Pronunciation with "a"

[Vinh.nt]

Dear Mr Torsten,

When I've practiced listening to the TOEIC, in somes phrases, such as "a hat", "a coat",... I've heard Mr Sue Darville pronounced it like /ei/, sometimes like /ₔ/. Which of cases is used popular?

Thanks.

[Jamie (K)]

The standard way to pronounce the word "a" works this way:

1. It is [ə] in speech before a word.
2. It is usually [ei] when you're pronouncing the word by itself.

So people would say, "You forgot to write the word [ei]," or they might say, "You forgot to write the word [ə]."

One the other hand, with a noun they would say "a hat" [ə hæt] and "a coat" [ə koʊt].

[Torsten]

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TOEIC listening, photographs: Fishing at the ocean shore