👄 Tim's Pronunciation Workshop: The Schwa

English pronunciation is easy, right? Well, maybe it isn't always a piece of cake, but Tim's back in the pronunciation workshop and ready to give a helping hand. This time he's looking at an aspect of spoken English called ‘schwa’. The symbol for the schwa sound looks like this /ə/.

More episodes in this series:

We like receiving and reading your comments - please use English when you comment 😊
#learnenglish #pronunciation #speakenglish #englishvocabulary #bbclearningenglish

Transcript:
Tim
Hi, I'm Tim and this is my pronunciation workshop. Here, I'm gonna show you how English is really spoken. It'll help you to become a better listener and a more fluent speaker. You ready? Come on, follow me. Now, there's an idiom in the English language that means that something is really easy. Any idea what it is? Well, here's a clue. Do you know now? Let's ask the people of London.

Voxpops
It's a piece of cake
It's a piece of cake
It's a piece of cake
It's a piece of cake

Tim
A piece of cake – an expression that means that something is really easy to do, as well as meaning – a piece of cake. But listen again to the words 'a' and 'of'. They are actually pronounced the same. What is the sound and are those words stressed?

Voxpops
It's a piece of cake
It's a piece of cake
It's a piece of cake
It's a piece of cake

Tim
The words 'a' and 'of' are both pronounced as /ə/ and they're not stressed. This sound /ə/ is the most common sound in the whole English language. It's so common that it even has its own name – schwa. Now, it can be difficult to hear the schwa because it is never stressed. However, it's a vowel sound that's used in many grammar words like articles and prepositions. Here are some more examples.

I like a cup of tea in the morning.
Could you get a packet of biscuits?
Can you give it to me?
I had an apple for lunch today.

Tim
So, you've heard the examples, and now it's your turn. Are you ready to start? Listen and repeat.

I like a cup of tea in the morning.
Could you get me a packet of biscuits?
Can you give it to me?
I had an apple for lunch today.

Tim
Now, I've got a cup of tea and I've got a biscuit, I'm looking forward to a piece of cake.
That was a mistake, but a tasty one.

[MM-ujfu]

Today I've finished the entire series of this pronunciation workshop. Heartfelt thanks Tim and The BBC Learning English Team, Finn, Rob, Catherine and other guys. You've really helped me boosting my English. I've completed the upper intermediate course and now I am taking "toward advanced" course, they're both great. I highly recommend anyone to use your website.
Thank you again. Much love and respect.♡

[mazharabbasbukhari]

thanks BBC, these lessons really help us non native speakers.

[EasyENGLISHwithJames]

The Schwa sound is the most important sound to master if you really want to speak English fast and sound more natural.

[annaromanova]

I like Tim's pronunciation workshop. Really hepful. Thanks for what you're doing!

[Pisty_]

شكرا لكم جدا جدا - هذ ه الفيديوهات رائعة و مفيدة جدا - أنا مدرس لغة انجليزية مصرىّ الجنسية و اعيش فى مصر و قد استفدت منهم جدا
thank you very much - these videos are great and beneficial

[figueiredo]

I'm portuguese native speaker from brazil and i'm crazing with these unpronounceables english sounds (lol). Even so, thank you for the lessons.

[HaiNguyen-hmlb]

Your work has great value. I'm so thankfull with your video.They há been useful growth your learninh

[hiro-wwiz]

Really helpful videos ! I've learned there are many differences between written English and how fluent English is spoken. I'm going to use your tips.

[emilygranger]

love all of you, thank you so much bbc !!!!

[gustavodesouzaconsoni]

One of the best videos of tips of pronunciation I have ever seen.

[Lovelorn]

You are a motivation for all of us! Could you please teach us about British 🇬🇧 phonemes, and phonetic, vowel, constant, and diphthong for kids? Thx so much the best teacher in the world.

[febriana]

Hi there, Febriana here, i actually use this video for learning English.

[hkeenan]

The phonetic symbols in the transcription would be SO useful. However, I do like these videos. Cheers!

[andrevaiano]

Beautiful eyes 👀 end good explanation!

[woodies]

BBC Learning English is really helpful to real British English. If they had offered me ten years earilier and I had found it, my English skills must have been much better...

[EnglishwithJoe]

Schwa is the most common sound in English, yet most native speakers dont know they use it :)

[AngelDiaz-nrey]

That piece of cake looks delicious!!😋
Great job and thanks!

[IuliaBoghe]

This is great. I'm totally going to use this in my lessons.

[xcaeva]

Here we go again to Tim's workshop

[soniamahey]

Learning a language is not a piece of cake!