The audio here is generated speech. A recorded human voice for this lesson is on the way.
One letter, three sounds
The letter O has three sounds worth knowing. The long O, in "go", "home" and "note", is a glide: start with rounded lips and close them further, "oh-oo". A silent E usually signals it: "hop" becomes "hope". The short O in American English, in "hot", "stop" and "job", is an open "ah" with your jaw dropped, the same sound as in "father". And in many words spelled with O, like "love", "son" and "money", the O sounds like the "uh" in "cup".
That third group is pure memory work, because the spelling gives no clue. Learn the common ones as you meet them: come, some, done, love, month, mother, other, nothing, wonder.
Hear the difference
Tap each word. Then test your ear.
Short O in American English is an open "ah". Long O glides from "oh" to "oo".
Say it out loud
Tap a sentence to hear it. Say it after the voice.
"Hot", "coffee" and "dollars" use the open American "ah".
"Mother", "loves", "coming", "London" and "summer": the O and U sound like "uh".
Practice · 3 min
Repeat each sentence. Let every long O glide, and drop your jaw for every short O. Record the fourth sentence and check that "mother", "loves" and "coming" all use the same "uh" sound, whatever the spelling.
Say it today
Use it once in a real conversation before tomorrow. Out loud counts, even to yourself.