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Oral English

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Question 121Question →

Identify the word from the given list that contains the target diphthong sound.

Fill in the blanks below

From the set of words (plait, gauge, tread, friend), the word that features the diphthong sound /eɪ/ is .
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Answer

gauge
The word 'gauge' is pronounced /ɡeɪdʒ/ and contains the diphthong sound /eɪ/. Although words like 'plait', 'tread', and 'friend' feature double-vowel spellings, their phonetic transcriptions demonstrate pure monophthong sounds (/plæt/, /trɛd/, and /frɛnd/ respectively).

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the phonetic pronunciation of each word in the provided set.
'plait' is pronounced /plæt/, 'tread' is pronounced /trɛd/, 'friend' is pronounced /frɛnd/, and 'gauge' is pronounced /ɡeɪdʒ/.
Vowel graphemes in English spelling often obscure whether the underlying sound is a monophthong or a diphthong.
2
Match the target diphthong sound /eɪ/ with the correct word.
'gauge' (/ɡeɪdʒ/) contains the diphthong /eɪ/.
The vowel sound in 'gauge' involves a glide from /e/ to /ɪ/, forming the diphthong /eɪ/, whereas the other listed words contain pure monophthong vowels.

Key Concept

Diphthong sound identification and distinguishing diphthongs from deceptive monophthong spellings
Question 122Question →

Select the word that contains the same monophthong (pure vowel) sound as the one represented by the underlined letters in the word below:

says

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Answer: leopard

Answer

The word containing the same monophthong sound as 'says' is 'leopard'.
The target word 'says' is pronounced phonologically as /sez/, featuring the short pure vowel /e/. Among the choices, 'leopard' is pronounced /ˈlepəd/, where the spelling 'eo' produces the exact same short monophthong /e/ sound.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the phonetic sound of the underlined vowel pattern in the target word.
In the word 'says' (/sez/), the underlined spelling 'ay' represents the short monophthong (pure vowel) /e/.
Although 'ay' usually spells the diphthong /eɪ/, 'says' is an irregular pronunciation pronounced with the short pure vowel /e/.
2
Analyze the vowel sound in each of the given options to find the matching monophthong.
'leopard' is pronounced /ˈlepəd/ (contains /e/);
'days' is pronounced /deɪz/ (contains /eɪ/);
'feet' is pronounced /fiːt/ (contains /iː/);
'paid' is pronounced /peɪd/ (contains /eɪ/).
Only 'leopard' shares the exact short monophthong /e/ sound found in 'says'.

Key Concept

Monophthong (Pure Vowel) Identification
Question 123Question →

Match each target word in the left column with the word in the right column that contains the exact same diphthong vowel sound.

Click a left item, then click its matching right item

Items

drought
paradigm
feint
croak

Matches

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Answer

The correct matches are: 'drought' pairs with 'browse' (/aʊ/), 'paradigm' pairs with 'guile' (/aɪ/), 'feint' pairs with 'stray' (/eɪ/), and 'croak' pairs with 'foam' (/əʊ/).
Each left-column word is correctly matched to its right-column partner sharing the identical diphthong sound despite deceptive spelling: 'drought' and 'browse' both produce /aʊ/, 'paradigm' and 'guile' both produce /aɪ/, 'feint' and 'stray' both produce /eɪ/, and 'croak' and 'foam' both produce /əʊ/.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the primary diphthong sound in each target word on the left.
'drought' contains /aʊ/, 'paradigm' contains /aɪ/ in its final syllable, 'feint' contains /eɪ/, and 'croak' contains /əʊ/.
Phonetic identification requires looking past non-standard orthography such as the silent 'g' in 'paradigm' or the multi-letter 'ough' spelling in 'drought'.
2
Analyze the vowel sounds in the right column words.
'browse' contains /aʊ/, 'guile' contains /aɪ/, 'stray' contains /eɪ/, and 'foam' contains /əʊ/.
Matching requires isolating the gliding vowel quality regardless of spelling differences.
3
Form the corresponding pairs based on identical diphthong glides.
'drought' -> 'browse' (/aʊ/); 'paradigm' -> 'guile' (/aɪ/); 'feint' -> 'stray' (/eɪ/); 'croak' -> 'foam' (/əʊ/).
Each pair shares the precise target diphthong sound.

