What are the 24 spelling symbols for the vowel sounds in English.

Question

How many long and how many short vowels are there?

Answer 1

In English, there are 20 vowel sounds represented by 24 spelling symbols. The 24 spelling symbols include:

1. a (/æ/ as in cat)
2. e (/ɛ/ as in bet)
3. i (/ɪ/ as in hit)
4. o (/ɒ/ as in hot)
5. u (/ʌ/ as in cut)
6. au (/ɑ/ as in caught)
7. aw (/ɔ/ as in law)
8. oi (/ɔɪ/ as in boy)
9. oo (/u/ as in boot)
10. ou (/aʊ/ as in house)
11. oy (/ɔɪ/ as in toy)
12. ar (/ɑr/ as in car)
13. air (/ɛər/ as in fair)
14. ear (/ɪər/ as in ear)
15. er (/ər/ as in her)
16. or (/ɔr/ as in for)
17. ir (/ɪr/ as in bird)
18. ur (/ɜr/ as in fur)
19. ee (/i/ as in meet)
20. ie (/aɪ/ as in pie)
21. ey (/eɪ/ as in they)
22. ay (/eɪ/ as in day)
23. oa (/oʊ/ as in boat)
24. ie (/aɪ/ as in lie)

Regarding the number of long and short vowels, English has 5 long vowel sounds (/iː/, /uː/, /ɑː/, /ɔː/, and /eɪ/), while the rest of the vowel sounds are short.