ua

The English multigraph 'ua' represents various vowel sounds and patterns, important in understanding pronunciation and spelling variations in English words.

In the following lesson, the 'ua' digraph will be discussed in terms of its phonetic representations.

Digraphs are pairs of letters that combine to produce a distinct sound.

Digraph	ua
Name	ua (pronounced /ˈjuː ˈeɪ/
Common Sound(s)	/uə/, /ɑ/, /ueɪ/, /uɑ/

Pie Chart of Digraph 'ua' Pronunciation in American English

Digraph 'ua'

Sound 1: /uə/

A combination of /u/ and schwa sounds, typically occurring in the middle or at the end of words, creating a diphthong-like effect.

truant /ˈtɹuənt/

mutual /ˈmjuːtʃuəl/

effectual /iˈfɛktʃuəl/

menstrual /ˈmɛn.stɹuəl/

Sound 2: /ɑ/

guard /ɡɑɹd/

Sound 3: /ueɪ/

A diphthong where the vowel begins with /u/ and glides to /eɪ/, creating a blend of 'oo' and 'ay' in one smooth transition.

actuate /ˈæktʃueɪt/

habituate /həˈbɪtʃueɪt/

fluctuate /ˈflʌktʃueɪt/

Sound 4: /uɑ/

nuance /ˈnuɑns/

Sound 5: /uɛ/

This sound starts with a close-back rounded vowel and transitions to an open-mid front unrounded vowel, blending the two distinct qualities smoothly.

sanctuary /ˈsæŋktʃuɛɹi/

obituary /oʊˈbɪtʃuɛɹi/

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