Compare: fall – feel – fill

I  wonder how an American pronounces…
fall … feel … fill
/fɔl/ .../ fiyl/ … /fɪl/

fall … fell … fallen… falling
/fɔl/ …/fɛl/ … /ˈfɔ–lɪn/ … /ˈfɔ–lɪŋ/

Apples fall off trees.
Apples fell off the tree.
Apples have fallen off the tree.
Apples are fallingoff the tree.

feel … felt … felt … feeling
/fiyl/ … /fɛlt/ … /fɛlt/ … /ˈfiy–lɪŋ/

The woman feelshappy.
She felt happy yesterday, too.
She has often felthappy.
She is feeling happy now.

fill… filled … filled … filling
/fɪl/ …/ fɪld/ … /fɪld/ … /ˈfɪ–lɪŋ/

Fill the glass.
He filled the glass.
He has filled the glass.
He is filling the glass.

And now it’s your turn.
Listen to each sentence.
Which verb form do you hear?

Answers are at the bottom of the page.

NO PEEKING.

1.  getting gas

a.  __________________________________ it up, regular, please.
b.  I never ______________ up the car before at this station.

2.  movers at work

a.  The movers are really __________________ tired.
b.  They haven’t _______________ this tired in ages.

3.  learning to skate

a.  I hope I don’t ___________________ down.
b.  I _____________________ down yesterday.
c.  I haven’t ______________ down yet today.

4.  the steam iron needs water

a.  I thought I already ___________________ it with water.
b.  It’s empty again.  Guess I’ll have to ________ it again.

5.  giving a presentation

a.  I used to ____________________ nervous about it.
b.  But, I don’t ____________________ nervous today.
c.  Today, I’m _____________ good about my speech.

6.  carrying heavy boxes

a.  Uh oh, the boxes are going to ______________.
b.  Uh oh, the boxes are ________________________.
c.  Oh no, they’ve all ____________ on the ground.

7.  to fill out a form

a.  I am _________________________ out a job application.
b.  I’ve ___________________ out a lot of forms in my life.

8.  to feel under the weather

a.  He was ____________ under the weather last week.
b.  I ___________________ under the weather yesterday.

9.   Look at the pictures.

a)  The man is _____________________ off a horse.
b)  The boy _________________________ out of bed.

Answers

a.  Fill it up, regular, please.
b.  I never filledup the car before at this station.

a.  The movers are feelingtired.
b.  They haven’t felt this tired in ages.

a.  I hope I don’t fall down.
b.  I fell down yesterday.
c.  I haven’t fallen down yet today.

a.  I thought I already filled it with water.
b.  It’s empty again. Guess I’ll have to fill it again.

a.  I used to feelnervous about it.
b.  But, I don’t feel nervous today.
c.  Today I’m feeling good about my speech.

a.  Uh oh, the boxes are going to fall.
b.  Uh oh, the boxes are falling.
c.  Oh no, the’ve all fallen on the ground.

a.  I am filling out a job application.
b.  I’ve filled out a lot of forms in my life.

a.  He was feeling under the weather last week.
b.  I felt under the weather yesterday.

a.  The man is falling off a horse.
b.  The boy fell out of bed.