Short Vowels 

[æ]

To pronounce this sound You have to open your mouth widely.  

 

   a - cat [kæt]
a - rabbit ['ræbɪt]
a - camel ['kæm(ə)l]     

 

[e]

 

This sound is pronounced with half-open mouth. The lips are stretched a little.
In writing it is expressed by letter "e" in a closed stressed syllable, as well as by letter combinations "ea", "ie", "ai".

 

e - let [let]
ea - thread [θred
ie - friend [frend] 
ai - said [sed]

 

[ʌ]

 

This is a short vowel. In writing it can be expressed by the following letters “u", "ou", "o", "oo", in stressed position.

 

u - but [bʌt]
ou - tough [tʌf] 
o - love [lʌv] 
oo - flood [flʌd] 

 

[ɪ]

 

It’s a very short sound. In writing it is expressed by letters  "i" and "y", and by letter "e" in an unstressed syllable which is before the stressed one. Besides, by letter combinations "ey" in an unstressed position in the end of a word.

i - little ['lɪtl] 
y - mystic ['mɪstɪk] 
e - remember [rɪ'membə] 
ey - alley ['ælɪ] 

 

[ɔ]

 

Sound [ɔ] is pronounced by protruding your lips.
In writing it is expressed by letter  "o" in a stressed position in a closed syllable.

 

o - stop [stɔp] 
o - locker ['lɔkə] 
o - irresponsible [ˌɪrɪ'spɔn(t)səbl] 

 

[u]

 

 Typical short vowel. In writing it is expressed by letter "u" and letter combinations​

 

u - bullet ['bulɪt] 
oo - look [luk] 
ou - should [ʃud] 

 

[ə]

 

This is a neutral sound. It is always in an unstressed position. It can be expressed  by any vowel in an unstressed except  "y",  as well as by various letter combinations.

a - approach [ə'prəuʧ] 
o - compare [kəm'pɛə] 
u - awful ['ɔːf(ə)l] 
e - eleven [ɪ'lev(ə)n] 
i - visible ['vɪzəbl] 
io - mention ['menʃ(ə)n] 
ea - ocean ['əuʃ(ə)n] 
ia - essential [ɪ'sen(t)ʃ(ə)l] 
er - never ['nevə] 
or - mirror ['mɪrə] 
our - odour ['əudə]