• Vowels make several voiced sounds.
• The breve about the letter reminds us that we are going to now focus on this vowel’s short, closed sound: /ŏ/, /ŏ/, /ŏ/, off.
• If remembering the sound is tricky, you can help your brain by using your body more. Move as if you are turning a light switch off as you say: /ŏ/, /ŏ/, /ŏ/, off.

Depending on the speaker and use, a vowel can create a schwa sound. A schwa is a quick and relaxed vowel sound, typically in an unaccented syllable. There is not a standardized sound for a schwa, but the most common schwa sound for letter “O” sounds like the vowel sound in the middle syllable of the word “balcony” or the last syllable of the word “dragon”.