a, e or u? How to tell /æ/, /ɛ/ and /ʌ/ apart
Short answer: Three short vowels sound close but change the word: /æ/ in bag, /ɛ/ in beg and /ʌ/ in bug. For /æ/, open your mouth wide. For /ɛ/, open it half way. For /ʌ/, relax your mouth and keep the sound short and central. Practice minimal pairs such as cat, pet and cup.
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At a glance
| Vowel | Mouth | Example |
|---|---|---|
| /æ/ | wide open | bag, cat, man |
| /ɛ/ | half open | beg, pet, men |
| /ʌ/ | relaxed, middle | bug, cup, sun |
How to make the sound
- Open your mouth wide for /æ/, as in bag.
- Open it half way for /ɛ/, as in beg.
- Relax everything for /ʌ/, a short sound in the middle, as in bug.
- Compare in a trio: bag – beg – bug.
Trios to practice
| /æ/ | /ɛ/ | /ʌ/ |
|---|---|---|
| bag | beg | bug |
| bat | bet | but |
| ham | hem | hum |
Examples in sentences
- bag
/æ/: /bæg/. - beg
/ɛ/: /bɛg/. - bug
/ʌ/: /bʌg/. - cat
/æ/: /kæt/. - pet
/ɛ/: /pɛt/. - cup
/ʌ/: /kʌp/.
Common problems
- Saying all three alike: bag, beg and bug become one word. Change the mouth shape.
- Saying /ʌ/ too far back: bug is not bog. Keep it short and central.
- Making /æ/ too long: These are short vowels, but /æ/ is the widest.
For Vietnamese speakers
- Vietnamese has no /æ/ and no /ʌ/ in the same form. Use the jaw: wide for /æ/, small for /ʌ/.
- Final /g/, /t/ and /p/ must stay clear: bag, bet, cup.
Check yourself
- Which vowel has the widest mouth?
Show the answer
/æ/ As in bag.
- Which vowel is in “bug”?
Show the answer
/ʌ/ Short and central.
- Which vowel is in “beg”?
Show the answer
/ɛ/ Half open.
Questions
Why are these vowels hard?
They are close in sound, and many languages have fewer vowels than English.
Can I rely on spelling?
Not always. The letter u can say /ʌ/ (cup) or /ʊ/ (put).
How can I practice?
Say trios slowly and watch your jaw in a mirror.
More lessons in this part
- sh or s? ship, sip
- Short i or long ee? ship, sheep
- th, s or d? think, sink, they, day
- ch, sh or j? chip, ship, jam
- l, r or n? light, right, night
Part of the 👄 Pronunciation tool: Sound Contrast & Articulation. See also the English pronunciation guide. Đọc bằng tiếng Việt.
Written for English learners by the English for Fun team. How we write our lessons · Last updated 2026-11-05.
Reviewed by Chinh Q. Hoang, PhD, founder, English for Fun · 2026-10-30