I Swear English › Pronunciation › The /ar/ Sound - Are, Far, Calm
How to form the the /ar/ sound
305 The Sound ɑː - Are, far, calm, drama, Brahms:
When to use it
- The long /ɑː/ is the open, dark sound in car and far. Open your mouth wide and keep the sound at the back.
- It's the vowel in many everyday British words like bath, glass and can't.
Example words: are, far, calm, drama, father, car, bath, glass, half, dance (British English)
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Common mistakes to avoid
| Not quite… | Better |
|---|---|
| Making it too short or too front | It's a long, open, back vowel — far, not fah clipped short and not fair. |
| Confusing cart and cat | cart = long /ɑː/ (open, back); cat = short /æ/ (bright, front). |
Frequently asked questions
Why is there no ‘r’ in ‘car’ for British speakers?
Standard British English is non-rhotic: the r after a vowel isn't pronounced, so car is a long /kɑː/.
Which words use /ɑː/ in British but not American English?
Words like bath, glass, dance, can't use /ɑː/ in southern British English but a shorter /æ/ in most American accents.
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