Examkin

All practice questions

13931 questions

All types13,931Multiple choice7,139True / False771Numeric1,526Matching2,583Ordering631Fill in the blank1,223Short answer58
Question 2361Question →

Analyze the statement below containing a capitalized word that indicates emphatic stress. Complete the contrastive question that elicits this statement by filling in the blank with a word that contrasts directly with the emphasized word.

Fill in the blanks below

Statement: The archivist preserved the RARE manuscripts in the climate-controlled vault.

Question: Did the archivist preserve the manuscripts in the climate-controlled vault?
Show answer & explanation

Answer

The blank should be filled with a contrasting adjective such as 'common' or 'ordinary' that replaces the capitalized word 'RARE'.
In Oral English emphatic stress patterns, a capitalized word receives primary stress to contrast with or contradict a specific piece of information presented in a prior question. In this item, 'RARE' is stressed. Therefore, the contrastive question must ask about manuscripts that are not rare (e.g., 'common', 'ordinary', or 'modern'), while leaving all other parts of the statement unchanged.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the word carrying primary emphatic stress in the given statement.
The word 'RARE' is capitalized, indicating that it carries the primary emphatic stress.
Emphatic stress highlights the specific information being asserted or corrected in response to a contrastive question.
2
Determine which element of the statement is being emphasized.
The adjective 'RARE' modifies 'manuscripts'.
The emphasis is specifically on the nature or type of the manuscripts, not on the archivist, the action of preserving, or the vault location.
3
Formulate a contrastive question that targets only the emphasized word.
The question must keep all other sentence elements identical ('archivist', 'preserve', 'manuscripts', 'climate-controlled vault') while substituting a contrasting descriptor for 'RARE'.
An emphatic stress statement directly contradicts an incorrect assumption made in the preceding question regarding the stressed element.

Key Concept

Emphatic Stress and Contrastive Questions
Question 2362Question →

Fill in the blank with the appropriate contrastive question that elicits the given response with emphatic stress.

Fill in the blanks below

Statement: The TAILOR sewed a beautiful dress for the bride.
Question:
Response: No, the TAILOR sewed a beautiful dress for the bride.
Show answer & explanation

Answer

Did the carpenter (or another subject other than the tailor) sew a beautiful dress for the bride?
Emphatic stress is used to highlight or correct specific information in a sentence. When 'TAILOR' is capitalized, it indicates that the speaker is correcting a wrong assumption about who sewed the dress. Thus, the question must ask whether someone other than the tailor performed the action.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the word bearing emphatic stress in the statement.
The word capitalized is 'TAILOR', which functions as the subject of the sentence.
Capitalization signals contrastive focus on that specific element.
2
Determine the appropriate question structure required to elicit emphatic stress on 'TAILOR'.
The question must replace 'tailor' with a different subject while leaving the action ('sewed'), object ('a beautiful dress'), and target recipient ('for the bride') identical.
Emphatic stress corrects an false assumption about the stressed item made in the preceding question.

Key Concept

Emphatic Stress
Question 2363Question →

Which of the following words rhymes with the word 'tomb'?

Show answer & explanation

Answer: womb

Answer

The word 'womb' rhymes with 'tomb'.
The word 'womb' (/wuːm/) shares the exact same end vowel-consonant sound sequence (/uːm/) as 'tomb' (/tuːm/). In Oral English assessments, rhyming relies entirely on auditory pronunciation rather than visual spelling.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Determine the phonetic pronunciation of the target word
The word 'tomb' is pronounced /tuːm/, featuring the long vowel sound /uːm/ and a silent 'b'.
Rhyme is determined by identical end sounds, not spelling patterns.
2
Analyze the pronunciations of the given options
'comb' is /kəʊm/, 'womb' is /wuːm/, 'bomb' is /bɒm/, and 'plumb' is /plʌm/.
Identifying the phonetic transcriptions reveals which word shares the ending sound /uːm/.
3
Match the word with the identical end sound
'womb' (/wuːm/) produces an exact sound match with 'tomb' (/tuːm/).
Both words terminate with the /uːm/ sound sequence.

Key Concept

Rhymes and Sound Matching
Question 2364Question →

Complete the sentence below by supplying the grammatically correct auxiliary verb in the blank.

Fill in the blanks below

Scarcely the chief registrar published the official examination guidelines when several candidates submitted their petitions.
Show answer & explanation

Answer

had
The correct verb is 'had'. When a sentence begins with a restrictive adverb such as 'Scarcely', 'Hardly', or 'Barely', the subject and auxiliary verb invert. Because the main verb in the second clause ('submitted') is in the Simple Past, the prior action in the first clause must take the Past Perfect form ('had ... published').

