Examkin

Oral English

427 questions

All types427Multiple choice216Matching93Fill in the blank118
Question 141Question →

From the options lettered A to D, choose the word that has the same pure vowel sound as the one represented by the underlined letter in the word yacht.

Show answer & explanation

Answer: watch

Answer

The word 'watch' contains the same pure vowel sound (/ɒ/) as 'yacht'.
In English phonetics, the letter 'a' in 'yacht' represents the short open back rounded monophthong /ɒ/. Among the given choices, 'watch' also features the short monophthong /ɒ/.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the monophthong sound in the target word
In the word 'yacht' (/jɒt/), the underlined letter 'a' produces the short back pure vowel /ɒ/.
English orthography uses the letter 'a' after /j/ or /w/ to represent the monophthong /ɒ/.
2
Analyze the phonetic pronunciation of each option
'watch' = /wɒtʃ/, 'water' = /ˈwɔːtə/, 'batch' = /bætʃ/, 'waste' = /weɪst/.
Transcribing each option to its International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) representation reveals the underlying vowel.
3
Match the target sound to the correct option
'watch' matches /ɒ/.
Both 'yacht' and 'watch' share the short monophthong /ɒ/.

Key Concept

Identification of the short monophthong /ɒ/ across non-standard orthographic spellings in English.
Question 142Question →

Which of the following words contains the same diphthong sound as the one represented in the word coal?

Show answer & explanation

Answer: boat

Answer

The word 'boat' contains the same diphthong sound /əʊ/ as 'coal'.
The target word 'coal' is pronounced /kəʊl/ and contains the diphthong sound /əʊ/. The word 'boat' is pronounced /bəʊt/, sharing the exact same diphthong sound.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the primary vowel sound in the target word 'coal'.
The word 'coal' is pronounced /kəʊl/, featuring the diphthong sound /əʊ/.
Determining the phonetic transcription of the target word is essential for sound matching.
2
Transcribe and evaluate the vowel sound in each of the given options.
'boat' has /əʊ/, 'cost' has /ɒ/, 'court' has /ɔː/, and 'cool' has /uː/.
Comparing options against the target sound identifies the word sharing the identical diphthong.

Key Concept

Identifying Diphthong Sounds (/əʊ/)
Question 143Question →

In which of the following words is the consonant letter 'b' silent when pronounced?

Show answer & explanation

Answer: subtle

Answer

The word with a silent consonant 'b' is 'subtle'.
In the word 'subtle', the letter 'b' is completely unpronounced (phonetically transcribed as /sʌtl/). Therefore, 'subtle' contains a silent 'b'.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Examine the phonetic transcription of each word to locate unpronounced consonants.
The word 'subtle' is transcribed as /sʌtl/, showing that the letter 'b' is not voiced before 't'.
In English words like 'subtle' or 'doubt', the letter 'b' preceding 't' is silent.

Key Concept

Silent Consonants ('b' before 't')
Question 144Question →

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

Fill in the blanks below

The health inspector confirmed that the spring water was clean and , a word pronounced with the same /ʊə/ diphthong sound found in 'tour'.
Show answer & explanation

Answer

pure
The word 'pure' is transcribed phonetically as /pjʊə/. It contains the centring diphthong /ʊə/, which glides from the near-close back vowel /ʊ/ toward the mid-central schwa /ə/, matching the diphthong sound in 'tour' (/tʊə/).

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the target diphthong sound present in the reference word 'tour'.
The word 'tour' is pronounced /tʊə/, featuring the centring diphthong /ʊə/.
Determining the accurate phonetic transcription of the reference word establishes the required sound quality.
2
Find the contextually appropriate word describing water quality that contains the /ʊə/ sound.
The word 'pure' (/pjʊə/) completes the sentence logically and contains the identical diphthong sound /ʊə/.
The word must fulfill both the syntactic/semantic requirements of the sentence and the phonetic criteria.

