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Difficulty: HardDiphthongs

Which word among the choices features the identical diphthong vowel sound as the word mayor?

  1. heirAnswer
  2. B
    leopard
  3. C
    gear
  4. D
    plaid

Answer

The word containing the identical diphthong sound /eə/ is 'heir'.
The word 'mayor' is pronounced with the centring diphthong /eə/. The word 'heir' (pronounced /eə/ with a silent 'h') contains this exact same diphthong sound.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the primary diphthong vowel sound in the target word
The target word 'mayor' is transcribed as /meə/ in standard Received Pronunciation, which features the centring diphthong sound /eə/.
Establishing the target sound allows accurate comparison across options.
2
Analyze the phonetic realization of each option
'heir' is pronounced /eə/ (with a silent initial 'h'); 'leopard' contains the monophthong /e/; 'gear' contains the diphthong /ɪə/; 'plaid' contains the monophthong /æ/.
Distinguishing pure monophthongs and different diphthong glides avoids spelling-based deception.
3
Match the option possessing the exact target diphthong /eə/
'heir' matches the /eə/ sound in 'mayor'.
Both words feature the same vowel glide ending in schwa /ə/.

Key Concept

Identifying Diphthong Vowel Sounds (/eə/ sound matching)
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Topics

Diphthongs

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