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the sentence structure and time markers.
The sentence begins with the restrictive adverb 'Scarcely' and connects two past events using 'when'.
When a restrictive negative or limiting adverb opens a sentence, subject-auxiliary inversion is required.
2
Determine the correct tense and aspect required for inverted initial clauses with 'scarcely ... when'.
The event in the first clause occurred prior to the past action ('submitted'). Thus, the Past Perfect tense is required.
'Scarcely ... when' structures express an action completed just before another past action, demanding the past perfect auxiliary 'had'.
3
Formulate the inverted auxiliary verb.
Inverting the subject 'the chief registrar' and auxiliary verb yields 'had the chief registrar published'.
The inverted structure places the auxiliary 'had' directly after 'Scarcely'.

Key Concept

Inverted Past Perfect Tense with Restrictive Adverbs (Scarcely ... when)
Estimated Time:1m 0s
Question 2365Question →

Neither the chief accountant nor the internal auditors who inspected the ledger _______ aware that each of the flagged transactions _______ further investigation. Which pair of verbs correctly completes the sentence?

Show answer & explanation

Answer: were / requires

Answer

The pair 'were / requires' correctly completes the sentence.
The correct selection uses 'were' to agree with the adjacent plural noun phrase 'the internal auditors' following the 'neither... nor' proximity rule, and 'requires' to agree with the singular head pronoun 'each'.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the first blank within the correlated conjunction structure ('Neither... nor...').
The subjects joined are 'the chief accountant' (singular) and 'the internal auditors' (plural). By the rule of proximity, the verb must agree with the nearer subject, 'the internal auditors'.
When subjects are connected by 'neither... nor', the verb agrees in number with the subject closest to it.
2
Identify the head subject of the subordinate clause for the second blank.
The head subject of the clause is the indefinite pronoun 'each', which is grammatically singular. The phrase 'of the flagged transactions' is a prepositional modifier.
Indefinite pronouns such as 'each', 'either', and 'neither' take singular verbs regardless of any intervening plural nouns.
3
Select the verb forms that satisfy both concord rules simultaneously.
The first blank requires the plural verb 'were', and the second blank requires the singular verb 'requires'.
Combining 'were' for proximity concord and 'requires' for indefinite pronoun concord yields the grammatically accurate sentence.

Key Concept

Subject-Verb Agreement involving Correlated Conjunctions (Proximity Concord) and Indefinite Pronouns
Estimated Time:1m 30s
Question 2366Question →

Complete the sentence below by supplying the grammatically correct verb form in the blank.

Fill in the blanks below

Neither the lead auditor nor the financial consultants available to answer questions during yesterday's press conference.
Show answer & explanation

Answer

The correct verb form to fill the blank is 'were'.
In English grammatical concord, when two subject elements are linked by correlative conjunctions such as 'neither... nor...', the verb agrees in number with the subject noun phrase nearest to it. Here, the plural noun phrase 'the financial consultants' immediately precedes the verb position, making the plural past tense verb 'were' the grammatically correct choice.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the sentence structure and locate the subject.
The subject is compound and connected by the correlative conjunction 'neither... nor...', joining 'the lead auditor' (singular) and 'the financial consultants' (plural).
Understanding the conjunction determines which grammatical agreement rule applies.
2
Apply the rule of proximity concord.
The verb must agree with the subject noun phrase closest to it, which is the plural noun phrase 'the financial consultants'.
When subjects are joined by 'neither... nor...', proximity concord dictates that the verb takes the number and person of the noun directly preceding the verb slot.
3
Select the appropriate past tense verb form.
'were' is the plural past tense form of the auxiliary verb 'to be'.
The temporal marker 'yesterday' indicates past time, requiring the past tense plural verb 'were'.

Key Concept

Proximity Concord with Correlative Conjunctions
Question 2367Question →

The university archives committee recently acquired a _____ desk to restore historical documents. Which of the following options presents the adjectives in the grammatically correct order to complete the sentence?

