The /ʌ/ Sound

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The following words all have the same vowel sound as up /ʌp/ :

  1. Bus /bʌs/ rhymes with plus /plʌs/ but the -u in business /ˈbɪznɪs/ has a different sound. 
  2. Love /lʌv/ rhymes with glove /ɡlʌv/ and dove /dʌv/ (as in a pigeon), though the past of dive /daɪv/ can be dived /daɪvd/ or dove /dəʊv/.
  3. Sun /sʌn/ and son /sʌn/ are homophones (different words but same pronunciation) and rhyme with run /rʌn/ and one /wʌn/.
  4. Just /dʒʌst/ rhymes with must /mʌst/. Justin /ʤʌstɪn/ (the boy's name) is different to juice /dʒuːs/.
  5. Lucky /ˈlʌki/ does not rhyme with cookie /ˈkʊki/.
  6. The -um in umbrella /ʌmˈbrɛlə/ rhymes with come /kʌm/ and thumb ʌm/.
  7. Some  /sʌm/ and sum /sʌm/ are homophones. They rhyme with dumb /dʌm/ but not dome /dəʊm/.
  8. Young /jʌŋ/ rhymes with tongue /tʌŋ/, sung /sʌŋ/ (past participle of sing) and among /əˈmʌŋ/.
  9. Done /dʌn/ rhymes with won /wʌn/ and gunʌn/ but not with goneɒn/.
  10. The -ud in sudden /ˈsʌdən/ sounds the same as in muddy /ˈmʌd.i/ and puddle /ˈpʌd.əl/.
  11. Money/ˈmʌni/ rhymes with honey /ˈhʌni/ and funny /fʌni/.
  12. The -com in comfortable /ˈkʌmf(ə)təbl/sounds the same as in company /ˈkʌm.pə.ni/ and compass/ˈkʌm.pəs/ but different from complain /kəmˈpleɪn/ and common /ˈkɒm.ən/
  13. Monday/ˈmʌndeɪ/ rhymes with Sunday /ˈsʌndeɪ/.
  14. Other /ˈʌðər/ rhymes with mother /ˈðər/ but not with bother /ˈðər/.
  15. Tough /tʌf/ rhymes with enough /ɪˈnʌf/ but not with cough /kɒf/.
  16. The -o in above /əˈbʌv/ has a different sound to over /əʊvər/ but has the same sound as the -u in under  /ˈʌn.dər/
  17. Wonder /ˈwʌndər/ rhymes with thunder /ˈθʌn.dər/ but sounds different to wander /ˈwɒn.dər/.
  18. Trust /trʌst/ rhymes with dust /dʌst/ and fussed /fʌst/
  19. Fussy /ˈfʌs.i/ does not rhyme with busy /ˈbɪz.i/.
  20. None /nʌn/ and nun /nʌn/ are homophones and do not rhyme with noon /nuːn/.
  21. Butter /ˈtər/ has a different sound to butcher /ˈtʃ.ər/.
  22. Public /ˈpʌblɪk/ has the same sound as republic /rɪˈpʌb.lɪk/, publicity /pʌbˈlɪs.ə.ti/ and publish /ˈpʌb.lɪʃ/ but different from puberty /ˈpjuː.bə.ti/.
  23. Custom /ˈkʌstəm/ is quite different to costume /ˈkɒs.tʃuːm/.
  24. The -tun in tunnel /ˈtʌn.əl/ sounds the same as ton / tonne /tʌn/ but different from tuna /ˈtʃuː.nə/ and tune /tuːn/.
  25. The -u in construct /kənˈstrʌkt/, instruction /ɪnˈstrʌk.ʃən/ and deduct /dɪˈdʌkt/ has the same sound.
  26. The -u in insult/ˈɪnsʌlt/, consult  /kənˈsʌlt/, culture /ˈkʌl.tʃər/ and ultra /ˈʌl.trə/ has the same sound.
  27. The stressed syllable in subject /ˈsʌbdʒɛkt/ (noun) and subject /səbˈdʒɛkt/ (verb) is different.
  28. The -ub in substance /ˈsʌbstəns/, submarine /ˌsʌb.məˈriːn/, rubber /ˈrʌb.ər/and double /ˈdʌb.əl/ sounds the same.
  29. The -unc in function /ˈfʌŋkʃən/ sounds the same as in monkey /ˈmʌŋ.ki/ but not donkey /ˈdɒŋ.ki/.
  30. Struggle /ˈstrʌɡəl/ rhymes with smuggle /ˈsmʌɡ.əl/ and juggle /ˈdʒʌɡ.əl/.

