| VC & CVC | VCC, CVCC, CCVC | Up to CCCVCCC | With consonant digraphs & trigraphs | Polysyllabic words |
| am at mat Sam sat Tam tat an man map Nan nap Pam pan pat sap tan tap bag bam ban bap bat cab cad cam can cap cat gab gad gag gap gas had hag ham hat mag nab nag sag tab tag ad bad dab dad dag dam Dan fab fad fan fat mad mag pad sad tad vac van vat gal lab lad lag lam lap pal rad rag ram ran rap rat jab jag jam wag zag zap bass fax jazz lass lax mass max pax sass sax tax wax yak yam yap | and ant band Brad bran brat camp clad clam clan clap crab dram flan flap flat glad grab gram lamp land pant plan ramp rant rapt sand scam scan slam slap slat snap spam span spat swam trap vamp yank | acts alps amps asps bands blabs bland brand clamp clams clans claps crags cramp flags flans flaps flats flax gland grabs grads gramps grams grand grant pants plans plant scabs scads scalp scamp scams scans scant scrap slabs slags slams slant slaps slats splats stabs stags stamp stand stats strand strap tramp trams traps | bang batch black brash catch chat clang clash crack crash fang flash gang hang hatch latch match patch quack rang sang slang slash smash snack snatch splash sprang stack stash thank thatch thrash track trash twang whack | abbey abbot added adder addict addle aggro alley allies ammo angelic anger angina angle angler angora angry anguish angular apathy apple ashen ashes ashram ashtray assets attic babble backer backing backlit backlog backup baddy badge baffle baggage bagging baggy ballad bangers banging bangle banner bannock barrack bashful bashing batching batter battle battler batty biomass blabber blacken bladder bracken bracket bragger bratty cabbage cabby cackle caddy callow cannabis cannibal cannon canny canvass capping cashbox cashews cashier cassock catching catchup cathode cattery cattle catty channel chatted chatter chatty clapper classic clatter cossack crabby cracker crackle crackup craggy cranny crappy crassly cutback dabbing dabble dabbler daddy dagger dangle dapper dapple dashing dazzle despatch dieback dispatch dratted fallow fanny fathom fatten fatter fattest fatty flabby flannel flapper flasher flatten frazzle gabble gaffer gaggle gallon gallop gammon ganging gangly gannet gappy gassing gassy gather gladden goanna goulash grammar granny grapple hacker hacking hackles hacksaw haddock haggard haggis haggle hammock hangar hangdog hanger hangman hangout hangup happen happy harass hassle hatcheck hatchet hijack jabber jackal jackass jacket jackpot jamming jangle jazzy lackey lacking ladder laggard lagging lapping lashes lassie lasso latchkey lather latter lattice madden maddest maggot Mallee mallet mammal mammon mammoth mangle mango manna manners mapping masher mashes massage masses massing massive matchbox matches matching matter mattock mismatch morass mudpack nagging nanny napping nappy natty outback package packer packet padded padding paddle paddock paddy pallet panniers panning passage passive patching patchy patter pattern patting patty payback planner planning platter potash prattle quango rabbi rabbit rabble raffle ragged ransack rapper rapping rasher rashly ratchet rattan rattle rattler ratty rehash rematch sabbath sackful sacking sadden sadder saddest saddle saggy sallow sangria sapper sashay sassy satchel savanna savvy scabby scanner scatty scrappy scratchy setback shabby shackle shaggy shebang slacken slacker slammer slapper slasher smacker snapper snappy snazzy spammer spangle spanner stacker stagger stammer straggly swagger swaggie tabby tacker tacking tacky tagging tallow tally tangelo tangent tango tangy tannery tannest tanning tapping tassel tattle tattoo tatty tracker traffic trapper trashy twangy uncanny unlatch unpack vassal wagging whacky whammy wrangle wrapper yammer yapping zapping |
3 responses to “a as in pat”
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I am interested in how or whether you might distinguish the difference between the length of this short /æ/ sound in can (I can do it), an, and, at, dad; and can (tin can) man, pan, hand etc
Hi Athena, English phonology no longer has vowel prolongation as a distinctive feature. We did have actual short and long vowels in Old English, which really were short and long versions of the same vowel sound, but the Norman Conquest, Great Vowel Shift etc got rid of them. Phonemes are concepts in our heads and when they are produced in our mouths they can vary quite a bit, depending on what sounds precede and follow them, since our mouths are dynamic and they are always moving from one position to another when we talk and blurring sounds together (coarticulation). That’s why vowels followed by nasals like /n/ and /m/ sound a bit different from vowels followed by stops like /t/ and /d/, but for the purposes of filing words away in our heads and being able to understand and say and spell them, we classify all these vowel allophones as the same vowel phoneme, as long as they’re produced with about the same mouth position and movement, if any (front/back, high/low, rounded/unrounded, monophthong/diphthong etc). I hope that makes sense! Maybe in your accent some of these words contain a different vowel. I speak General Australian English and used the Macquarie dictionary’s phonetic transcriptions as my guide when compiling these lists. I hope that makes sense! All the best, Alison
Thankyou Alison. Your work is really helpful. Much appreciated.