Short vowels

How to pronounce /ʌ/ U as in cup

cupmoneyenough

How to make it

Mouth barely open, tongue relaxed in the middle. Short and punchy.

Tongue
Central, mid height
Lips
Barely open
Voice
Short and punchy

Watch the mouth

Short and relaxed, mouth barely open.

Where learners slip

  • French speakersTurned into a rounded French vowel.

Say it on real English. See if it lands.

Lang Shadow scores /ʌ/ every time you say it — in Shorts, in role plays and in your own words — and colours it next to the other 40 sounds.