Key Concept

Diphthong Sound Identification and Orthographic Variation
Question 124Question →

English orthography frequently masks the underlying phonetic structure of words through deceptive spelling patterns. Which of the following words contains the exact same monophthong (pure vowel) sound as the underlined letter in c<u>o</u>lonel?

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Answer: scourge

Answer

The word containing the exact same monophthong sound is 'scourge'.
In the word 'colonel' (/ˈkɜːn.əl/), the first vowel sound represented by the letter 'o' is the long central monophthong /ɜː/. The word 'scourge' (/skɜːdʒ/) also uses the monophthong /ɜː/ represented by the spelling 'our'. Thus, both words share the exact same pure vowel sound.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Determine the phonetic transcription and specific monophthong in the target word.
The word 'colonel' is transcribed phonetically as /ˈkɜːn.əl/. The underlined letter 'o' represents the long central monophthong /ɜː/.
Identify the underlying target vowel sound independent of orthographic representation.
2
Analyze the vowel sounds in each of the given options.
'scourge' contains /ɜː/ (/skɜːdʒ/), 'colonial' contains /əʊ/ (/kəˈləʊniəl/), 'cough' contains /ɒ/ (/kɒf/), and 'colander' contains /ɒ/ (/ˈkɒlɪndə/).
Isolate the primary monophthong or diphthong sound present in each candidate option.
3
Match the target monophthong /ɜː/ to the correct option.
'scourge' is the only option that shares the monophthong /ɜː/.
Both words feature the same long central unrounded pure vowel.

Key Concept

Monophthongs (Pure Vowels)
Question 125Question →

English orthography often masks phonetic structures. Which of the following words contains the diphthong sound /əʊ/?

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Answer: tableau

Answer

The word 'tableau' contains the diphthong sound /əʊ/.
The correct choice is the word 'tableau' because its final syllable is pronounced with the diphthong glide /əʊ/ (/ˈtæbləʊ/).

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Transcribe the phonetic vowel sound of the target word 'tableau'.
The word 'tableau' is phonetically transcribed as /ˈtæbləʊ/.
The spelling 'eau' borrowed from French produces the English diphthong glide /əʊ/.
2
Analyze the vowel sounds of the remaining choices to identify monophthongization traps.
'broad' is /brɔːd/ (long monophthong /ɔː/), 'cough' is /kɒf/ (short monophthong /ɒ/), and 'quay' is /kiː/ (long monophthong /iː/).
These words feature monophthongs that are commonly misidentified due to deceptive spelling patterns.

Key Concept

Identification of the Diphthong /əʊ/
Estimated Time:45s
Question 126Question →

Match each word below with the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) symbol that represents its primary monophthong (pure vowel) sound.

Click a left item, then click its matching right item

Items

boot
book
bet
bat

Matches

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Answer

'boot' matches /u:/, 'book' matches /ʊ/, 'bet' matches /e/, and 'bat' matches /æ/.
Each target word is correctly matched to its standard RP monophthong sound: 'boot' contains /u:/, 'book' contains /ʊ/, 'bet' contains /e/, and 'bat' contains /æ/.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Pronounce each word and isolate the main vowel sound.
The vowel sounds identified are /u:/ for 'boot', /ʊ/ for 'book', /e/ for 'bet', and /æ/ for 'bat'.
Isolating the vowel sound allows accurate mapping to phonetic symbols.
2
Pair each word with its corresponding IPA monophthong symbol.
'boot' pairs with /u:/, 'book' pairs with /ʊ/, 'bet' pairs with /e/, and 'bat' pairs with /æ/.
Each IPA symbol represents the precise quality and length of the monophthong in the target word.

