"The Other U" as in book, could, good, push

"The Other U" as in book, could, good, push

So we have a sound that many people call “the other U.” 


Regardless of what you want to call it, it can be a difficult sound for many Brazilians to master. 


The most common tendency of Brazilians is to make a sound in between /U/ sound in Portuguese (like tabú, maracatú) and the correct sound of the other U. 


So this mistake usually has to do with two things: you are rounding your lips just a little too much and your tongue is just a little too low. 


So to produce the other U sound, your lips should be relatively relaxed (compared to the /OO/) and your lips tend to flare out a little bit towards the end of the sound. It is a very deep sound in the back of the throat. 


The sound is often represented by double O in English, like good, book, look, cook, foot, neighborhood.

Another common representation is with U, for example, push, put, sugar. 


Finally, we this sound also occurs with ou in words like could, should, would. 


Even some of my most advanced students pronounce this sound correctly with certain words and incorrectly with others, so it is important to practice this sound in a variety of contexts.

Let’s go. 🏋️‍♀️


Sound School 5.0

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Week 1: Introduction

Atrasado 0 dias

  • Meet Foster 👋
  • Meet Alexia! Your support and cobaia 🐷
  • Our Story: Inglês Nu E Cru 🇧🇷🇺🇸
  • Our Philosophy - English for Humans 🌍
  • How to Train Any Sound: Your Language Learning Superpower
  • Imitation Exercise: How to Overcome Your Language Learning Fears
  • Imitation Exercise Audio
  • Week 1: Introduction Challenge!
  • Foster's Introduction Challenge Video
  • Alexia's Introduction Challenge Video
  • Alexia Intro Analysis Audio
  • First Weekly Challenge 💪🏻
  • Week 1: Baseline ✔️

Course Resources

Atrasado 0 dias

  • Introduction to Sound School Resources
  • Video-aulas 📹
  • Pronunciation Beats 🎧
  • Minimal Pairs 🤔
  • Most Common Mistakes 💯
  • Introducing Baselines ✔️
  • Weekly Challenges 💪🏻
  • Audio explanation of the course structure 🎧
  • Suggestions for organizing your studies 🤓
  • Ask Me Anything (AMA)
  • The Sounds of English E-Book

Week 2: Fixed Vowels

Atrasado 7 dias

  • Week 2 Introduction Video 📹
  • Introduction To Vowels - More Than A, E, I, O, U 🤭
  • Tongue Position: Your new best friend 👅
  • /EE/ as in me, she, we 📹
  • Beats: /EE/ 🎧
  • /AW/ as in law, fought, caught 📹
  • Beats: /AW/ 🎧
  • /AH/ as in job, box, father 📹
  • Beats: /AH/ 🎧
  • /EH/ as in bed, red, instead 📹
  • Beats: /EH/ 🎧
  • /AA/ as in cat, hat, apple 🍎
  • Beats: /AA/ 🎧
  • /OO/ as in you, blue, through
  • Beats: /OO/ 🎧
  • "The Other U" as in book, could, good, push
  • Beats: "The Other U" 🎧
  • Minimal Pairs: /AH/ X /UH/ 🎧
  • Minimal Pairs: /EE/ x /IH/ 🎧
  • Minimal Pairs: /AA/ X /EH/ 🎧
  • Minimal Pairs: /AH/ X /AA/ 🎧
  • Minimal Pairs: /EH/ X /IH/ 🎧
  • Most common mistakes: Fixed Vowels
  • Alexia, Analyzed - Fixed Vowels 💁🏻‍♀️
  • Practice Session: Fixed Vowels
  • Week 2 Challenge: 15 Minute Conversation 🤭
  • Baseline - Fixed vowels ✔️

