分類
單元音可根據發音時間分為長元音和短元音，也可以根據舌面隆起的位置分為前元音、中元音和後元單。發前元音時舌的最高點在口腔的前部；發後元音時，舌的最高點在口腔的後部；發中元音時舌的最高點在口腔的中部。
元音單詞
以英語元音為例
前元音: [ɪ] [ i] [ e ] [æ]
中元音: [ə] [a]
後元音: [ʌ], [ ɔ ] [ʊ] [u] [ɑ]
[i:] sea, he, see, piece, ceiling, street, beef, these, week, meat, agree
[ɪ]sit, build, miss, myth, palace, between, if, give, busy, gym
[e] bed, desk, head, anything, many, again, special, heavy, weather, whether, friendly
[æ] bad, land, bank, stamp, pal, Canada, taxi
[a:] car, fast, class, plant, calm, aunt
[ ɔ] hot, want, wallet, wash, what
[ ɔ:] door, more, sport, ball, warm, author, court, bought, caught
[u:] good, who, blue, soup,
[u] look, put, women, could
[ ʌ] cup, come, blood, rough
[ ə:] girl, work, serve, nurse
[ə ] cadre, ago, forget, polite, dollar, doctor, famous, Saturday
單韻母
漢語普通話
拼音：a o e i u ü er
這幾個元音音位還有各自的音位變體；
e[ɤ]在i和ü後的實際發音為[ê]；
i在聲母jqx後的實際發音為[ɩ]，而在聲母zh ch sh r後的實際發音又為[ɿ]；
關于韻母er，雖然由兩個字母組合而成，但卻是卷舌的單元音[ə˞]（舌位沒有變化）。
