Vowel Detectives
Which word has the same vowel sound as ship?
A. Sheep
B. Sit
C. Shape
Answer: B. Sit
Explanation: Ship and sit contain the short /ɪ/ sound. Sheep has /iː/, and shape has /eɪ/.
The words think and sink begin with different sounds. What are the 2 consonant sounds? Is each sound voiced or unvoiced (voiceless)?
Answer: Both sounds are unvoiced (voiceless). For think, the tongue touches or comes slightly between the teeth. For sink, the tongue is near the ridge behind the upper teeth.
What sound do the letters CH make in chair?
The CH sounds like CH in chair. IPA: /tʃ/.
How is -ED pronounced in walked: /t/, /d/, or /ɪd/?
Answer /t/.
What is the diphthong vowel sound you hear in boy?
Answer:
/ɔɪ/, the diphthong in boy.
Identify the vowel sound in sun and fun.
short U
Sun and fun have the same short U sound.
What is the difference in sound between /p/ in pat and /b/ in bat? Is each sound voiced or unvoiced (voiceless)?
Answer: /p/ is (unvoiced) voiceless; /b/ is voiced.
How are the G sounds different in game and gem?
Answer: Game has a hard G sound. Gem has a soft G sound, like J.
How is -ED pronounced in played: /t/, /d/, or /ɪd/?
Answer: /d/.
How are the L sounds different in light and full?
Answer: Light has a light L sound; full has a dark L sound.
Identify the vowel sound in sheep and cheap.
Long E
Sheep and cheap have the long E sound.
A learner says sip instead of zip. Identify the sound error and explain which one is voiced or unvoiced (voiceless)?
Answer:
/s/ replaces /z/. /s/ is voiceless; /z/ is voiced.
How do the letters CH sound different in chair, chef, and chorus?
Answer:
Chair: CH sound. Chef: SH sound. Chorus: K sound.
Which word adds an extra syllable: jumped, cleaned, or wanted?
Answer: Wanted. Its -ED ending is /ɪd/.
What final consonant sound is missing in “I wen home”?
Answer: T
A student says, “I put the cap on the cup,” but pronounces cup with the vowel sound in cap. What is the difference between the vowel sounds in cap and cup?
Answer:
Are the first sounds in very and berry voiced or unvoiced?
Answer: Both are voiced.
What sounds do the letters J and H usually make in English? Give one example of each.
Answer: J makes the sound in jam. H makes the sound in hat.
What sounds do the -ED endings make in laughed, called, and needed?
Answer:
Laughed: T sound; called: D sound; needed: ID sound.
What final consonant sound is missing in “I nee to go”?
Answer: D
What is the difference between the vowel sounds in leave and live? Give one example word for each sound.
Answer:
Leave: Long E sound, /iː/, as in see.
Live: Short I sound, /ɪ/, as in sit.
A learner says, “I sink so,” instead of “I think so.” Identify the error and explain how to correct it.
The learner substitutes /s/ for /θ/. Place the tongue lightly between the teeth and push air out.
How many different sounds can the letter Y represent in English? What are they?
Answer: Four sounds: the Y sound in yes, the long I sound in my, the long E sound in happy, and the short I sound in gym.
A student pronounces worked as two syllables, “work-ed.” Identify the error and explain the rule.
Answer: The learner added an unnecessary syllable. After /k/, -ED is pronounced /t/, so worked has one syllable.
What final consonant sound is missing in “The students mus pas the tes”?
Answer: T