cuss
- Muss
- Fuss
- Bus
- Runt
- Punt
- Hunt
- Fund
Short Vowel Sound Sentences
Now, let’s use short vowel sound words in sentences. Create sentences that incorporate the following short vowel sound words:
Short ‘A’ sound word: Mat
-
- Sentence: The cat slept on the mat.
Short ‘E’ sound word: Hen
-
- Sentence: The hen laid five eggs.
Short ‘I’ sound word: Pig
-
- Sentence: The pig is pink and fat.
Short ‘O’ sound word: Box
-
- Sentence: Put the toys in the box.
Short ‘U’ sound word: Mud
-
- Sentence: After the rain, the ground turned to mud.
Must Learn: E Sound Letter Words
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