Lesson # 5

Words to know:
(ea) [æ] [aI]
This sound can be found at the beginning This sound can be found at the beginning, in
and in the middle of words. the middle, and at the end of words.

As in at, fat and happy

Tongue: Low, near the floor of the mouth

Lips: Spread.
Jaw: Open wider than for [ɛ].
As in I, my and pie
Tongue: Glides from low to high near the roof
of the mouth.
Lips: glide from an open to a slightly parted
position. tie
Jaw: rises with the tongue and closes. tai
Beginning Middle Beginning Middle End
am, apple, angry, cat, map, have, eye, ice, I’m, bite, byte, by, buy, cry,
and, after, absent, back, happy, rapid, I’ve, item, five, mind, die, tie, lie, rye,
ask, animal black, last, aisle, island, sign, fight, try, sigh, apply,
classroom idea, icon, rhyme, while, deny
ivory kind, time,
thyme, height
A less frequent spelling pattern for [æ] The letter i followed by gh, ld or nd, is usually
consists of the letters au: Laugh, laughter. pronounced [aI]: sight, wild, find

When i is in a syllable ending in silent e, the letter

i is pronounced [aI]: bite, fine, confine,
refinement
Spelled:
i: ice, fire, bite, nice
y: my, fly, why, type
ie: die, pie, tie, cries, fried
igh: high, sight, night, delight, frighten
The vowel [æ]

1. add at
2. bad bat
3. dad dash
4. tab tap
5. cab cap
Sentences:

1. I’m not mad, but I’m sad.

2. I’m glad that Jack is back.
Contrast [ɛ] and [æ]

1. X ax
2. bed bad
3. dead dad
4. left laughed
5. guess gas
Sentence:

1. I guess the fire was caused by gas.

2. The dragon had two heads.
3. He said he was sad.
The vowel [aɪ]

1. eye eyes ice

2. pry prize price
3. buy bide bite
4. sigh side sight
5. guy guide kite
Sentences

1. The sky was so wide that it surprised us all.

2. We tried to lie side by side and kept silent for a while.
 Read with a partner, circle all
the words with the sound [aI]

Complete the chart writing as many words as you can that include the sound
[aI], according to the patterns. Use your dictionary if needed.

high ice ice cry die

sight item item fly lie
night bite icon fry pie
delight fire i'm spy tie
frighten soldier i've sky vie
light carrier idea try cries
knight drier ivory wry fried
fight fierce in shy cashier
right field is sly drier

Sort the words in the correct column according to their pronunciation.

had, idea, mat, five, cry, pat, eye, aisle, land, past, island, tan, mind, sad, while, night, and, icon, bad, ice,
add, animal, attack

[aI], idea, five, cry, eye, aisle, island, maind, while, night icon, ice,
[æ] had, mat, pat, lend, past, tan, sad, and, bad, add,
animal, attack

More practice: click on https://tfcs.baruch.cuny.edu/ae/

Pronunciation
Minimal Pair /e/ /æ/
Words like MEN and MAN
 Activity 1
Listen to your teacher saying the words in Column 1 and Column 2 below.

Column 1 Column 2

Men Man
Bed Bad
Pen Pan
Send Sand
Head Had
Said Sad
Bends Bands
Bet Bat
 Activity 2
Listen to your teacher saying one of the words from Activity 1. Say if you think the word is in
Column 1 or Column 2.

 Activity 3
Listen to your teacher saying two words from Activity 1. If the words are the same, circle S
below. If you think the words are different, circle D below.

1. S D 2. S D 3. S D 4. S D 5. S D
6. S D 7. S D 8. S D 9. S D 10. S D
 Activity 4
Listen to your teacher reading the sentences below. Circle the word you hear.

