976 - Wonder vs. Wander - Speak Naturally in a Minute | Happy English

Hey there! It’s Michael here - and welcome back to Speak Naturally in a Minute from Happy English. I’m here every Sunday with a quick one-point lesson to help you improve your pronunciation, rhythm, and intonation.

Today, let’s look at a pair of words that sound very similar, but mean very different things: wonder and wander.

First, wonder. The vowel sound here is a short, relaxed uh sound - also known as the schwa.
The one in wonder is like the number one. One wonder. It’s a short vowel sound. One wonder
“I wonder what time it is.” “I wonder if she’s coming.” One wonder - same short sound.

Next is wander, wander. The vowel sound here is longer AH sound, like want. I want to Wander.
Your mouth opens more and the sound lasts longer - I want to Wander.
“We like to wander around the city.” “He wandered into the wrong room.” I want to Wander.

So listen to the difference: wonder - wander / wonder - wander / wonder - wander
The vowel sounds are different lengths: wonder, short. Wander, long. Remember, pronunciation is half listening and half doing, so practice every day!

Hey, thanks for listening! And remember to follow and subscribe so you won’t miss the next Happy English Podcast and next Sunday’s Speak Naturally in a Minute. Until next time, keep learning and keep it cool.


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