How can you recognize a vowel sound?

Answer 1

The long vowels are the easiest to recognize, as they "say their names" : A (ay), E (ee), I (eye), and O (oh). The long U can be either YOO or OO.

However, where long vowels are followed by an R, they are sounded differently in US English, where you hear the R sound, and in British English as an AW or UH instead. The long OR in force and horse (caret O) is classified the same as an AW sound.

The short vowels include A (ah), E (eh), I (ih), O (aah), U (uh), and OO (ouh as in good). The other vowel sound that is short is the unstressed sound, or schwa, which can be barely heard as eh, ih, or uh.

The two other major sounds are the OI (OY) sound and the OU / OW sound, which are not classified as either short or long. (The actual word you is a long U, not an ow sound.)

Answer 2

A vowel sound is created when the airflow is not blocked or restricted by the articulation of lips, tongue, or teeth. Vowel sounds can be recognized by their clear and open resonance, as well as their longer duration compared to consonant sounds. Examples of vowel sounds include "a," "e," "i," "o," and "u."