Sound Contrast: /ə/ vs. /a/

Listen to the difference between the vowel sounds (/ə/ vs. /a/) in the following pairs of words.

• cuff
  | cough
• cup
  | cop
• duck
  | dock
• dug
  | dog
• dull
  | doll
• gut
  | got
• hug
  | hog
• jug
  | jog
• luck
  | lock
• lust
  | lost
• nut
  | not
• tuck
  | talk

Depending on your native language distinguishing the difference can be very easy or very difficult.