English Language: Vowels- III

 

                                                    

English Language: Vowels- III

    Dear readers, in the previous post we discussed vowels and their phonetic transcription. We learnt that there are 20 vowel sounds with 12 monophthongs and 8 diphthongs. In this post, let us learn about vowel sounds, particularly Diphthongs with examples. Diphthongs are also called Vowel Glides, as they deal with two sounds.  For instance, when we pronounce this sound /aɪ/ it begins with /a/  and ends with /ɪ/ sound as we pronounce this word "I", "eye".  You can listen to vowel sounds and practise by clicking the link given against the examples. 

Vowels

Diphthongs / Vowel Glides

/eɪ/       - Face    https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/face?q=Face

               - Cake   https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/cake?q=Cake

              

/aɪ/       - Ice       https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/ice?q=Ice

               - Eyes    https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/eye?q=eyes

 

/ɔɪ/        - Boy     https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/boy?q=Boy

               - Toy      https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/toy?q=Toy

 

/aʊ/      - Cow    https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/cow?q=Cow+

               -Now     https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/now?q=Now

 

/əʊ/      - Go       https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/go?q=Go

               - Toe     https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/toe?q=Toe

                         

/ɪə/       - Hear    https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/hear?q=Hear

               - Near    https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/near?q=Near

 

/ʊə/      - Pure    https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/pure?q=Pure

- Cure    https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/cure?q=Cure

 

/eə/       - Share  https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/share?q=Share

               - Where https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/where?q=Where

               

        Dear readers, in the next post, let us learn about Consonant sounds with examples. 

Regards, 

Author:

K. Nandhakumar

Assistant Professor of English

Sri Ramakrishna Mission Vidyalaya College of Arts and Science

Coimbatore-641 020