English Pronunciation Tip of the Day
Tip 111
Category:
Vowels
Author: JAM
Spot the schwa
It's about time we had another quiz. Many people underestimate how frequently /@/ occurs in spoken English. Here is a short passage. Try to identify all the schwas which are likely to be used in it. I reckon there are at least 40 of them.
The first time I and my brother were allowed to go shopping alone was a complete disaster. I think I was about ten and he was seven. We usually got on very well together, but he was in a bad mood that day and I suppose I was a bit nervous about having the responsibility of looking after him in town. Anyway, he disappeared almost as soon as we got off the bus and I spent about three quarters of an hour looking for him. When I eventually found him, I was so relieved that I didn't remember to get angry.
Answer
/D@ "f3:s taIm "aI @n maI "brVD@ | w@r @"laUd t@ g@U "SQpIN @"l@Un | w@z @ k@m"pli:t dI"zA:st@ | aI TINk "aI w@z @baUt "ten | @n "hi: w@z "sev@n | wi "ju:Zli "gQt Qn "veri "wel t@"geD@ | b@t "hi: w@z In @ b{d "mu:d D{t "deI | @n aI s@"p@Uz aI w@z @ bIt "n3:v@s | @baUt "h{vIN D@ rIspQns@"bIl@ti @v lUkIN "A:ft@r Im In "taUn | "eniweI | hi dIs@"pI@d O:lm@Ust @z "sU:n @z wi "gQt Qf D@ "bVs | @n aI "spent @baUt "Tri: "kwO:t@z @v @n "aU@ "lUkIN f@r Im | "wen aI I"ventS@li "faUnd Im | aI w@z "s@U ri"li:vd | D@t aI "dIdnt "i:vn ri"memb@ t@ get "{Ngri/