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

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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.

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.

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.

"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.

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."

So, it's a strange word, but it's quite useful sometimes.

So...

Okay, so: "bad", "dad", "had", "lad", "mad", "sad", "wad".

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",

And a "van" - a vehicle that people drive; bigger than a car.

So...

And then this one: "wan" is...

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.

So: "ban", "can", "man", "ran", "tan", "van", "wan".

So, the vowel sound changes.

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.

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.

So, but "war", of course, sadly we all know what "war" means - conflict, fighting, battles,

So, we've got: "bar", "car", "far", "jar", "tar", "war".

So, we've got the "ah" sound again.

"Bat", "cat", "fat", "hat", "rat", "sat", but then we have "what", so it's "ah" again.

We have the word: "What?" the question word.

What are you doing?

Or this spelling of "watt", which is a unit of electricity.

But they're spelt differently, but they sound the same, so that's the closest we have to

these words with the "w".

So, a "bat" is...

A little animal with wings that flies at night.

A bat, which people are a bit scared about.

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 find their way around.

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's available yet.

So: "bat" can be a...

Something you hit a ball with in a sport.

"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.

"Hat" that you put on your head.

A "rat" is like a mouse, only bigger.

"Sat" - past tense of "sit": To sit down.

And then I've explained these two.

So: "bat", "cat", "fat", "hat", "rat", "sat", "what", "watt".

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 together quite a lot.

We've got: "wad", "wan", "what", "was".

So: "gas" is...

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, a more 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 "dart" is something you throw with a sharp point on it; a dart.

If something is a part of something...

This is part of the pen; it's one part, and that...

This is another part.

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 wart and sometimes you have to have them removed

because they...

They can cause problems.

So, that's a wart.

"Cart", "dart", "part", "wart".

But then we have some words where it doesn't change.

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".

So, "fax" - "facsimile" is the full word.

A fax machine where you can send something through 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 space for 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 used in jazz.

"Tax" - unfortunately, a lot of us have to pay 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 candle is 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 sometimes they can't hear properly because there's too

much wax in there.

Okay, so those are all the "ah" sound with no change.

Next one: "bag", "jag", "lag", "rag", "tag", "wag".

Just the "ah" sound again.

So, a "bag" - something you put things in.

A "jag" is another abbreviation.

There's a car called a Jaguar, which is named after an animal, a wild animal that runs fast.

So, there's a car called a Jaguar, but often people just call them a 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're trying to keep up with them, but they say...

And they look around and they say: "Don't lag behind.

Don't lag behind."

But if you can't walk as fast as them, then you're lagging behind them.

"Rag" is like this; a piece of cloth.

A rag that you clean something with.

"Tag".

Oo, one second.

This is my YouTube tag for today, which because we're in one of their buildings, so that tag,

you're supposed to wear it on your clothes, so that's a tag.

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.

"Bag", "jag", "lag", "rag", "tag", "wag".

Next one: "bay", "day", "may", "pay", "say", "way".

So, most of these words are probably familiar to you, but "bay", it's either a type of tree

- a Bay tree or maybe a parking bay, which is a little space where you can park your

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 private beach, 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's a 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 direction you'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.

To "call" - if you call someone on the phone or 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.

And "wall" - the wall of a building that holds the building up.

You put pictures up on the wall.

So: "ball", "call", "fall", "hall", "tall", "wall".

And, finally: "talk", "walk".

These two words in themselves are strange because you...

You might think it should be pronounced: "talk" and "walk", but it's not.

It's a strange pronunciation because it doesn't follow the spelling, but: "talk" - it's a

sort of "or", "or" sound, which is not suggested by the spelling at all, so you have to learn

"Talk", "walk".

So, there was a saying: "He talks the talk, but he doesn't walk the walk."

Somebody who, you know, says they believe in something, like equality, but then he...

He talks the talk; he talks about equality between men and women or different age groups,

etc. but if he doesn't walk the walk-walking-then he doesn't really carry out what he says in

He talks about it, but he doesn't do it.

He talks the talk, but he doesn't walk the walk.

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-through to show how the pronunciation can change when

there's a "w" in these short words, but there are a lot of exceptions to that, and it's

really just something you have to learn each one individually.

So, I hope also you may have learnt some new vocabulary as well while we've been doing

So, if you'd like to go to the website, www.engvid.com, there's a quiz there to test you on this.

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And hope to see you again soon.