Week 3: Moving Vowels

Atrasado 14 dias

  • Introduction to Moving Vowels 📹
  • /AI/ as in try, nice, bye, right 📹
  • Beats: /AI/ 🎧
  • /OH/ as in no, go, show 📹
  • Beats: /OH/ 🎧
  • /EI/ as in hey, say, rain 📹
  • Beats: /EI/ 1 Syllable 🎧
  • Beats: /EI/ 2 Syllables 🎧
  • Beats: /EI/ 3 Syllables 🎧
  • /OW/ as in now, how, power 📹
  • Beats: /OW/ 🎧
  • /OI/ as in boy, toy, choice
  • Alexia, Analyzed - Moving Vowels 💁🏻‍♀️
  • Practice Session: Moving Vowels
  • Week 3 Challenge: Introduction 🏋️‍♀️
  • Where are you from? 🌎
  • I'm from Brazil 🇧🇷
  • What do you do for work? 👩🏻‍💻
  • I'm a chemical engineer 👨🏻‍🔬
  • What did you study in school? 👨‍🏫
  • I studied business administration 📈
  • What do you like to do in your free time? 🏄‍♂️
  • I like to read books, go to the beach, and other things 📕
  • Practice Sessions: Week 3 🎧
  • Alexia, Analyzed - Week 3 Phrases 💁🏻‍♀️
  • Baseline - Moving Vowels ✔️

Week 4: Consonants

Atrasado 21 dias

  • Week 4 - Introduction 🙌
  • Introduction to Consonants: English is not that difficult 😅
  • Voicing: Understanding your voice box 📹
  • Quick note about consonant pairs...
  • Consonant Pairs: P & B 📹
  • Minimal Pairs: B X P 🎧
  • Consonant Pairs: T & D 📹
  • Minimal Pairs: T X D 🎧
  • Consonant Pairs: G & K 📹
  • Minimal Pairs: G X K 🎧
  • Consonant Pairs: V & F 📹
  • Minimal Pairs: V X F 🎧
  • Alexia, Analyzed - Consonant Pairs 💁🏻‍♀️
  • Practice Sessions: Week 4 👨🏻‍🏫
  • Alexia, Analyzed - Vowels vs. Consonants 💁🏻‍♀️
  • Week 4 - Challenge 💪🏻
  • Baselines - Consonant Pairs ✔️

Week 5: The Schwa Sound 🤭

Atrasado 28 dias

  • Introduction to the Schwa 📹
  • Written Representations of the Schwa 📹
  • Stressed-timed language 📹
  • Reductions in English 📹
  • Beats: Schwa Two-Syllable Beginning 🎧
  • Beats: Schwa Two-Syllable End 🎧
  • Beats: Schwa Three-Syllable Variations 🎧
  • Soundtracks: Schwa Dialogue 🎼
  • Inglês Nu E Cru Rádio - O som mais importante em inglês 🎧
  • Practice Sessions: Schwa Phrases 🙃
  • Alexia, Analyzed - Schwa Phrases 💁🏻‍♀️
  • Week 5 Challenge 🕺
  • Alexia, Analyzed - Explanation of the schwa sound 💁🏻‍♀️
  • Baseline - O som do schwa! ✔️

Week 6: /TH/ Bite your Tongue! 👅

Atrasado 35 dias

  • Introduction to the TH 📹
  • The TH in practice 📹
  • Beats: /TH/ at the beginning of words 🎧
  • Beats: /TH/ in the middle 🎧
  • Beats: /TH/ at the end of words 🎧
  • Beats: /THR/ 🎧
  • Minimal Pairs: /TH/ X /F/ Minimal Pairs 🎧
  • /TH/ Phrase Training #1 🏋️‍♀️
  • /TH/ Phrase Training #2 🏋️‍♀️
  • Soundtracks: TH Dialogue 🎼
  • Week 6: Practice Sessions: /TH/ 👍
  • Alexia, Analyzed - TH Sound 💁🏻‍♀️
  • Baseline - TH ✔️

Week 7: How to speak in the past like a native 👍

Atrasado 42 dias

  • Introduction to the past sounds in English 📹
  • The /ID/ Sound in English 📹
  • Beats: /ID/ 🎧
  • Beats: /T/ 🎧
  • Beats: /D/ 🎧
  • Soundtracks: Speaking in the past #1 🎼
  • Soundtracks: Speaking in the past #2 🎼
  • Practice Sessions: Speaking in the past 🏋️‍♀️
  • Alexia, Analyzed - Speaking in the Past 💁🏻‍♀️
  • Week 7 Challenge: What did you do yesterday?
  • Alexia, Analyzed - What did you do yesterday? 💁🏻‍♀️
  • Baseline - Speaking in the past ✔️

Week 8: The 3 T's of English

Atrasado 49 dias

  • Introduction: The 3 T's of English
  • The True T 📹
  • The Flap T 📹
  • The Stop T 📹
  • Beats: The 3 T's of English 🎧
  • Practice Sessions: 3 T's of English 🙌
  • Alexia, Analyzed - The 3 T's of English 💁🏻‍♀️
  • Challenge: Which T is it? 🤔
  • T Challenge: Answer Key 👍
  • Baseline - The 3 T's of English ✔️

