Rule 6 of 6
Easy startUse your long vowels
Your experience with short and long vowels gives you a useful starting point. Listen for both the length and the vowel sound: sheep needs more than a longer version of ship. A double letter in the sound spellings is a practice cue to hold the vowel longer and match the recording.
can and can't
Say can't as kaant : hold the aa, match its sound to the recording, then say a full t . Say can as kan , or as an unstressed kən in the middle of a sentence. Listen for the change in vowel sound as well as length.
When the answer matters (a promise, an appointment, a request), say 'cannot' instead of can't.
Listen to all three in a sentence:
- I can come tomorrow.
- I can't come tomorrow.
- I cannot come tomorrow.
Short and long vowels
| Short | Long | Play both |
|---|---|---|
| ship | sheepshiip | |
| liveliv | leaveliiv | |
| fillfil | feelfiil | |
| sit | seatsiit | |
| fullful | foolfuul | |
| pullpul | poolpuul | |
| cutkat | cartkaat | |
| huthat | hearthaat | |
| cankan | can'tkaant |
As a rough guide, the short i in ship sits between Kinyarwanda i and e; the short u in full sits between Kinyarwanda u and o. Use the recordings to refine these starting points.
In sheet, beach and piece, match both the vowel sound and its length to the recording. A different vowel can change the word a listener hears.