1. She needs another pen / pan.

2. I have never met the men / man.
3. There are a lot of bends / bands here.
4. They will have to send / sand it soon.
5. It is said / sad that he is very ill.
6. He doesn’t want to bet / bat.
7. I head / had a large corporation.
8. The hotel had a lot of bed / bad rooms.
 Activity 5
Imagine you are the teacher now! Work with a partner and repeat the activities above. Then
swap roles.
Pronunciation
Minimal Pairs /æ/ /ɑ/
Words like CAT and CART
 Activity 1
Listen to your teacher saying the words in Column 1 and Column 2 below.

Column 1 Column 2

Cat Cart
Ham Harm
Ants Aunts
Back Bark
Shack Shark
Hat Heart
Had Hard
Am Arm
 Activity 2
Listen to your teacher saying one of the words from Activity 1. Say if you think the word is in
Column 1 or Column 2.

 Activity 3
Listen to your teacher saying two words from Activity 1. If the words are the same, circle S
below. If you think the words are different, circle D below.

1. S D 2. S D 3. S D 4. S D 5. S D
6. S D 7. S D 8. S D 9. S D 10. S D

 Activity 4
Listen to your teacher reading the sentences below. Circle the word you hear.

1. There’s a cat / cart in the road.

2. There’s no ham / harm in it.
3. The little boy loves his ants / aunts.
4. The back / bark was brown.
5. He avoided the shack / shark.
6. She looks after her hat / heart very well.

 Activity 5
Imagine you are the teacher now! Work with a partner and repeat the activities above. Then
swap roles.
Pronunciation
Minimal Pairs /æ/ /ʌ/
words like CAP and CUP
 Activity 1
Listen to your teacher saying the words in Column 1 and Column 2 below.

Column 1 Column 2

Cap Cup
Hat Hut
Ran Run
Match Much
Ankle Uncle
Drank Drunk
Fan Fun
Cat Cut
Began Begun
 Activity 2
Listen to your teacher saying one of the words from Activity 1. Say if you think the word is in
Column 1 or Column 2.

 Activity 3
Listen to your teacher saying two words from Activity 1. If the words are the same, circle S
below. If you think the words are different, circle D below.

1. S D 2. S D 3. S D 4. S D 5. S D
6. S D 7. S D 8. S D 9. S D 10. S D

 Activity 4
Listen to your teacher reading the sentences below. Circle the word you hear.

1. He picked up his cap / cup. 6. Which hat / hut is yours?

2. We couldn’t find the hat / hut. 7. We often ran / run to school.

3. I ran / run in the park every day. 8. He isn’t enjoying this match / much.

4. I didn’t like that match / much. 9. It was a very large cat / cut.

5. There are three caps / cups on the table. 10. He admired her ankles / uncles.

 Activity 5
Imagine you are the teacher now! Work with a partner and repeat the activities above. Then
swap roles!
Pronunciation
Minimal Pair /ɪ/ /aɪ/
Words like LICK and LIKE
 Activity 1
Listen to your teacher saying the words in Column 1 and Column 2 below.

Column 1 Column 2

Lick Like
Win Wine
Is Eyes
Tip Type
Fit Fight
Bit Bite
Lit Light
Fill File
Dinner Diner
Strips Stripes
 Activity 2
Listen to your teacher saying one of the words from Activity 1. Say if you think the word is in
Column 1 or Column 2.
 Activity 3
Listen to your teacher saying two words from Activity 1. If the words are the same, circle S
below. If you think the words are different, circle D below.

1. S D 2. S D 3. S D 4. S D 5. S D
6. S D 7. S D 8. S D 9. S D 10. S D
 Activity 4
Listen to your teacher reading the sentences below. Circle the word you hear.

1. We lick / like ice-cream. 5. He had a fit / fight yesterday.

2. Can I have a bit / bite, please? 6. Can you file / fill these, please?

3. It was a very good win / wine. 7.The room wasn’t lit / light.

4. You have to tip / type a lot. 8. The strips / stripes were black
and white.

 Activity 5
Imagine you are the teacher now! Work with a partner and repeat the activities above. Then
swap roles.