Week 9: The American R Sound 🤭

Atrasado 56 dias

  • How to Produce the Beginning R Sound 📹
  • Intro to the American R 📹
  • Ending R and R Colored Vowels 📹
  • Beats: R Sounds 🎧
  • Soundtracks: R Dialogue 🎼
  • Practice Sessions: The American /R/ 🏋️‍♀️
  • Alexia, Analyzed - /R/ Variations 💁🏻‍♀️
  • Challenge: Tongue-twisters to train the /R/ sound 👅
  • Alexia, Analyzed - /R/ Tongue Twisters 💁🏻‍♀️
  • Baseline - R Sounds ✔️

Week 10: Final M & N 🙊

Atrasado 63 dias

  • Final M & N Introduction 📹
  • Introduction: Final /M/ 📹
  • Introduction to Nasal Vowels 👃
  • Final N Introduction 📹
  • Beats: /M/ One Syllable 🎧
  • Beats: /M/ Two Syllables 🎧
  • Minimal Pairs: /M/ X /N/
  • Beats: Final /M/ Phrases 🎧
  • Week 10 Challenge: Ask me Anything 🤔
  • Alexia, Analyzed - Final /M/ & /N/ 💁🏻‍♀️
  • Practice Sessions: The Final /M/ and /N/ 💪🏻
  • Baseline - Final /M/ & /N/ ✔️

Week 11: Questions? 🤔

Atrasado 70 dias

  • Introduction to Questions 🤔
  • Types of questions 🤔
  • Questions: Where? 🎧
  • Questions: When? 🎧
  • Questions: Do? 🎧
  • Questions: Are? 🎧
  • Questions: What? 🎧
  • Questions: How? 🎧
  • Questions: Have you ever? 🎧
  • Questions: Could 🎧
  • Questions: Would? 🎧
  • Practice Sessions: Any Questions? 💪🏻
  • Challenge: Creating your script 📖
  • Creating your script instructions
  • Alexia, Analyzed - Script Creation 💁🏻‍♀️
  • Baseline - Scripts ✔️

Week 12: The Dark L

Atrasado 77 dias

  • Week 11: The Dark L Introduction 📹
  • What is the Dark L? 📹
  • How to Produce the Dark L 👅
  • Dark L Minimal Pairs & Variations 📹
  • Beats: Dark L Words 🎧
  • Beats: P & B + L Combination 🎧
  • Beats: T + L Combination 🎧
  • Beats: R+L Combination 🎧
  • Phrases to train the Dark L 🗣
  • Practice Session: Dark L Phrases 🙌
  • Baseline - The Dark L ✔️

Week 13: The scary /IH/ sound

Atrasado 84 dias

  • Introduction to the /IH/ Sound
  • Comparison of the /EE/ X /IH/ sounds
  • Minimal Pairs /IH/ X /EE/
  • Minimal Pairs: /EH/ X /IH/
  • Como pronunciar o som do /IH/ em inglês
  • Como pronunciar o som do /IH/ em inglês (worksheet)
  • Practice Session: /IH/ Phrases 😬
  • Challenge: Face your fears
  • Baseline - /IH/ Sound ✔️

Week 14: Intonation & Imitation

Atrasado 91 dias

  • What is intonation and why is it important? 📹
  • Why is intonation important: Clarity 😌
  • Why is intonation important? Connection 💏
  • Why is intonation important? Communication? 📢
  • How to train intonation? 🤔
  • Training intonation - The man in the arena 🎩
  • Focused listening 🎧
  • Shadowing 🎤
  • Practice Session: Integration
  • Challenge: Improvisation 💯
  • Baseline - Shadowing ✔️

Week 15: Intonation Patterns

Atrasado 98 dias

  • Patterns - An introduction 📹
  • Patterns - Asking questions 📹
  • Patterns - Making Statements 📹
  • Patterns - Lists 📄
  • Patterns - Stress 😧
  • Patterns - Contrast 📹
  • Patterns - Emotions 😬
  • Patterns - Tag questions
  • Patterns - Challenge 🏋️‍♂️
  • Baseline - Intonation Patterns ✔️

