O Words That Sound Like UH [ʌ]
There’s no reliable rule. The letter O often sounds like the core UH sound [ʌ]. You just have to learn the words and train your ear to hear the real sound.
Watch the Lesson
Quick Truth — Why “O” Often Sounds Like “UH”
English kept older spellings. Scribes used o in place of u before letters like m, n, v, th to keep handwriting legible — the “scribal o”. Pronunciation shifted, spelling didn’t. That’s why we get love, some, son, mother with the UH sound [ʌ].
Why English spelling is so inconsistent →
The history of the scribal o →
Practice List — 40+ Common O → UH Words
Click ▶ to hear real American pronunciation (YouGlish — US accent)
other▶ Play
come▶ Play
government▶ Play
company▶ Play
money▶ Play
nothing▶ Play
once▶ Play
mother▶ Play
among▶ Play
sometimes▶ Play
someone▶ Play
somebody▶ Play
somewhere▶ Play
somehow▶ Play
somewhat▶ Play
sometime▶ Play
month▶ Play
love▶ Play
front▶ Play
above▶ Play
son▶ Play
none▶ Play
otherwise▶ Play
brother▶ Play
cover▶ Play
worry▶ Play
comfort▶ Play
recover▶ Play
stomach▶ Play
governor▶ Play
tongue▶ Play
coverage▶ Play
honey▶ Play
oven▶ Play
onion▶ Play
monk▶ Play
compass▶ Play
monkey▶ Play
sponge▶ Play
glove▶ Play
confront▶ Play
