Memorable Schwa Sets:
#8 'An Actor Of Leisure?!
...Another Familar Rumour!'
#8 'An Actor Of Leisure?!
...Another Familar Rumour!'
This is a multi-part series on 'Selectively Lazy English'. If you're new, you can jump back to the first set of resources ... or start at the very beginning with my intro article.
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lazy schwa words
TIP: It's a good idea listen to the audio without looking at the written examples – at least when you start.
We pronounce the highlighted spelling patterns with a lazy schwa vowel in all of the word examples below, and in all contexts – even if a speaker wants to heavily emphasise the word.
-er teacher, bigger, writer, painter, mother, father, player
-ar sugar, dollar, collar, grammar, regular, familiar, solar,
-or doctor, actor, tractor, editor, professor, director, visitor
-our favour, honour, colour, neighbour, labour, rumour, harbour
-ure measure, closure, pressure, treasure
lazy schwa sentences:
The regular size and colour costs 8 dollars, and the smaller one is cheaper.
The doctor said I should start to measure my sugar intake, so I can get familiar with my habits.
I heard a rumour that my neighbours are putting up solar panels.
I am honoured to be here, both as a professor and a father.
exception words:
-ar avatar, exemplar, radar, guitar, registrar
-or mentor
-our contour, detour, velour, paramour, devour
-ure obscure, mature, secure, insure (notice the ‘ure’ syllable is stressed in all these, so they necessarily cannot contain a lazy schwa)
exception sentences:
I took a detour to a cafe to meet my old mentor who taught me guitar: we devoured about half the menu!