Welcome to our ESL Pronunciation Guide! In this video, we’ll guide you through the correct pronunciation of commonly confused words: bat, bet, bit and but. Want to improve your pronunciation of short vowel sounds in English? Then this video is for you!
Four commonly confused words for ESL learners are “bat,” “bet,” “bit,” and “but.” These words may sound similar, but they have distinct pronunciation patterns that can affect meaning.
“Bat” (/bæt/) refers to a piece of sports equipment used in baseball or cricket. The vowel sound in “bat” is the short “a” sound, pronounced like the “a” in “cat” or “hat.”
“Bet” (/bɛt/) means to wager money or make a prediction. The vowel sound in “bet” is the short “e” sound, pronounced like the “e” in “bed” or “pet.”
“Bit” (/bɪt/) refers to a small piece or portion of something. The vowel sound in “bit” is the short “i” sound, pronounced like the “i” in “sit” or “hit.”
“But” (/bʌt/) is a conjunction used to indicate contrast or exception. The vowel sound in “but” is the short “u” sound, pronounced like the “u” in “cut” or “hut.”