Complete the poem with one of the following /ʌ/ words: buzzing, hum, sun, comfort, rush, plum, bustling, under, lush, dusk and come.

Madrid in Motion

In Madrid’s (1) streets, where the (2) casts its glow,
Voices (3) in the squares, where stories ebb and flow.
From Plaza Mayor’s heart to Retiro’s calm and (4),
Madrid calls to us all, with a lively, steady (5).

The Puerta del Sol, a place where crowds (6) as one,
A meeting ground for souls, beneath the midday (2).
And as evening descends, the city comes alive,
With laughter, dance, and music, (7) the vibrant sky.

Through markets packed and (8), where flavours rich and bold,
Bring scents of (9) and spices, a feast for young and old.
From dawn until (10), this city has its charms,
In Madrid’s warm embrace, we find (11) in its arms.


Comments

Sir Joseph said…
Hi Graham,

Madrid in Motion

1 bustling
2 sun
3 come
4 lush
5 rush
6 hum
7 under
8 buzzing
9 plum
10 dusk
11 comfort

It´s good. Whose is this from?

See you.
Graham said…
Good evening José,

Whose (poem) is it? / Who is it by? / Who was it written by?
Chat GPT is a genius. He can write poetry and he can even help me make sense of your comments.

In Madrid’s bustling streets, where the sun casts its glow,
Voices hum in the squares, where stories ebb and flow.
From Plaza Mayor’s heart to Retiro’s calm and lush,
Madrid calls to us all, with a lively, steady rush.

The Puerta del Sol, a place where crowds come as one,
A meeting ground for souls, beneath the midday sun.
And as evening descends, the city comes alive,
With laughter, dance, and music, under the vibrant sky.

Through markets packed and buzzing, where flavors rich and bold,
Bring scents of plum and spices, a feast for young and old.
From dawn until the dusk, this city has its charms,
In Madrid’s warm embrace, we find comfort in its arms.

Here's another one, with the same /ʌ/ words, created in a matter of seconds.

Whispers of the Galaxy

Under the vast and endless skies,
A bustling galaxy softly lies.
The hum of stars in cosmic bloom,
A symphony beyond the gloom.

The sun ascends, its golden crest,
A beacon warming night's cold breast.
Come see the lush, eternal dance,
A ceaseless, starry expanse.

At dusk, the heavens burst to life,
A buzzing calm, devoid of strife.
Plum-hued nebulae drift in grace,
A timeless comfort, vast in space.

In every rush of comet's trail,
A story whispered, soft, frail.
And as we gaze, we come to know,
The universe's eternal glow.

Pretty good, right? What is more, you can listen to whatever Chat GPT comes up with in answer to your question.

Let's see how good it is at translating:

Susurros de la Galaxia

Bajo los cielos vastos y sin fin,
Reposa una galaxia en su bullicio sutil.
El zumbido de estrellas en flor eterna,
Una sinfonía que la penumbra gobierna.

El sol asciende, su dorado fulgor,
Un faro que abraza la noche con calor.
Ven y contempla el baile exuberante,
Una danza estelar, eterna y vibrante.

Al anochecer, los cielos cobran vida,
Un zumbido sereno, sin prisa ni herida.
Nébulas color ciruela flotan con gracia,
Un consuelo atemporal en su inmensa estancia.

En cada carrera de cometa fugaz,
Se susurra una historia, suave y tenaz.
Y al mirar, llegamos a entender,
El resplandor eterno del universo por doquier.

Be sure to listen to and repeat all the words with the /ʌ/ sound in the Quizlet.