How to pronounce the vowels in the syllables of 'rat' and 'right' correctly?

Question

Both are very close, I don't know how to differentiate both verbally.

Answer 1

right, ri would would like the word rye

rat, ra would sound like ra in ran.

Answer 2

Well, slowed down rat would be more like r-ah-t, and right would be rI-EE-t

Answer 3

Rat has a long "a" vowel.

Right, however, has a diphthong -- there are 2 vowels in the same syllable: "a" and a "y" semi-vowel.

I would say that there is little difference in how rat is pronounced across accents and dialects, but there is a lot more variance in the pronunciation of diphthongs.

Answer 4

I don't have phonetic symbols on my keyboard, so I can't type it out for you, but if you go www.dictionary.com and type the words, it will let you play an audio clip so you can hear it for yourself.

Answer 5

In rat the tongue is forward more, but lower, while in right the tongue is higher for the vowel but more towards the back of the mouth.

Answer 6

Open the mouth for rat, push it through the nose Raaaaaht.

sharp, staccato for right.

You know, in English they really aren't very close at all.

I suggest using the pronunciations at http://www.m-w.com