Hello everyone and welcome to Seattle Learning Academy's 12th American English pronunciation podcast.

I have to make an apology. I was going to teach about informal contractions during this podcast,

but I've changed my mind. I've decided that I would do common or regular contractions during this podcast, but I've changed my mind. I've decided that I would do

common or regular contractions today and save informal contractions for next week. So I'm going to

save Gunna and Wana for next week and stay with the basic contractions like don't and she's today.

I'm doing this for two reasons. One, I can lay the foundation for contractions now using words

people are more familiar with, and two, it is much more important to be able to use the regular

contractions before the lesser acknowledged ones.

First, though, are review.

Since we just finished a series of four podcasts about vowels, I'd like to do a quick review

of all 15 vowel sounds and their key words.

If you are listening from a private place, please repeat the sound and the

key word after me. Speak as accurately as possible. Long A, a, cake. Long E, keep.

Long I, I, bike.

Long O, O, home.

Long U, U, cute.

Short A, A, cat.

Short E

Bed

Short I

I

Sit

...