Key Concept

Monophthongs (Pure Vowels)
Question 127Question →

English spelling patterns can be deceptive when determining vowel sounds. Which of the options below contains the identical diphthong sound present in bough?

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Answer: drought

Answer

drought
The target word 'bough' contains the diphthong vowel sound /aʊ/. Among the choices, 'drought' is also pronounced with the /aʊ/ diphthong, making it the correct phonetic match.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Determine the phonetic vowel sound in the target word 'bough'.
The word 'bough' is pronounced as /baʊ/, which contains the diphthong /aʊ/.
Identifying the target sound establishes the baseline for phonetic comparison.
2
Transcribe and analyze the vowel sounds of the candidate options.
'drought' is pronounced /draʊt/ (/aʊ/), 'cough' is /kɒf/ (/ɒ/), 'rough' is /rʌf/ (/ʌ/), and 'dough' is /dəʊ/ (/əʊ/).
Evaluating each option isolates diphthongs from monophthongs and distinguishes between different diphthong glides.
3
Select the option sharing the exact phonetic diphthong.
'drought' matches the /aʊ/ sound found in 'bough'.
Both words contain the same vocalic glide /aʊ/ despite differing orthography.

Key Concept

Diphthong Sound Identification (/aʊ/)
Question 128Question →

In which of the following words is the primary vowel sound identical to the diphthong produced in the word deign?

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Answer: chaste

Answer

The word with the identical diphthong sound is 'chaste'.
The word 'deign' contains the diphthong sound /eɪ/ (/deɪn/). The word 'chaste' (/tʃeɪst/) is the only option that contains this exact same /eɪ/ diphthong glide.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Transcribe the target word phonetically to identify its primary vowel sound.
The word 'deign' is phonetically transcribed as /deɪn/, featuring the diphthong sound /eɪ/.
Accurate phonetic identification isolates the diphthong glide needed for matching.
2
Analyze each option's phonetic structure to locate the /eɪ/ diphthong.
'chaste' = /tʃeɪst/ (/eɪ/ diphthong); 'height' = /haɪt/ (/aɪ/ diphthong); 'plaque' = /plæk/ (/æ/ monophthong); 'quay' = /kiː/ (/iː/ monophthong).
Distinguishing pure monophthongs and deceptive spelling patterns isolates the single correct match.
3
Match the target diphthong /eɪ/ with the correct option.
'chaste' matches 'deign' with the /eɪ/ diphthong.
Both words articulate the identical vocalic glide /eɪ/.

Key Concept

Diphthong Sound Matching (/eɪ/)
Question 129Question →

Which of the following words contains the same diphthong sound as the word spoil?

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Answer: rejoice

Answer

The word 'rejoice' contains the same diphthong sound /ɔɪ/ as 'spoil'.
The word 'spoil' contains the diphthong /ɔɪ/. Among the choices, 'rejoice' is pronounced /rɪˈdʒɔɪs/, which contains the exact same /ɔɪ/ diphthong sound.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the target diphthong sound in the word 'spoil'.
The word 'spoil' is transcribed phonetically as /spɔɪl/, containing the diphthong /ɔɪ/.
Determining the exact vowel glide in the stem is necessary for accurate sound matching.
2
Analyze the phonetic pronunciation of each option.
'rejoice' is /rɪˈdʒɔɪs/ (/ɔɪ/), 'source' is /sɔːs/ (/ɔː/), 'suite' is /swiːt/ (/iː/), and 'porch' is /pɔːtʃ/ (/ɔː/).
Isolating the vowel sound in each word allows for direct comparison with the target sound.
3
Select the option that matches the target diphthong /ɔɪ/.
'rejoice' matches the /ɔɪ/ sound found in 'spoil'.
Both words share the identical vocalic glide from /ɔ/ towards /ɪ/.

Key Concept

Identifying English Diphthongs (/ɔɪ/ sound matching)
Estimated Time:40s
Question 130Question →

Match each word below with the correct description of its consonant cluster structure.

