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Difficulty: MediumDiphthongs

The English vowel system features eight diphthongs, each produced by gliding from one vowel position to another within the same syllable. Which of the following words contains the diphthong /əʊ/?

  1. sewAnswer
  2. B
    law
  3. C
    cow
  4. D
    dew

Answer

The word 'sew' contains the diphthong /əʊ/.
The correct answer is the word 'sew', which is phonetically transcribed as /səʊ/ and features the closing diphthong /əʊ/. Although spelled with 'ew', it is homophonous with 'so' and 'sow'.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the sound structure of the target diphthong /əʊ/
The phoneme /əʊ/ is a closing diphthong starting at the central schwa /ə/ and gliding towards the rounded back vowel /ʊ/.
Understanding the sound characteristics helps isolate candidate words based on pronunciation rather than spelling.
2
Determine the phonetic transcription for each option
'sew' = /səʊ/, 'law' = /lɔː/, 'cow' = /kaʊ/, 'dew' = /djuː/.
Phonetic transcription bypasses orthographic traps where different letter combinations produce identical or distinct vowel sounds.
3
Select the word matching the target diphthong
'sew' /səʊ/ rhymes with 'go' /ɡəʊ/ and 'so' /səʊ/, confirming the presence of /əʊ/.
Matching the transcribed vowel glide identifies the correct phonetic option.

Key Concept

Identification of Diphthongs and Deceptive Orthography
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Topics

Diphthongs

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