Show answer & explanation

Answer: valuable old rectangular wooden

Answer

The correct sequence of adjectives is 'valuable old rectangular wooden'.
In standard English grammar, multiple adjectives before a noun follow a specific order: Opinion → Size → Age → Shape → Color → Origin → Material → Purpose. In this sentence, 'valuable' expresses an opinion, 'old' denotes age, 'rectangular' describes shape, and 'wooden' specifies the material. Placing them in the order 'valuable old rectangular wooden' is grammatically correct.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the types of cumulative adjectives modifying the noun 'desk'.
'valuable' represents opinion, 'old' represents age, 'rectangular' represents shape, and 'wooden' represents material.
Categorizing each modifier is essential to apply the standard adjective order rule.
2
Apply the standard English adjective order rule (OSASCOMP: Opinion, Size, Age, Shape, Color, Origin, Material, Purpose).
Opinion ('valuable') comes first, followed by Age ('old'), Shape ('rectangular'), and Material ('wooden').
Adjectives preceding a noun must follow a natural cumulative sequence.
3
Select the option matching this sequence.
'valuable old rectangular wooden' is the correct placement.
This sequence adheres strictly to standard English grammatical rules.

Key Concept

Order of Adjectives
Question 2368Question →

Complete the following statements by providing appropriate words that satisfy the specified phonetic criteria for English consonant sounds.

Fill in the blanks below

The letter 'p' is silent when pronouncing the word , whereas the voiced postalveolar fricative consonant sound /ʒ/ is heard in the word .
Show answer & explanation

Answer

For the first blank, an appropriate word with a silent 'p' is 'receipt' (or 'pneumonia', 'psychology'). For the second blank, a word containing the voiced postalveolar fricative /ʒ/ is 'vision' (or 'measure', 'pleasure').
In English phonetics, the letter 'p' is silent in words such as 'receipt', 'psychology', and 'pneumonia'. The sound /ʒ/ represents a voiced postalveolar fricative, present in words like 'vision', 'measure', 'pleasure', and 'beige'.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify silent consonant patterns for the letter 'p'.
Words derived from Greek prefixes like 'pneu-' or 'psych-', or Latin-derived words like 'receipt', feature an unpronounced/silent initial or medial 'p'.
English orthography retains silent letters in specific historical and etymological contexts.
2
Analyze the phonetic representation of the consonant sound /ʒ/.
The sound /ʒ/ is a voiced postalveolar fricative found in words such as 'vision', 'measure', 'leisure', and 'beige'.
This sound contrasts with its voiceless counterpart /ʃ/ (as in 'mission' or 'shoe') and affricate /dʒ/ (as in 'judge').

Key Concept

Consonant Sound Identification and Silent Letters
Estimated Time:1m 30s
Question 2369Question →

In Oral English, emphatic stress highlights a specific word to emphasize contrast or correct a misconception. Read the statement below, where the word with emphatic stress is written in CAPITAL LETTERS:

The board reluctantly approved the REVISED budget proposal during the morning session.

Which of the following questions is the statement an appropriate response to?

Show answer & explanation

Answer: Did the board reluctantly approve the original budget proposal during the morning session?

Answer

Did the board reluctantly approve the original budget proposal during the morning session?
The correct response is the question asking whether the board approved the 'original' budget proposal. Because 'REVISED' carries emphatic stress, the sentence refutes or corrects an assumption that a different version (such as the original version) was approved, while maintaining all other elements of the sentence unchanged.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the word bearing emphatic stress in the given statement.
The word 'REVISED' is written in capital letters, indicating it carries the emphatic stress.
Emphatic stress signals specific contrast on the emphasized word.
2
Determine the focus and function of the stressed word.
'REVISED' is an adjective modifying 'budget proposal', contrasting the specific version of the document with alternative versions.
Placing stress on an adjective implies correcting a misconception regarding that specific quality or attribute.
3
Evaluate the options to find the question that contradicts ONLY the stressed word.
The question asking about the 'original budget proposal' contradicts ONLY 'REVISED' while leaving the subject, action, and time frame identical to the statement.
A sentence with emphatic stress serves as a direct contrastive response to a question or statement that asserts the opposite for the stressed element only.

Key Concept

Emphatic stress is used to highlight contrast or correct information regarding a specific word in a sentence, leaving all unstressed elements unchallenged.
Estimated Time:1m 15s
Question 2370Question →

Select the word that features the exact same diphthong sound as the one present in indict.

