What is the schwa sound?

Answer 1

The schwa sound is a mid-central vowel which sounds like a grunt. It is the default sound for unaccented vowels in English.

In RP English in England the schwa sound is the same as the vowel sound in 'fir' or 'birch', or the /er/ in herd. In these combinations with "R" the schwa is an accented vowel. A word like "return" is another example. In English pronunciations both vowels are schwas.

There is a very similar vowel which is more a back vowel represented by the upside down V, (ʌ) sometimes called a pup tent, caret, or circumflex. Words beginning with an unaccented "a" like above, ago, or amount may start with this sound rather than a schwa depending on your regional dialect.

In most English accents unaccented syllables tend to move towards a schwa sound, no matter what their orthography. The "o" in memory, the first "e" in return, and the "i" in pencil are all pronounced as schwas.

* Scroll down to related links and look at "Schwa sound - Wikipedia". You will be able to hear a recording of what the sound sounds like.

* To get an idea of how a schwa sound is created, you can try to pronounce the letters BM as a word, making a B sound followed by an M sound. The slight unstressed exhalation is the usual sound associated with the schwa. In practice, it can sound anywhere from eh to ih to uh.

Answer 2

Here are some words that have two vowel sounds, a short and a schwa. The
short always has strong stress. The schwa always has weak stress. Sometimes
the strong stress is on the second vowel sound, but usually it is on the first. Mark the
strong stress in each word: bútton.
óven trústful cóusin stómach
abóve dózen adjúst confrónt
3 Each weak vowel in those eight words is the sound schwa. Underline the vowel
letters that spell schwa in each word. You should find five different spellings of schwa:
, , , , and :
4 Among those eight words, schwa is spelled in above , adjust , and
stomach .
5 Schwa is spelled in thym'e'le .
6 Schwa is spelled in cousin .
7 Schwa is spelled in confront .
8 Schwa is spelled in trustful .


Other examples include:

Schwa is spelled in pleasant , among , and company .
Schwa is spelled in sentence , problem , and enemy .
Schwa is spelled in president and cousin .
Schwa is spelled in confront .
Schwa is spelled in succeed and trustful .
Schwa is spelled in mountain .
Schwa is spelled in ocean .
Schwa is spelled in famous .

Answer 3

About, asleep, attack, apology, another. A schwa is the neutral vowel sound like the vowel in 'the'.