About this schwa sound

Words that begin com- or con- usually have an unstressed first syllable. Here are some exceptions

Example words

  1. computer
  2. doctor
  3. potter
  4. monitor
  5. furious
  6. nation
  7. curtain
  8. pencil
  9. Japan
  1. concrete
  2. conversation
  3. contact
  4. combination
  5. combat
  6. Common
  7. Complicated
  8. Congress

unstressed short first syllable

  1. ability (Not able)
  2. above
  3. abort
  4. abuse
  5. achieve
  6. adapt
  7. adopt
  8. ahead
  9. alarm
  10. alone
  11. aloof
  12. amongst
  13. annoy
  14. apparent
  15. appalled
  16. arrive
  17. assume
  18. attack
  19. aware
  20. away
  21. occur
  22. oppose
  23. address
  24. adjustable
  25. appreciation
  26. available
  27. allert
  28. associate
  29. apologise
  30. additional

Sound
This is the most common vowel sound in the English language. use this sound to make your speach smooth and run together well.
Notice the different ways of pronouncing the word 'the' in examples 6 and 7. Can you see why this is so?