Key Concept

Diphthong identification and sound matching (/ʊə/)
Estimated Time:1m 0s
Question 145Question →

Match the words on the left with their corresponding sound-matched words on the right based on their shared diphthong vowel sound.

Click a left item, then click its matching right item

Items

high
boy
how
day

Matches

Show answer & explanation

Answer

'high' matches with 'pie' (/aɪ/), 'boy' matches with 'coin' (/ɔɪ/), 'how' matches with 'cow' (/aʊ/), and 'day' matches with 'play' (/eɪ/).
Each word on the left contains a distinct diphthong vowel sound that precisely corresponds to the diphthong vowel sound in its paired word on the right: /aɪ/ in 'high' and 'pie', /ɔɪ/ in 'boy' and 'coin', /aʊ/ in 'how' and 'cow', and /eɪ/ in 'day' and 'play'.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the primary diphthong sound in each word in the left column
'high' is /haɪ/, 'boy' is /bɔɪ/, 'how' is /haʊ/, and 'day' is /deɪ/.
Phonetic transcription isolates the core vowel glide (diphthong).
2
Identify the diphthong sound in each word in the right column and pair identical sounds
'pie' (/paɪ/) pairs with 'high', 'coin' (/kɔɪn/) pairs with 'boy', 'cow' (/kaʊ/) pairs with 'how', and 'play' (/pleɪ/) pairs with 'day'.
Matching identical phonetic diphthongs establishes the correct paired relationships.

Key Concept

Identification and phonetic matching of standard English diphthongs (/aɪ/, /ɔɪ/, /aʊ/, /eɪ/).
Question 146Question →

In spoken English, consonant clusters are defined by consecutive consonant sounds rather than written letters. Considering silent letters during phonological transcription, which of the following words terminates with a final consonant cluster of four distinct consonant sounds?

Show answer & explanation

Answer: twelfths

Answer

The word 'twelfths' contains a final cluster composed of four distinct consonant sounds.
The word 'twelfths' is phonetically transcribed as /twelfθs/. Its final consonant cluster consists of four distinct contiguous consonant sounds: the lateral /l/, the labiodental fricative /f/, the dental fricative /θ/, and the alveolar fricative /s/.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Transcribe each option into International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) representation to identify actual spoken consonant sounds.
'twelfths' = /twelfθs/, 'lengths' = /leŋθs/, 'plumbs' = /plʌmz/, 'doubts' = /daʊts/.
Consonant clusters are formed strictly by contiguous spoken consonant sounds, not orthographic letters.
2
Examine the final consonant cluster sequence for each transcribed word.
'twelfths' ends in /l-f-θ-s/ (4 sounds); 'lengths' ends in /ŋ-θ-s/ (3 sounds); 'plumbs' ends in /m-z/ (2 sounds); 'doubts' ends in /t-s/ (2 sounds).
To evaluate which word satisfies the requirement of a four-consonant final cluster.

Key Concept

Final Consonant Clusters and Silent Letters
Question 147Question →

Which word featuring the diphthong sound /ɔɪ/ correctly completes the sentence below?

Fill in the blanks below

To signal the hazardous shallow water ahead, the sailors anchored a bright yellow .
Show answer & explanation

Answer

The word 'buoy' correctly completes the sentence as it contains the target diphthong sound /ɔɪ/.
The word 'buoy' is pronounced /bɔɪ/ in standard Received Pronunciation, which features the diphthong sound /ɔɪ/. Although the spelling 'uoy' is highly non-standard, it forms the diphthong /ɔɪ/.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the target phonetic sound specified in the prompt.
The target sound is the diphthong /ɔɪ/ (as heard in 'boy' or 'coin').
A diphthong requires a continuous phonetic glide from one vowel articulation quality to another within a single syllable.
2
Analyze the phonetic transcription and spelling of the target word 'buoy'.
The word 'buoy' is transcribed phonetically as /bɔɪ/ in standard Received Pronunciation.
Despite its deceptive orthography containing the letters 'u-o-y', the syllable nucleus is the diphthong sound /ɔɪ/.
3
Confirm semantic fit and phonetic compliance.
'buoy' functions contextually as a floating nautical marker and satisfies the phonetic requirement.
It fulfills both sentence meaning and the requirement for the diphthong /ɔɪ/.

