The schwa: the most common sound in English
Why "banana" has one strong vowel and two weak ones, and how weak vowels make your English sound natural.
The schwa is a short, relaxed "uh" sound. Dictionaries write it as /ə/. It's the most common vowel sound in English, yet many learners hardly use it.
Where the schwa hides
English words have one stressed syllable that is loud and clear. The other syllables are often weak, and weak syllables usually use the schwa, whatever letter they're spelled with.
In banana, only the middle a is a full vowel. The first and last are both schwa.
Small words get weak too
Words like a, the, to, for, of, and and can are usually unstressed in a sentence, so they become schwa.
Rule
Say the important words clearly and let the small words go weak. This rhythm of strong and weak syllables is what makes English sound natural.Don't say
/ˈbɑː nɑː nɑː/ (every vowel full)
Say
/bəˈnɑːnə/ (one strong vowel, two schwas)
Try it
Play each example, then read it aloud at the same speed. Notice how short the weak syllables are.
Quick check
2 questions · nothing is savedWhich syllable in 'banana' has a full vowel?
In 'I want to go', how is 'to' usually said?
Practise with your own reading
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