British LOT Vowel: Practise Hot, Dog and Off
/ɒ/as in hot
In RP, hot, dog and off have a short, rounded vowel.
This exercise targets the short, rounded vowel used in RP hot. Spelling alone does not tell you which vowel a word has; use a recording when unsure.
Listen once, repeat the word, then use it in a sentence. Practise the rounded lot.
Compare
haht
Practice target
hot
What to listen for
Listen for the vowel in hot and notice whether your lips round.
How to practise
Round your lips slightly and keep the vowel short, with your throat relaxed.
A short practice session
- Listen to hot and repeat it without stretching the vowel.
- Round your lips slightly, keeping your throat relaxed.
- Try dog and off, then return to hot.
Try it in a sentence
The dog found a hot spot.
Listen for a short vowel. Avoid adding an extra vowel after the final consonant.
Read a line for a free accent assessment, or follow the British accent learning guide.
Practise words
Hear how you do on hot.
BritSpeech scores rounded lot on your own voice, on your phone, in seconds, then offers exercises to practise it.