IPA: /ɑː/ — The Open "Ah" Sound
The /ɑː/ sound is a low back unrounded vowel. It's the sound you hear in words like "father," "car," "start," and "bark." This vowel is pronounced with the mouth wide open, and the tongue is positioned low and at the back of the mouth.
In accents like General American English, this sound is typically pronounced as /ɑ/, which is the unrounded version of the sound. In Received Pronunciation (RP) or British English, it’s often more rounded, represented as /ɑː/.
❓ How to Know if It’s the /ɑː/ Sound:
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It’s a low vowel sound that requires the mouth to be open wide.
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Lips are unrounded and the tongue is low and back in the mouth.
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Commonly spelled with:
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a (car, park)
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ar (star, start)
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aa (father, after)
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🔊Sample Words with /ɑː/:
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Father
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Car
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Start
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Bark
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Star
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Park
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Half
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Large
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Laugh
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Glass
📝 Simple Sentences with /ɑː/:
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My father is very kind.
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I drive my car to work.
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The start of the race was exciting.
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The bark of the tree was rough.
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The star shone brightly last night.
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We went to the park yesterday.
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This is half the amount.
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The large box was heavy.
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She made me laugh.
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The glass broke when it fell.
🔁 5 Tongue Twisters with /ɑː/:
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A star in the park barked at the car.
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Father’s car parked by the large glass.
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The star saw the start of the bark.
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A large laugh made the car park.
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A park of glass and bark is where stars start.
📖 Short Story with /ɑː/ Sound:
The Star and the Car
One evening, Ella and her dog, Max, went for a walk. They passed a beautiful star in the sky, and Max started to bark loudly at it.
“Max, stop! You’re being too loud,” said Ella, laughing. They walked toward the park and sat on a bench. Max was still looking up at the sky.
“Do you see that star, Max?” Ella said. “It’s brighter than any other.”
After a while, they headed home in her car. As they drove past the trees, Max leaned out the window, feeling the cool air. Ella smiled and thought, “This is the perfect end to a busy day.”