Show answer & explanation

Answer: aisle

Answer

The word 'aisle' contains the same diphthong sound /aɪ/ as 'indict'.
The word 'indict' contains the diphthong sound /aɪ/ (pronounced /ɪnˈdaɪt/). Similarly, the word 'aisle' is pronounced /aɪl/, which shares the exact same diphthong glide /aɪ/.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the diphthong sound in the target word
The word 'indict' is pronounced /ɪnˈdaɪt/, containing the diphthong sound /aɪ/.
Determining the correct phonetic transcription of the target word is essential to identify its core vowel sound.
2
Analyze the vowel sounds in the options
'aisle' is pronounced /aɪl/ (/aɪ/), 'deceit' is /dɪˈsiːt/ (/iː/), 'freight' is /freɪt/ (/eɪ/), and 'receipt' is /rɪˈsiːt/ (/iː/).
Comparing the phonetic realization of each option reveals which word matches the target diphthong /aɪ/.

Key Concept

Identification of the /aɪ/ diphthong sound across non-standard spelling patterns
Question 2371Question →

Fill in the blanks to identify the consonant sounds produced in the given words.

Fill in the blanks below

The final consonant letter 's' in the word 'cats' represents the sound , while the final letter 's' in the word 'dogs' represents the sound .
Show answer & explanation

Answer

The final consonant 's' in 'cats' represents the voiceless sound /s/, while the final 's' in 'dogs' represents the voiced sound /z/.
In English phonetics, the pronunciation of the ending '-s' depends on whether the preceding consonant sound is voiced or voiceless. In 'cats', the sound preceding '-s' is the voiceless /t/, so '-s' takes the voiceless sound /s/. In 'dogs', the sound preceding '-s' is the voiced /g/, so '-s' takes the voiced sound /z/.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Examine the sound preceding the final 's' in 'cats'.
The sound before 's' is the voiceless alveolar stop /t/.
Following a voiceless consonant sound, the plural suffix '-s' is pronounced as the voiceless alveolar fricative /s/.
2
Examine the sound preceding the final 's' in 'dogs'.
The sound before 's' is the voiced velar stop /g/.
Following a voiced consonant sound, the plural suffix '-s' assimilates and is pronounced as the voiced alveolar fricative /z/.

Key Concept

Voiced and Voiceless Consonant Contrast in Suffixes
Question 2372Question →

Complete the sentence below by supplying the appropriate preposition to fill the blank.

Fill in the blanks below

Despite the mounting evidence of financial mismanagement, the managing director remained completely impervious any criticism from the board of directors.
Show answer & explanation

Answer

The correct preposition to complete the sentence is 'to'.
The adjective 'impervious' selects the dependent preposition 'to' when expressing that an individual or object cannot be affected, penetrated, or influenced by external forces or remarks.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the head adjective preceding the blank that governs the prepositional complement.
The word preceding the blank is the adjective 'impervious', which means incapable of being affected or influenced.
Certain adjectives in standard English require specific dependent prepositions to link to their complements.
2
Determine the correct dependent preposition that collocates with 'impervious'.
The adjective 'impervious' standardly takes the dependent preposition 'to' (e.g., 'impervious to criticism').
Using alternative prepositions like 'against', 'with', or 'from' creates an ungrammatical prepositional collocation.

Key Concept

Dependent prepositions following adjectives
Estimated Time:1m 0s
Question 2373Question →

Read the sentence below and identify the verb form that satisfies the rules of grammatical concord:

'The lead consultant, alongside the software engineers who designed the backend architecture, _______ invited to address the board of directors tomorrow.'

Which of the following options correctly completes the sentence?

Show answer & explanation

Answer: is

Answer

The correct option is the singular present-tense auxiliary verb 'is'.
The sentence features a singular head subject ('The lead consultant') connected to a modifying noun phrase by the quasi-conjunction 'alongside'. In standard English grammar, expressions introduced by 'alongside', 'as well as', or 'together with' are parenthetical and do not pluralize the subject. Therefore, the verb must agree in singular number with the head subject, making the singular auxiliary verb 'is' the grammatically correct choice.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the true grammatical subject of the sentence.
The head subject is 'The lead consultant', which is singular.
Phrases introduced by parenthetical quasi-conjunctions such as 'alongside', 'together with', 'as well as', or 'in addition to' do not make a singular subject compound.
2
Filter out intervening plural modifier clauses.
'the software engineers who designed the backend architecture' functions as a prepositional/parenthetical modifier and does not alter the number of the main subject.
Grammatical concord requires matching the verb to the head noun, ignoring intervening plural nouns.
3
Select the correct singular verb consistent with the future temporal context.
The singular verb 'is' correctly completes the passive future construction 'is invited ... tomorrow'.
The head subject is singular, requiring a singular verb form.

Key Concept

Subject-Verb Agreement with Quasi-Conjunctions (Parenthetical Prepositional Expressions)
Question 2374Question →

Complete the sentence below by filling in the blank with the most grammatically appropriate modifier.