Click a left item, then click its matching right item

Items

Splendid
Angst
Twist
Subtle

Matches

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Answer

'Splendid' matches 'Contains an initial three-consonant cluster (/spl/)'; 'Angst' matches 'Contains a final three-consonant cluster (/ŋst/)'; 'Twist' matches 'Contains both an initial two-consonant cluster (/tw/) and a final two-consonant cluster (/st/)'; 'Subtle' matches 'Contains no consonant cluster at the end because the letter 'b' is silent'.
Each word is matched according to its actual spoken consonant sounds: 'Splendid' starts with three spoken consonants (/spl/), 'Angst' ends with three spoken consonants (/ŋst/), 'Twist' features two-consonant clusters at both its start (/tw/) and end (/st/), and 'Subtle' has a silent 'b', meaning no /bt/ cluster exists in speech.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the phonetic pronunciation of each given word rather than its spelling.
'Splendid' is /splɛndɪd/, 'Angst' is /æŋst/, 'Twist' is /twɪst/, and 'Subtle' is /ˈsʌtl/.
Consonant clusters depend strictly on sequence of spoken consonant phonemes, not orthographic letters.
2
Identify initial and final consonant phoneme sequences for each word.
'Splendid' starts with /spl/ (3 consonants). 'Angst' ends with /ŋst/ (3 consonants). 'Twist' has /tw/ at the start and /st/ at the end. 'Subtle' features a silent letter 'b', leaving only a single /t/ sound before the syllabic /l/.
Phonological awareness isolates silent letters and accurately groups adjacent consonant sounds.
3
Match each word to its corresponding structural description.
All four words are matched to their precise phonological cluster profiles.
Verification confirms exact alignment between phonetic structure and description.

Key Concept

Consonant Clusters and Silent Letters in Phonetics
Question 131Question →

Pair each word in the left column with the word in the right column that shares the exact same diphthong sound.

Click a left item, then click its matching right item

Items

brooch
scarce
guile
glower

Matches

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Answer

'brooch' matches 'sew' (/əʊ/), 'scarce' matches 'heir' (/eə/), 'guile' matches 'scythe' (/aɪ/), and 'glower' matches 'trowel' (/aʊ/).
The correct matches are based on identical diphthong vowel sounds: 'brooch' (/brəʊtʃ/) shares /əʊ/ with 'sew' (/səʊ/); 'scarce' (/skeəs/) shares /eə/ with 'heir' (/eə/); 'guile' (/ɡaɪl/) shares /aɪ/ with 'scythe' (/saɪð/); and 'glower' (/ɡlaʊə/) shares /aʊ/ with 'trowel' (/traʊəl/).

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the phonetic diphthong sound present in each word in the left column.
'brooch' contains /əʊ/, 'scarce' contains /eə/, 'guile' contains /aɪ/, and 'glower' contains /aʊ/.
Phonetic analysis reveals the actual vowel glide regardless of spelling conventions.
2
Determine the vowel sounds of the items in the right column.
'heir' features /eə/, 'sew' features /əʊ/, 'trowel' features /aʊ/, and 'scythe' features /aɪ/.
Orthographic representations like 'ew' in 'sew' or 'ei' in 'heir' obscure their actual diphthong sounds.
3
Match the left items with their right-column equivalents based on shared diphthongs.
'brooch' pairs with 'sew', 'scarce' pairs with 'heir', 'guile' pairs with 'scythe', and 'glower' pairs with 'trowel'.
Matching items are paired by exact phonetic diphthong equivalence.

Key Concept

Diphthongs
Question 132Question →

Match each word in the left column with the word in the right column that contains the exact same primary diphthong vowel sound.

