Vowels 2

The front of the tongue is between the half-open
and half-close positions. Lips are loosely spread.
The tongue is tenser than for / ɪ /, and the sides of the tongue may touch the upper molars.

Examples:

egg, left, said, head, read (past), instead, any, leisure, leopard

The ‘schwa’ is the commonest vowel sound in English. It is ever stressed, and many unstressed vowels tend towards this sound. It differs from other phonemes in that its contrast with similarly articulated long sound / ɜː / does not involve a change of meaning.
The centre of the tongue is between the half-close and half-open positions. Lips are relaxed, and neutrally spread.

Examples: about, paper, banana, nation, the (before consonants)

The centre of the tongue is between the half-close and half-open positions. Lips are relaxed, and neutrally spread.

Examples: shirt, her, word, further, pearl, serve, myrtle

The back of the tongue is raised just below the close position. Lips are rounded. The tongue is tense.

Examples:

fork, call, snore, taught, bought, board, saw, pour, broad, all, law, horse, hoarse