Fill in the blanks below

Of the two architectural proposals submitted for the new auditorium, the review panel considered the first option to be the choice.
Show answer & explanation

Answer

The correct response is 'better'.
When comparing exactly two items or choices, standard English grammar requires the comparative form of the adjective ('better') rather than the superlative form ('best').

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the number of items being compared in the sentence context.
Exactly two items ('two architectural proposals') are being evaluated.
The number of items determines whether a comparative or superlative modifier must be used.
2
Apply the rule governing degrees of comparison for adjectives.
Use the comparative degree ('better') when comparing two items.
The superlative degree ('best') is reserved for comparisons among three or more items, whereas comparing precisely two items requires the comparative form.

Key Concept

Comparative vs. Superlative Degree of Adjectives
Question 2375Question →

Complete the sentence below by supplying the correct form of the auxiliary verb for each blank to satisfy the rules of subject-verb agreement.

Fill in the blanks below

The number of candidates who registered for the university entrance examination increased significantly this year, although a number of applicants still struggling to complete their online verification.
Show answer & explanation

Answer

Blank 1 requires 'has' because 'The number of' takes a singular verb, whereas Blank 2 requires 'are' because 'A number of' takes a plural verb.
In standard English concord, 'The number of' denotes a singular aggregate quantity and takes a singular verb ('has'). In contrast, 'A number of' functions as a plural indefinite determiner meaning 'many' and takes a plural verb ('are').

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Determine the subject head and concord rule for the first blank.
The subject phrase is introduced by 'The number of candidates'.
When 'number' is preceded by the definite article 'the', it refers to a single specific total or unit, demanding a singular verb ('has').
2
Determine the subject head and concord rule for the second blank.
The subject phrase is introduced by 'a number of applicants'.
When 'number' is preceded by the indefinite article 'a', the phrase functions as a plural quantifier meaning 'several' or 'many', demanding a plural verb ('are').

Key Concept

Subject-Verb Agreement (Concord) with 'The number of' vs 'A number of'
Estimated Time:1m 15s
Question 2376Question →

Supply the exact conjunction required to complete the sentence correctly.

Fill in the blanks below

No sooner had the regulatory agency announced the new policy directives the affected financial institutions initiated full system compliance audits.
Show answer & explanation

Answer

than
In standard English grammar, the correlative expression 'no sooner' must be paired with the subordinating conjunction 'than' to introduce the subsequent clause. Using any other conjunction disrupts the established comparative structure.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the initial correlative element and clause structure of the sentence.
The sentence begins with the negative adverbial correlative phrase 'No sooner had', which triggers subject-auxiliary inversion in the main clause.
Recognizing negative inversion helps identify the paired conjunction required to complete the correlative relationship.
2
Determine the correct subordinating conjunction paired with 'no sooner'.
The correlative pair for 'no sooner' is strictly 'than'.
'No sooner' expresses a temporal comparative relationship where the second event immediately follows the first, requiring 'than' to introduce the secondary clause.

Key Concept

Correlative Conjunctions and Negative Inversion ('No sooner... than')
Question 2377Question →

The chief surgeon remarked during the clinical review that it was high time the hospital management board ________ the outdated diagnostic equipment in the intensive care unit. Which option correctly completes the sentence?

Show answer & explanation

Answer: upgraded

Answer

The grammatically correct option is 'upgraded'.
The idiom 'it is high time' (or 'it was high time' in reported speech) is an unreal past construction. When followed by a personal subject, the verb that comes after it must be in the simple past tense regardless of present time reference. Thus, 'upgraded' is the only syntactically correct form.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the key grammatical expression in the sentence.
The sentence features the fixed expression 'it was high time'.
Structures introduced by 'it is time' or 'it is high time' require a past subjunctive / unreal past verb construction when followed by a explicit subject.
2
Select the appropriate verb tense and aspect.
The simple past verb form 'upgraded' is required.
Even though the expression conveys an urgent present or future necessity, English grammatical rules mandate the use of the simple past tense to signify unreal past mood.

Key Concept

Unreal Past Tense with 'It is high time'
Question 2378Question →

Determine the appropriate word to complete the question that tests the emphatic stress in the given sentence.