Click a left item, then click its matching right item

Items

sleigh
brooch
indict
weird

Matches

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Answer

The correct pairings match words sharing identical diphthong sounds despite deceptive orthographic spellings: 'sleigh' pairs with 'champagne' (/eɪ/), 'brooch' pairs with 'furlough' (/əʊ/), 'indict' pairs with 'aisle' (/aɪ/), and 'weird' pairs with 'pierce' (/ɪə/).
Each word pair shares an identical diphthong sound despite contrasting spelling patterns: 'sleigh' and 'champagne' both contain /eɪ/; 'brooch' and 'furlough' both contain /əʊ/; 'indict' and 'aisle' both contain /aɪ/; 'weird' and 'pierce' both contain /ɪə/.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Transcribe the phonetic vowel sounds for each target word in the left column.
'sleigh' is pronounced with /eɪ/, 'brooch' with /əʊ/, 'indict' with /aɪ/, and 'weird' with /ɪə/.
English spelling frequently masks true phonetic structures through silent letters or non-standard graphemes.
2
Analyze the primary diphthong sounds present in the words in the right column.
'champagne' contains /eɪ/, 'furlough' contains /əʊ/, 'aisle' contains /aɪ/, and 'pierce' contains /ɪə/.
Isolating the stressed vowel nucleus reveals the exact sound identity.
3
Form matches between items from both columns based on identical diphthong categories.
Connect 'sleigh' to 'champagne' (/eɪ/), 'brooch' to 'furlough' (/əʊ/), 'indict' to 'aisle' (/aɪ/), and 'weird' to 'pierce' (/ɪə/).
Aligning equivalent phonetic transcriptions fulfills the matching requirements.

Key Concept

Identification of English diphthongs represented by non-standard or deceptive orthography
Question 133Question →

Which of the following words contains the same pure vowel sound as the one in *heart*?

Show answer & explanation

Answer: clerk

Answer

The word 'clerk' contains the same pure vowel sound (/ɑː/) as 'heart'.
The target word 'heart' is pronounced /hɑːt/ with the long pure vowel /ɑː/. The word 'clerk' is pronounced /klɑːk/ in British Standard English (RP), which contains the exact same monophthong vowel sound /ɑː/.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the monophthong sound in the target word
The word 'heart' is phonetically transcribed as /hɑːt/, which features the long pure vowel /ɑː/.
Determining the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) sound of the target word establishes the phonetic criteria.
2
Analyze the vowel sound of each option
'clerk' is /klɑːk/, 'heard' is /hɜːd/, 'beard' is /bɪəd/, and 'earth' is /ɜːθ/.
Transcribing each option reveals which word matches the /ɑː/ sound.
3
Select the word sharing the target monophthong
'clerk' (/klɑːk/) matches 'heart' (/hɑːt/).
Both words use the /ɑː/ monophthong vowel sound despite their different orthographic spellings.

Key Concept

Monophthongs (Pure Vowels)
Question 134Question →

A consonant cluster is a sequence of two or more consonant sounds without an intervening vowel. Which of the following words ends with a final consonant cluster consisting of three consonant sounds?

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Answer: months

Answer

The word 'months' ends with a three-consonant cluster.
In the phonetic transcription of 'months' (/mʌnθs/), the word ends with three consecutive consonant sounds—the alveolar nasal /n/, the voiceless dental fricative /θ/, and the voiceless alveolar fricative /s/—without any intervening vowel sound. This forms a true three-consonant final cluster.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the phonetic transcription of each word to identify spoken consonant sounds rather than spelling letters.
Identify silent letters: 'b' is silent in 'debts' (/dets/), 'plumbs' (/plʌmz/), and 'comb' (/kəʊm/).
Phonetic clusters depend entirely on articulated sounds, not orthography.
2
Count the consecutive consonant sounds at the end of each word.
'months' = /mʌnθs/ -> /n/, /θ/, /s/ (3 sounds); 'debts' = /dets/ -> /t/, /s/ (2 sounds); 'plumbs' = /plʌmz/ -> /m/, /z/ (2 sounds); 'comb' = /kəʊm/ -> /m/ (1 sound).
Determines which word meets the criterion of having a three-consonant final cluster.

Key Concept

Consonant Clusters and Silent Letters
Question 135Question →

Which of the following words contains a final consonant cluster consisting of three consonant sounds?

