Short o /ɑ/ and short u /ʌ/ are very similar sounds in American English. The short o is a more open sound than the short u, and the jaw is slightly dropped. The short u is a quicker sound — the word “luck” should take less time than the word “lock” if both words are being stressed equally in a sentence. 

In some dictionaries, the short u is transcribed the same as schwa /ə/, though this site transcribes them differently. In a word like “unlucky” /ən ˈlʌk i/, the first vowel is schwa /ə/ and the second, stressed syllable is a short u /ʌ/ and takes longer to say. Pronouncing short u and schwa differently allows the listener to hear which syllable is stressed.

1. doll — dull

2. fond — fund

3. gosh — gush

4. got — gut

5. hobby — hubby

6. hot — hut

7. lock — luck

8. not — nut

9. pock — puck

10. pomp — pump

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