Fill in the blanks below

Given sentence: 'The ARCHITECT designed the new museum in Abuja.'
Contrastive question: 'Did the design the new museum in Abuja?'
Show answer & explanation

Answer

A contrasting noun representing a different profession (such as 'engineer', 'builder', or 'contractor') that substitutes the capitalized subject 'ARCHITECT' while leaving the rest of the sentence unchanged.
Emphatic stress focuses prominence on the capitalized word 'ARCHITECT'. To test or respond to emphatic stress correctly, the matching question must replace only the capitalized word with a contrasting noun (such as 'engineer' or 'builder') while leaving the rest of the sentence structure completely unchanged.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the word bearing emphatic stress in the sentence.
The word 'ARCHITECT' is in capital letters, indicating that emphatic stress (contrastive focus) is placed on the subject of the sentence.
Emphatic stress highlights a specific piece of information to contrast it with alternative possibilities.
2
Formulate a question that directly tests or questions the stressed word.
The question must keep all uncapitalized words intact ('design the new museum in Abuja') and replace only 'ARCHITECT' with a contrasting noun.
A correct question eliciting emphatic stress contradicts only the stressed item and preserves the rest of the context.

Key Concept

Emphatic Stress and Contrastive Focus
Estimated Time:1m 0s
Question 2379Question →

In Oral English, several loanwords and Latinate terms contain consonant letters that are entirely omitted in standard Received Pronunciation. Which silent consonant letters complete the phonetic analysis of the target words below?

Fill in the blanks below

In the nobility title 'viscount', the unarticulated consonant letter is , whereas in the legal verb 'indict', the unarticulated consonant letter is .
Show answer & explanation

Answer

The silent consonant letter in 'viscount' is 's', and the silent consonant letter in 'indict' is 'c'.
In standard English pronunciation, 'viscount' is pronounced /ˈvaɪkaʊnt/, leaving the letter 's' unpronounced. Similarly, 'indict' is pronounced /ɪnˈdaɪt/, where the letter 'c' is silent due to historical Latinate spelling additions.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the phonetic transcription of 'viscount'
The word 'viscount' is transcribed phonetically as /ˈvaɪkaʊnt/. The letter 's' produces no sound, while 'c' represents the audible /k/ sound.
Comparing orthography with phonetic transcription isolates the silent letter.
2
Analyze the phonetic transcription of 'indict'
The word 'indict' is transcribed phonetically as /ɪnˈdaɪt/. The letter 'c' is completely unpronounced.
Identifying the missing phonetic segment reveals the unarticulated letter.

Key Concept

Silent Consonant Identification in Latinate and French Loanwords
Question 2380Question →

Match each word on the left with its correct spoken consonant cluster profile on the right based on English phonology.

Click a left item, then click its matching right item

Items

Sphinx
Plumber
Exempts
Strands

Matches

Show answer & explanation

Answer

'Sphinx' pairs with the initial two-consonant and final three-consonant cluster profile; 'Plumber' pairs with the initial two-consonant cluster profile with no final cluster due to a silent letter; 'Exempts' pairs with the final four-consonant cluster profile; 'Strands' pairs with the initial three-consonant and final three-consonant cluster profile.
Each word is matched strictly according to its spoken phonetic transcription: 'Sphinx' has /sf/ (2 initial) and /ŋks/ (3 final); 'Plumber' has /pl/ (2 initial) and no final cluster because 'b' is silent; 'Exempts' has no initial cluster and /mpts/ (4 final); 'Strands' has /str/ (3 initial) and /ndz/ (3 final).

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Transcribe each target word into its standard phonetic representation to isolate spoken consonant sounds from orthographic spelling.
'Sphinx' = /sfɪŋks/, 'Plumber' = /ˈplʌm.ə/, 'Exempts' = /ɪɡˈzempts/, 'Strands' = /strændz/.
Phonetic transcription isolates true spoken consonant clusters, bypassing silent orthographic letters.
2
Count contiguous sequences of consonant phonemes at the onset (initial position) and coda (final position) of each word.
'Sphinx' has onset /sf/ (2) and coda /ŋks/ (3); 'Plumber' has onset /pl/ (2) and no coda cluster; 'Exempts' has no onset cluster and coda /mpts/ (4); 'Strands' has onset /str/ (3) and coda /ndz/ (3).
Consonant clusters strictly consist of consecutive consonant phonemes within the same syllable marginal position.
3
Match each word to its corresponding structural description based on identified initial and final cluster lengths.
All four words are accurately mapped to their unique structural cluster descriptions.
This verifies complete phonological analysis across onset and coda clusters.

Key Concept

Consonant Cluster Identification and Phonetic Analysis
PreviousPage 119 / 697Next
All practice questions — JAMB UTME | Examkin