Vowel rules
I speak French
I speak IPA
Yes or No to Liaison?
What the French?
Wacky Vowel Sounds
100

When "e" with no accent is the only vowel-letter in an open syllable and it is not nasalized, it is [          ] sound.

What is [ə]?

100

le

What is [lə]?

100

[emosjõ]

[bɔɛmə]

émotion

bohème

100

"coud et file" (sews and spins)

YES
100

The total number of French phonemes.

35

100

When u or û is the only vowel-letter in the syllable and not nasalized, it is [     ]    

What is [y]?

200

When "a" is not nasalized and it is the only vowel-letter in the syllable, it is [          ] sound.

What is [a]?

200

oiseau

What is [wazo]?

200

[lwis]

[ʒure]

louÿs

jouerai

200

"Les oiseaux avec leurs ailes"

(The birds with their wings)

YES

200

Name the three pure vowel sounds that make French diction distinct from Italian or English.

[a], [e] and [ɛ]

200

When  –eu, -oeu, or -ueu follows a pronounced consonant or  –il/–ill, it is [          ]

What is [œ]?

300

When "a" is followed by a [s] or [z] sound, it is [          ] sound.

What is [ɑ]?

300

âme

What is [ɑmə]?

300

[jø]

[kœr]

yeux

coeur

300

"Le verger est refleuri"

(The orchard is flowering again)

NO; No liasion following a noun in the singular

300

The concept of the consonant sound at the end of a word is transferred to the beginning of the word that follows it to link words.

enchaînement

300

Common feminine ending –euse is what sound?

What is [øzə]?

400

Letter "è" or "ê" is [          ] and "é" is  [          ] sounds. Speak the answers in order with correct diction.

What are [ɛ] and [e]?

400

mère

What is [mɛrə]?

400

[brylə]

[sjɛl]

brûle

ciel

400

"Tes yeux étaient plus doux"

(Your eyes were so sweet)

YES liaison after a plural noun and words that indicate the plural noun.

400

This type of vowel sound is produced when two vowel shapes are formed simultaneously.

What is a mixed vowel?
400

When –eu, -oeu or -ueu is final in a word or followed by a final silent consonant, it is [      ]

What is [ø]?

500

When "e" is followed by a final sounded consonant, it is a [          ] sound; but when "e" is followed by a final silent consonants (except s and t), it is a [          ] sound. Speak the answers in correct order with accurate diction.

What are [ɛ] and [e]?

500

Plaisir

What is [plezir]?

500

[amurøzə]

[kœjir]

amoureuse

cueillir

500

"Le ciel désert est plein d'ennui"

(The empty sky is completely carefree)

NO; liaison following words ending in -rs, -rt, and -rd (link the normally sounded "r")

500

This type of vowel sound is produced when a portion of the air flow is diverted through the nasal cavity.

What is a nasal vowel?

500

When in/m, yn/m, ain/m, ei, or eim is not followed by m, n, h or a vowel in the same word, it is [           ].

[ɛ̃]

600

Most of the time, when the letter "o" is the only vowel-letter in the syllable and it is not nasalized, it is [          ] sound.

What is [ɔ]?

600

Aurore

What is [ɔrɔrə]?

600

[adisjõ]

[kɛstjõ]

addition

question

600

"Un lion et un cheval blanc"

(A lion and a white horse)

NO liaison following et [e]

600

A rule that links two words by omitting a final mute e (schwa) immediately before another word beginning with a vowel or a silent ⟨h⟩

What is an elision?

600

When un or um is not followed by m, n, h or a vowel in the same word, it is [  ]        

[œ̃]

700

When "o" is followed by [z] sound, it is [          ] sound.

What is [o]?

700

The correct pronunciation of "qui" and "que."

What are [ki] and [kə]?

700

[sɛ̃fɔni]

[sɥi]

symphonie

suis

700
"Paris est beau!"

(Paris is beautiful)

NO liaison after proper name.

700

The concept of closing an open vowel to match the following closed vowel to achieve sound unification.

What is vocalic harmonization?

700

When i is followed by a vowel other than a mute e, it is [           ].

[j]

800

Spelling "au" is usually [          ] sound, but it is [     ] sound when it is followed by "r"?

What are [o] and [ɔ]?

800

"un" and "une"

What are [œ̃] and [ynə]?

800

[parfœ̃]

[sɔlɛj]

[lwɛ̃]

parfum

soleil

loin

800

"Mon bien-aimé s'en est allé"

(My beloved has gone away)

YES liaison after an article, adjective, personal pronoun, verb, adverb, preposition or conjunction.

800

The correct pronunciation of Messiaen, Saint-Saëns, and Poulenc.

What are [mesjɑ̃], [sɛ̃sɑ̃s] and [pulɛ̃k]?

800

When ou is followed by a vowel other than mute e, it is [           ].

[w]

900

Spelling –eau is always [          ] sound.

What is [o]?

900

un bon vin blanc

[œ̃ bõ vɛ̃ blɑ̃]

900

[œ̃]

[illysjõ]

[pasjɑ̃sə]

[tɛ̃brə]

un

illysion

patience

timbre

900

Phonetic changes due to liaison:

Letter d becomes [           ]

Letter f becomes [           ]

Letter g becomes [           ]

Letter s becomes [           ]

Letter x becomes [           ]

What are 

[t]

[v]

[k]

[z]

[z]

900

What are the two letters when preceding "u" that make "u" silent?

What is "g" or "q"?

900

When u is followed by a vowel other than mute e, it is [           ].

[ɥ]