rule · role
rule /ruːl/ vs role /roʊl/ — long /uː/ (lips tightly rounded, held steady) vs diphthong /oʊ/ (lips round then glide forward).
Similar spelling, very different vowels. rule has a long, steady /uː/ — lips tightly rounded and held still. role has the diphthong /oʊ/ — lips start rounded then glide forward. The mouth movement makes all the difference.
noun / verb — a regulation, or to govern — 'follow the rules' · 'rule of law' · 'ruled by a king'
mouth shape
long /uː/ — lips tightly rounded, tongue high-back — held steady, no glide — like 'cool', 'tool', 'pool'
rule
/ruːl/
vowel length
noun — a part played by an actor, or a function someone has — 'play a role' · 'role model' · 'lead role'
mouth shape
diphthong /oʊ/ — lips round then glide forward — like 'go', 'home', 'cold'
role
/roʊl/
vowel length
Key difference
rule /uː/: lips tightly rounded — hold the shape steady — like cool, tool, moon. role /oʊ/: starts with a looser round, then lips push forward — like go, home, cold. Try holding your lips still for rule and letting them glide for role.
Example sentences
rule:“There is a strict rule against phones in class.”
rule:“As a general rule, arrive 10 minutes early.”
role:“She played the lead role in the film.”
role:“Teachers play a vital role in society.”
Hear it in a sentence
“The first rule of the library is to keep your voice down.”
“She played the lead role in the school production of Hamlet.”
Hear it in the wild
Real speech from native speakers — the most reliable way to check a pronunciation, since automated audio can vary by device and browser.
rule
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role
Hear native speakers say “role” in real sentences — news, lectures, and podcasts.
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How teachers explain this
Approved tips from the community, sorted by helpfulness
Word families
rule family ▸
role family ▸
Related pairs
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