The /ʌ/ Sound

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 /θʌm/.
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 gun /ɡʌn/ but not with gone /ɡɒn/.
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 /ˈmʌðər/ but not with bother /ˈbɒðər/.
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 /ˈbʌtər/ has a different sound to butcher /ˈbʊtʃ.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.