Week 16: Habits 💪🏻

Atrasado 105 dias

  • What are habits? 📹
  • Why are habits important? 🤔
  • 4 steps to habit formation ⓸
  • How to create good habits for your English 👍
  • Better English in 15 minutes a day 😲
  • Challenge - Your 15 minutes 🙉
  • Baseline - Time Tracking ✔️

Week 17: Tools & Techniques - Simple Concepts

Atrasado 112 dias

  • Introduction to tools and techniques 🛠
  • How NOT to get stuck in English ✔️
  • Simple Concepts Part I 😊
  • Simple Concepts Part II 😊
  • Week 17: Simple Concepts Challenge 🏋🏻‍♂️
  • Baseline - Simple Concepts ✔️

Week 18: Tools & Techniques - Complicated Conversation

Atrasado 119 dias

  • Complicated Conversations 😲
  • Explainers 🤔
  • Explainer Video Examples
  • Radiohead 🎸
  • Complicated Conversations: Challenge 🏋🏻‍♂️
  • Baseline - Complicated Conversations ✔️

Week 19: Tools & Techniques - Music

Atrasado 126 dias

  • Introduction to learning with Music 🎸
  • Learning with music - the process 🥁
  • Resources for Musical Learning 🎶
  • Shape of You - Analysis 🙇‍♂️
  • Shape of You 60% Loop
  • Shape of you 75% Loop
  • Shape of you 85% Loop
  • Shape of you 100% Loop
  • Practice Session: Tools & Techniques
  • Week 19: Challenge 🏋🏻‍♂️

Week 20: Big review

Atrasado 135 dias

  • Sound School - Week 20 - Review
  • Sound School - Cheat Sheet
  • Fixed Vowels Review
  • Moving Vowels Review
  • Consonants Review

Ask Me Anything Archive

Atrasado 0 dias

  • Is the US a perfect place to live? 🇺🇸
  • What is the difference between laughed and left? 🤔
  • Why is it so difficult to have conversations in the beginning? 😲
  • Why don't more people know about Inglês Nu E Cru? 🙃
  • Why are R sounds so difficult in English?
  • How to improve phrasal verbs? 🙀
  • Are smartphone apps good for language learning?
  • Why does Inglês Nu E Cru not have a YouTube Channel?
  • Subtitles or no subtitles?
  • What should I do when native speakers talk too fast? 🏃‍♂️
  • How did you choose your profession?
  • Am I too old to speak English fluently?
  • How did you and Alexia meet? 💕
  • How to improve your writing skills? ✏️
  • Where should I start my travels in USA?
  • What does lose well mean?
  • What do I need to come in university in USA?
  • How do you organize your studies?
  • How do you start with a new language?
  • How do you create long sentences in English?
  • What are you favorite countries?
  • What countries do you want to visit?
  • What do you love about travel?
  • Accent & Pronunciation are the same thing?
  • Do Foster has any embarrassing moments when trying to speak Portuguese?
  • 5 words to describe yourself, do you have it?
  • If you could change the world, what would you do?
  • I'm an introvert, what should I do?
  • What should I do when I don't have much money to invest in my English studies?
  • When you have Language Blocks
  • Music and Foster, what are his favorites?
  • I need help with the difference between the TH X GH sounds!
  • Why funerals in the USA are so different?
  • Do Americans believe in God?
  • What did you search last on your phones?
  • Where is Foster on social media?
  • Slang - informal and formal vocabulary
  • Qual é a diferença na pronúncia entre SEE e SEA?
  • Vocês acham o Google Translator uma boa ferramenta?
  • Quais são os conectores mais comuns em inglês?
  • Você precisa de um speech therapist para te ajudar com a pronúncia?
  • Quais são as diferenças de pronúncia entre TO, TWO e TOO?
  • O processo de aprendizado de uma terceira língua é mais fácil que a segunda?
  • Você gosta de usar flash cards para estudar?
  • Quais são as diferenças entre Degree, Certificate e Diploma?
  • Como fazer para entender nativos de inglês que não sejam o Foster?
  • Como que eu faço para deixar de traduzir palavras para português e como melhorar o processo de repetição para entender o real significado de uma palavra?
  • Past Perfect & Present Perfect.mp3

Live Coaching Recordings

  • Should you watch movies and TV shows multiple times?
  • Why is the pronunciation of the article "a" different?
  • How can you improve your grammar without studying with the traditional methods?
  • I have problems talking about my background?
  • How do we use the expression "ain't?
  • Live intonation exercise!
  • Inglês Nu E Cru for kids?