Sounds of letter O
Here is the list of the sounds that the vowel o and combinations with o have in a stressed syllable.
Long /uː/ and short /ʊ/: a spoon for the cook
The combination oo makes a long or a short u sound. Of course, you can get these sounds with other combinations as well.
/uː/ examples
{mp3}/files/mp3/o-vowel/1.mp3{/mp3}choose, food, spoon, proof, school, group, two
/ʊ/ examples
{mp3}/files/mp3/o-vowel/2.mp3{/mp3}cook, book, shook, took, would, could, woman
Long sounds /ɔː/ and /ɜː/: a short word
The combination of or, ou, our often sounds like a long o. Note that if the word starts with wor-, or is pronounced as /ɜː/. However, it isn't always so.
/ɔː/ examples
{mp3}/files/mp3/o-vowel/3.mp3{/mp3}corn, more, short, horse, brought, fought, four, mourne
/ɜː/ examples
{mp3}/files/mp3/o-vowel/4.mp3{/mp3}worse, work, world, word, worship
Long sounds /əʊ/ and /aʊ/: at home now
In the pattern O_consonant_E, in some words with a single stressed o, in the combinations ol, oa, ow the letter "o" is sometimes pronounced /əʊ/.
The combinations ou, ow can also produce the /aʊ/ sound.
/əʊ/ examples
{mp3}/files/mp3/o-vowel/5.mp3{/mp3}alone, code, episode, home, joke, note, phone, pole, role, stone, those, vote
{mp3}/files/mp3/o-vowel/6.mp3{/mp3}ago, go, no, so, both, local, October, over, won't
{mp3}/files/mp3/o-vowel/7.mp3{/mp3}control, gold, old, sold, soldier, told
{mp3}/files/mp3/o-vowel/8.mp3{/mp3}boat, coast, goal, load, toast
{mp3}/files/mp3/o-vowel/9.mp3{/mp3}below, bowl, flow, know, slow, snow, throw
/aʊ/ examples
{mp3}/files/mp3/o-vowel/10.mp3{/mp3}about, cloud, discount, house, loud, mouth, pound, shout
{mp3}/files/mp3/o-vowel/11.mp3{/mp3}allow, brown, crown, how, powder, towel
Short sounds /ʌ/ and /ɒ/: come, dog!
The letter o can give a short sound which is either closer to "a" — /ʌ/ or to "o" — /ɒ/.
/ʌ/ examples
{mp3}/files/mp3/o-vowel/12.mp3{/mp3}come, month, colour, front, mother
/ɒ/ examples
{mp3}/files/mp3/o-vowel/13.mp3{/mp3}dog, comedy, box, song, coffee, copy, cost
Long sound /ɔɪ/: a boy has a toy
The combinations of oy and oi are often pronounced /ɔɪ/.
/ɔɪ/ examples
{mp3}/files/mp3/o-vowel/14.mp3{/mp3}boy, toy, enjoy, point, join, moist