[ ou ]

a diphthong, the nucleus is central, mid (-open), unrounded

Contrast exercise [ ou - ə: ] bone-burn, post-purse, nose-nurse.

[ou - ouə ]: low-lower, slow-slower, go-goer.

[ou - ɔ: ]: bone-born, tone-torn, cold-call, lowlaw.

[ou - ɔ ]: go-god, no-nod, hope-hop, toe-top.

Phrases

Oh, I don’t think so.

I don’t smoke so much as Joe does.

Don’t you know there’s no smoking here?

You can phone me tomorrow.

I hope you know who wrote those poems.

Proverbs and sayings

Go slow.

To hope against hope.

As you sow, you shall mow.

Little strokes fell great oaks,

Great boast, small roast.

All roads lead to Rome.

[ou - ɔ :]

There is no rose without a thorn.

[ou - ɔ ]

Man proposes, God disposes.

A rolling stone gathers no moss.

[ou -ɔ- ɔ: ]

Roll my log and I will roll yours.

Rhymes and tongue-twisters

Joe gave a low groan

As he fell over the stone

Soames never boasts of what he knows

But Rose never knows of what she boasts.

An old scold sold a cold coal shovel.

Goat, goat, give me your coat.

Little Nancy Etticoat

With a white petticoat,

And a red nose;

She has no feet or hands.

The longer she stands

The shorter she grows.

If many men knew

What many men know.

If many men went

Where many men go.

If many men did

What many men do

The world would be better,

I think so, don’t you?

Limericks

There was an old person of Cromer,

Who stood on one leg to read Homer;

When he found he grew stiff,

He jumped over the cliff,

Which concluded that person of Cromer.

There was an old man of the coast,

Who placidly sat on a post;

But when it was cold

He relinquished his hold

And called for some hot buttered toast.

Rhythm exercise

Oh, don’t go.

Oh, don’t go home,

Oh, don’t go home alone.

Oh, don’t go home alone, nobody knows this road.

Oh, don’t go home alone, nobody knows how lonely this road is.