Lips
Start completely relaxed and neutral, not rounded. As you glide, the lips move toward a round shape. The diagram shows the relaxed start.
Diphthongs · British English
/əʊ/as in goat
The British "oh": one glide from a weak, central "uh" to a light, rounded "uu". The rounding happens during the sound, not before it.
Example words: goat, go, show, home, phone
Mouth
How do you pronounce the /əʊ/ sound?
Tongue
Start mid-central, in the lazy "uh" position. Glide up and back toward the high-back position while the voice continues.
Length
Fairly long. The weak "uh" start takes most of the time; the rounded ending is light.
Video lesson
Try it
- Relax your lips fully and start a weak, central "uh".
- While the sound continues, glide up and back as your lips round.
- Make sure the rounding arrives during the glide, not at the start.
- Try it in words: goat, go, show.
Check
Watch a mirror as you begin "go". At the very first moment your lips should be loose and neutral, and only round as the sound moves. If they are round from the start, you are saying the American version.
Common trap
Starting with already-rounded lips: that gives you the American "oh" instead. Also splitting it into two beats, or freezing on the start with no glide.
Practice: /əʊ/
Words
goatɡˈəʊt
goɡˌəʊ
showʃˈəʊ
homehˈəʊm
phonefˈəʊn
Sentences
Let's go home before it snows.lˈɛts ɡˌəʊ hˈəʊm bɪfˈɔː ɪt snˈəʊz.
She showed me photos on her phone.ʃˌiː ʃˈəʊd mˌiː fˈəʊtəʊz ˌɒn hɜː fˈəʊn.
He drove slowly along the coast road.hˌiː dɹˈəʊv slˈəʊli əlˈɒŋ ðə kˈəʊst ɹˈəʊd.
I hope the show starts on time.ˌaɪ hˈəʊp ðə ʃˈəʊ stˈɑːts ˌɒn tˈaɪm.
Don't open the window, it's cold.dˈəʊnt ˈəʊpən ðə wˈɪndəʊ, ɪts kˈəʊld.
🔊 plays the app's native voice. 🎤 records you so you can play it back next to it. Your recording stays in your browser.
Sounds in the same group
Is /əʊ/ one of yours?
Accenty listens to you speak and shows the sounds you miss, in British English.