Show answer & explanation

Answer: Text

Answer

The word 'Text' contains a final consonant cluster consisting of three consonant sounds (/kst/).
In spoken English, 'Text' is phonetically transcribed as /tekst/. The sequence /kst/ at the end of the word consists of three distinct consonant sounds pronounced consecutively without any intervening vowel.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Transcribe the pronunciation of each word into phonetic sounds.
'Text' is pronounced /tekst/, 'Comb' is /kəʊm/, 'Doubt' is /daʊt/, and 'Castle' is /kæsl/.
Phonetic transcription reveals actual spoken consonant sounds rather than orthographic spelling.
2
Identify silent letters in each option.
The letter 'b' in 'Comb' and 'Doubt' is silent. The letter 't' in 'Castle' is silent.
Silent letters do not produce consonant sounds and do not form consonant clusters.
3
Count the final consecutive consonant sounds in each word.
'Text' ends with the sounds /k/, /s/, and /t/ produced sequentially without intervening vowels, forming a 3-consonant cluster /kst/.
This confirms 'Text' satisfies the requirement of having a final three-consonant cluster.

Key Concept

Consonant clusters are sequences of two or more consonant sounds pronounced together without an intervening vowel. Silent letters do not contribute to consonant clusters.
Question 136Question →

Complete the statement below by identifying the correct word from the given group based on its diphthong sound.

Fill in the blanks below

Consider the words: *sleight*, *freight*, *heifer*, and *weird*. Among these words, the only one that contains the diphthong sound /aɪ/ is .
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Answer

sleight
The word 'sleight' is pronounced /slaɪt/ and contains the closing diphthong /aɪ/, identical to the vowel sound in 'high', 'my', and 'flight'.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the phonetic transcription of each word in the group to identify its primary vowel sound.
'sleight' is transcribed as /slaɪt/, 'freight' as /freɪt/, 'heifer' as /ˈhef.ər/, and 'weird' as /wɪəd/.
The orthographic combination 'ei' yields different vowel sounds across these distinct English words.
2
Compare each identified vowel sound with the target diphthong /aɪ/.
'sleight' contains /aɪ/, 'freight' contains /eɪ/, 'heifer' contains the monophthong /e/, and 'weird' contains the centering diphthong /ɪə/.
Only 'sleight' features the vocalic glide from /a/ to /ɪ/.

Key Concept

Identifying the diphthong /aɪ/ and distinguishing deceptive orthographic spelling traps.
Estimated Time:1m 30s
Question 137Question →

Complete the sentence below by identifying the word that contains the target diphthong sound.

Fill in the blanks below

In the sentence 'The boy bought a shiny new toy', the word 'boy' contains the diphthong sound .
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Answer

The word 'boy' is pronounced /bɔɪ/ and contains the diphthong sound /ɔɪ/.
The word 'boy' is pronounced with the /ɔɪ/ sound, which is one of the eight standard English diphthongs, gliding from the open-mid back rounded vowel to the near-close front unrounded vowel.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the phonetic pronunciation of the word 'boy'.
The word 'boy' is transcribed phonetically as /bɔɪ/.
Identifying the phonetic transcription reveals the underlying vowel sound.
2
Determine the specific diphthong represented.
The vowel sound glides from /ɔ/ to /ɪ/, forming the diphthong /ɔɪ/.
A diphthong involves a continuous glide from one vowel quality to another within a single syllable.

Key Concept

Identification of the /ɔɪ/ diphthong sound
Question 138Question →

Complete the statement below by identifying the correct International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) symbol for the pure vowel sound.

Fill in the blanks below

The underlined letter pattern in the word flood represents the monophthong sound .
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Answer

The monophthong sound in the word 'flood' is represented by the phonetic symbol /ʌ/.
In the word 'flood' /flʌd/, the underlined letters 'oo' represent the short monophthong /ʌ/, which is the same vowel sound found in words such as 'cup', 'cut', and 'blood'.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the pronunciation of the word 'flood'.
The word 'flood' is pronounced phonetically as /flʌd/.
Although spelled with double 'o', it does not take the long vowel /uː/ (as in 'food') or short /ʊ/ (as in 'foot').
2
Identify the specific monophthong produced by the letters 'oo'.
The sound produced is the short open-mid back unrounded vowel /ʌ/.
The spelling 'oo' in words like 'flood' and 'blood' uniquely represents the /ʌ/ sound, matching words like 'cup' /kʌp/ or 'strut' /strʌt/.

