Short vowels a and e: how to say /æ/ and /ɛ/
Short answer: The letter a in cat says /æ/, with the mouth open wide and the tongue low. The letter e in bed says /ɛ/, with the mouth half open. They are short vowels, and the difference between them separates words such as bag and beg, or pan and pen. Practice them as a pair.
▶ Open the sound card Practice →
At a glance
| Letter | Sound | Mouth | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|
| a | /æ/ | wide open | cat, hat, map |
| e | /ɛ/ | half open | bed, pen, red |
How to make the sound
- Open your mouth wide and say /æ/ as in cat.
- Open your mouth about half and say /ɛ/ as in bed.
- Say pairs: pan – pen, bat – bet, man – men.
- Keep both vowels short.
Pairs to practice
| With /æ/ | With /ɛ/ |
|---|---|
| bad | bed |
| pan | pen |
| man | men |
| bat | bet |
Examples in sentences
- cat
/æ/: /kæt/. - bed
/ɛ/: /bɛd/. - map
/æ/: /mæp/. - pen
/ɛ/: /pɛn/. - hat
/æ/: /hæt/. - red
/ɛ/: /rɛd/.
Common problems
- Making both sounds the same: Many learners say bad and bed alike. Open your mouth wider for /æ/.
- Making the vowel too long: These are short vowels. Do not stretch them.
- Using the vowel of “bay”: The vowel in bed is not /eɪ/. Do not glide.
For Vietnamese speakers
- Vietnamese has vowels near /ɛ/ but not an open /æ/. Drop your jaw more for cat.
- Practice minimal pairs such as pan and pen slowly, with a mirror.
Check yourself
- Which vowel is in “cat”?
Show the answer
/æ/ Wide mouth.
- Which vowel is in “bed”?
Show the answer
/ɛ/ Half open.
- What is the vowel in “pen”?
Show the answer
/ɛ/ Not /æ/.
Questions
How do I know which is which?
Look at your mouth: wide for /æ/ and half open for /ɛ/.
Are they long or short?
Both are short vowels.
Where can I practice more?
Open the sound card for this lesson and repeat the pairs.
More lessons in this part
Part of the 👄 Pronunciation tool: Phonics & Word Decoding. 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