Vowels
Which vowel is it? Give 3 example words that have this sound.
Jaw: almost completely raised
Lips: in a “smile” position
Tongue: high in your mouth, and shifted toward the front
/i:/ sound
Examples: teeth, key, eel
a) What consonant do you get if you place the tip of your tongue between your teeth and push the air out while NOT vibrating your vocal cords?
b) What consonant do you get if you place the tip of your tongue between your teeth and push the air out while vibrating your vocal cords?
a) /θ/ sound
b) /ð/ sound
Which words have consonant clusters? What are they?
text * boss * laugh * asking * knock * play * root * speak
text /tekst/ * asking /ˈæskɪŋ / * play /pleɪ/ * speak /spi:k/
NB!
The word "laugh" is pronounced as /læf/.
The word "knock" is pronounced as /nɑk/.
Look these words. When do we use s-endings in English?
1) Mike's
2) develops
3) boxes
1) possessives
2) third person singular
3) plural nouns
Is this true or false? "The schwa /ə/ is the most common vowel in English."
Where to find the schwa? In stressed or unstressed syllables?
Where else (optional)? Give at least 3 example words.
True.
In unstressed syllables.
And functional words (e.g., and, to, them)
Read the following word pairs. Describe how to pronounce the vowel in column b).
1. a) men b) main
2. a) fell b) fail
3. a) tech b) take
4. a) let b) late
/eɪ/
Make the /e/ sound first then glide to /ɪ/
- Jaw: lifts up
- Tongue: lifts up to the proof of the mouth
- Lips: widens
- How does /dʒ/ differ from /ʒ/ (mouth positions)?
- Which words have /ʒ/ and which words have/dʒ/?
*jump - suggestion - vision - page - agenda - measure - engine - Asia - Java
The lips and teeth positions are the same as /ʒ/:
- Lips: flared
- Teeth: come together
But the tongue is touching the alveolar ridge for /dʒ/.
*/dʒ/: jump, suggestion, page, agenda, engine, Java
*/ʒ/: vision, measure, Asia
Give one example for each of the two-letter consonant clusters. The rest of the class type with you hear in the chat (private message).
pl - bl - pr - br - tr - dr - cr - gr - sk - st - sm - sl - sn - sp
Possible answers:
play - blow - pray - brand - tree - dream - cream - group - skip - step - small - slip - snow - spend
The ed-endings can have 3 different pronunciations. What are they? Examples?
a) /t/: helped, looked, washed
b) /d/: called, cleaned, offered
c) /id/: wanted, needed
Which syllables/words are stressed? Where are the /ə/? Say the phrase.
1. 'muv tə ðə ˈsentər
2. məst ˌʌndərˈstænd
3. 'æsk ðəm ə ˈkwesʧən
4. wəz riˈspɑnsəbəl
A. What vowel is it?
Start with the /æ/ and then:
B. Read the following sentences. Which vowels will you pronounce in the bolded words?
- You might have met Matt before.
- Don't be sad. We'll reset the website for you.
A. /aɪ /
B.
- jʊ maɪt həv met mæt bɪˈfɔr.
- doʊnt bi sæd. wil riˈset ðə ˈwebˌsaɪt fər ju.
Read the following word pairs:
1. a) feel b) fear
2. a) doll b) door
3. a) ball b) bar
How does the final consonant /l/ in a) differ from the /r/ in b) (e.g., tongue position)?
A. Dark /ɫ /: tip of the tongue touches the alveolar ridge, keep it there before cutting the sound.
B. /r/: the tip of the tongue is lifted up, not touching anything
Read the following words:
soft - fact - felt - old - solve - jump - point - chance - risk - test
Find one example word for each of the final consonant cluster below:
_ft - _kt - _lt - _ld - _lv - _mp - _nt - _nd - _ns - _sk - _st
Possible answers:
draft - act - melt - cold - delve - pump - paint - nice - task - vest
Read out these phrases.
Claire's chairs * Max's faxes * Trish's wishes * Bob's jobs * Di's pies- * Rose knows * Rose's roses * The witch's watches * Pat's hats * George's fridges *
Why are certain words emphasized in a sentence?
How to emphasize a word?
To communicate a specific meaning.
By making it sound louder and longer with a higher pitch.
Try this:
"I completed this task on Monday morning." (You didn't though)
"I completed this task on Monday morning." (Not a different one)
"I completed this task on Monday morning." (Not Wednesday)
"I completed this task on Monday morning." (Not evening)
Read the following words. Which words are pronounced with /ɔ/? What about /ɔɪ/ or /oʊ/?
voice - cost - coach - cross - draw - point - fall - toilet - voyage - don't - folder - fault - spoil - flow
/ɔ/: cost - cross - draw - fall - fault
/ɔɪ/: spoil - toilet - voice - voyage - point
/oʊ/: don't - folder - flow - coach
What sound is it?
- Lip: the inside of the bottom lip touches the bottom of the front teeth
- Tongue: relaxed
- Vocal cords: on
It's /v/ sound.
Read the following sentences. Pay attention to /v/ vs /w/.
Give one example for each of the three-letter consonant clusters. The rest of the class type with you hear in the chat (private message).
Initial clusters: scr- / spr- / spl-
Final clusters: -sks / -skt / -kst
Possible answers:
scream - spray - splinter
tasks (risks, masks) - asked (risked) - fixed (waxed)
Sort out the words according to the pronunciation of -ed-endings: /t/; /d/; /id/
watched, used, hated, laughed, loved, breathed, kissed, amazed, danced, sounded, damaged, followed, enjoyed, fixed
/t/: watched, laughed, kissed, danced, fixed
/d/: used, loved, breathed, amazed, damaged, followed, enjoyed
/id/: hated, sounded
Rhythm is the music of a language.
Speak about the key difference between English rhythm and Chinese rhythm.
Hint: Chinese rhythm is rather even. Each syllable is equally...
Chinese rhythm is rather even. Each syllable is equally stressed.
English rhythm is organized around stressed and unstressed syllables.
The intervals/lengths between stressed syllables in English are relatively regular.
Which words in the sentences below are pronounced with /aʊ/ sound? Read the sentences aloud.
1. /ɔl wər sərˈpraɪzd baɪ ði aʊl ðət flu əˈraʊnd, bət hi ˈdɪdənt əˈlaʊ ðəm tə ɡoʊ ˈaʊtˈsaɪd ənd si ɪt./
2. /aɪ ˈkʊdənt ˈɡæðər ˈeni ˌɪnfərˈmeɪʃən əˈbaʊt ðə nu haʊs ɪn taʊn./
3. /wi ʃəd naʊ dil wɪð sɪˈkjʊr klaʊd ˌaʊtˈsɔrsɪŋ/.
4. /wɪð ə ˈsɑləd ˈbækˌɡraʊnd ɪn aɪti, jʊ kən enˈʃʊr ə saʊnd ˈaʊtˌkʌm fər jər ˈprɑʤekt./
Read the following sentences:
Clusters to pay attention to:
Why do words ending with voiceless sounds such as "sleep, book, hat" have the pronunciation as /s/, but not /z/, in third singular person or plural form?
And why do words ending with voiced sounds such as "bag, fan, play" have the pronunciation as /z/, but not /s/, in third singular person or plural form?
The pronunciation rules were formed based on convenience.
1) It's easier to pronounce voiceless sounds + /s/ (voiceless sound)
2) It's easier to pronounce voiced sounds + /z/ (voiced sound)