Key Concept

Monophthong sound identification and deceptive spelling patterns in English vowels.
Question 139Question →

The word throe is pronounced with the diphthong /əʊ/. Which word features this exact diphthong sound?

Show answer & explanation

Answer: mauve

Answer

The word containing the identical diphthong sound /əʊ/ is mauve.
The word 'throe' is pronounced /θrəʊ/, featuring the diphthong sound /əʊ/. The option 'mauve' is pronounced /məʊv/, which uses the exact same /əʊ/ diphthong sound despite the deceptive 'au' spelling.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the target diphthong sound in the reference word.
The word 'throe' is transcribed phonetically as /θrəʊ/, containing the diphthong /əʊ/.
Establishing the precise target sound is essential before evaluating the option choices.
2
Analyze the phonetic composition of each option.
'mauve' is pronounced /məʊv/ (/əʊ/), 'sloth' is /slɒθ/ (/ɒ/), 'broad' is /brɔːd/ (/ɔː/), and 'plough' is /plaʊ/ (/aʊ/).
Evaluating phonetic transcriptions eliminates monophthong substitutes and mismatched diphthongs.
3
Match the target sound to the correct option.
'mauve' produces the exact /əʊ/ diphthong glide.
Both 'throe' and 'mauve' share the identical primary diphthong sound /əʊ/.

Key Concept

Identification of the /əʊ/ diphthong sound across non-standard orthographic spellings
Estimated Time:1m 0s
Question 140Question →

Match each word in the left column with its corresponding phonetic consonant cluster structure in the right column:

Click a left item, then click its matching right item

Items

strands
glimpse
wrist
clasp

Matches

Show answer & explanation

Answer

'strands' pairs with a three-consonant initial and three-consonant final cluster structure; 'glimpse' pairs with a two-consonant initial and three-consonant final cluster structure; 'wrist' pairs with a single initial consonant (no cluster) due to a silent letter and a two-consonant final cluster structure; 'clasp' pairs with a two-consonant initial and two-consonant final cluster structure.
Each word is matched strictly by evaluating its spoken phonetic structure rather than its spelling. 'strands' (/strændz/) has 3 initial and 3 final consonant sounds. 'glimpse' (/ɡlɪmps/) has 2 initial and 3 final consonant sounds. 'wrist' (/rɪst/) starts with a single consonant sound due to silent 'w' and ends with a 2-consonant cluster. 'clasp' (/klæsp/) has 2 initial and 2 final consonant sounds.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Transcribe 'strands' phonetically to analyze its consonant boundaries.
The phonetic form /strændz/ reveals three initial consonant sounds (/s/, /t/, /r/) and three final consonant sounds (/n/, /d/, /z/).
Identify both initial and final cluster lengths accurately based on spoken sounds.
2
Transcribe 'glimpse' phonetically to analyze its consonant boundaries.
The phonetic form /ɡlɪmps/ reveals two initial consonant sounds (/ɡ/, /l/) and three final consonant sounds (/m/, /p/, /s/).
Determine cluster composition regardless of spelling.
3
Identify silent orthographic elements in 'wrist' before counting phonemes.
The letter 'w' is unpronounced, producing /rɪst/ with one initial consonant (/r/) and two final consonants (/s/, /t/).
Avoid miscounting orthographic letters as spoken consonant sounds.
4
Transcribe 'clasp' phonetically to analyze its consonant boundaries.
The phonetic form /klæsp/ reveals two initial consonant sounds (/k/, /l/) and two final consonant sounds (/s/, /p/).
Complete the matching by mapping the remaining word to its two-consonant initial and final structure.

Key Concept

Consonant Cluster Structure and Phonological Awareness
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