SIMPLE MINI LESSON = JUST DO VOWELS FIRST = 80% solution already

Super Rapid Quick Start-Mini Lesson: Fix all the biggest problems in a few minutes

CRESS: Just a few vowel changes alone fixes 80% of problems

Steps: 

  1. Learn the 5 basic CRESS vowels based on tongue position
  2. Add 5 more by raising the tongue a bit
  3. Add only 3 gliding combinations not many dozens of digraphs

You automatically learn tongue position from CRESS

Say the alphabet vowels…

Basic Vowels In CRESS use Tongue position order: Front to Back, High to Low Order

  • i as in pit (front, high)
  • e as in pet (front mid-low)
  • a as in father (central low)
  • u as in put (back high)
  • o as in port (back mid-low, ignore the r)

Tongue position is from left side of face (SEE DIAGRAM TODO)

Three OBVIOUS arrows show tongue ADJUSTMENTS in CRESS:

  • ^ means raise the tongue
  • < means front the tongue
  • > means back the tongue

Raised Vowels

Tongue position order: Front to Back High to Low Order

  • i as in bit, but raised in beet bi^t (front, high)
  • e as in bet, but raised in bait  be^t (front mid-low)
  • a as in father, but raised in bud ba^d (central mid)
  • u as put, but raised in boot bu^t (back high)
  • o as in po(rt)), but raised in boat bo^t (back mid-low)

Digraphs (two letters for one sound) are never used EXCEPT 

  • When there are really TWO SPOKEN VOWELS: bye ai, bow au, boy oi

TODO Add practice