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banana has three a's, so why is only one stressed? Meet English's most common vowel, the schwa /ə/

Do you think every vowel needs to be pronounced clearly to sound correct? In fact, the most common vowel in English is /ə/, which is so light it's almost inaudible. Of the three a's in banana, only the middle one is stressed, while the other vowels in about, taken, and lemon secretly turn into /ə/. Using the simple tip "find the stress, relax the rest," this article helps A1–B1 learners master this key vowel that instantly makes your English sound authentic.