Key Concept

Identification of the diphthong /ɔɪ/ in words with deceptive orthography
Estimated Time:1m 30s
Question 148Question →

Orthographic spelling can obscure the actual phonetic structure of a word, particularly when silent letters are present. Which of the following words ends with a final consonant cluster consisting of exactly three consonant sounds?

Show answer & explanation

Answer: depths

Answer

The word 'depths' ends with a final cluster of three consonant sounds (/p/, /θ/, /s/).
In spoken English, 'depths' is transcribed phonetically as /depθs/. Following the vowel sound /e/, there are three consecutive articulated consonant sounds (/p/, /θ/, and /s/), creating a final three-consonant cluster.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Transcribe each option phonetically to analyze the spoken sounds rather than relying on written spelling.
'doubts' -> /daʊts/, 'depths' -> /depθs/, 'plumbs' -> /plʌmz/, 'knights' -> /naɪts/.
Consonant clusters refer exclusively to sequences of articulated consonant sounds without an intervening vowel.
2
Identify and exclude unpronounced silent letters in each word.
The letter 'b' is silent in both 'doubts' and 'plumbs', while 'gh' is silent in 'knights'.
Silent orthographic characters do not contribute to phonetic consonant cluster counts.
3
Count the final sequence of consonant sounds following the main vowel sound in each word.
'doubts' ends in 2 consonant sounds (/t/, /s/); 'plumbs' ends in 2 consonant sounds (/m/, /z/); 'knights' ends in 2 consonant sounds (/t/, /s/); 'depths' ends in 3 consonant sounds (/p/, /θ/, /s/).
Selecting 'depths' satisfies the requirement for a final three-consonant cluster structure.

Key Concept

Phonetic Consonant Clusters and Silent Letters
Question 149Question →

Which of the following words contains the same pure vowel sound as the stressed syllable in sergeant?

Show answer & explanation

Answer: hearth

Answer

hearth
The word 'sergeant' (/ˈsɑːdʒənt/) contains the long open back unrounded monophthong /ɑː/ in its initial stressed syllable. The word 'hearth' (/hɑːθ/) contains this exact same pure vowel sound.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the phonetic transcription of the target word's stressed syllable.
The word 'sergeant' is transcribed as /ˈsɑːdʒənt/. The primary stressed vowel sound represented by 'er' is the monophthong /ɑː/.
Deceptive orthography leads test-takers to assume 'er' produces /ɜː/ as in 'serve' or 'merchant', but in 'sergeant' it produces /ɑː/.
2
Analyze the vowel sounds in each option.
'merchant' has /ɜː/, 'hearth' has /ɑː/, 'dearth' has /ɜː/, and 'tier' has /ɪə/.
Isolating the monophthong in each choice helps identify which one shares the exact phonetic quality of /ɑː/.
3
Match the target monophthong to the correct option.
'hearth' (/hɑːθ/) matches 'sergeant' (/ˈsɑːdʒənt/) with the monophthong /ɑː/.
'hearth' uses the uncommon spelling pattern 'ear' to represent /ɑː/.

Key Concept

Monophthongs (Pure Vowels) - Distinction of /ɑː/ sound in deceptive orthography
Estimated Time:1m 0s
Question 150Question →

Match each of the following words featuring pure vowel sounds to its corresponding International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) symbol.

Click a left item, then click its matching right item

Items

seat
sit
cat
cart

Matches

Show answer & explanation

Answer

The correct matching pairs are: 'seat' matches /i:/, 'sit' matches /ɪ/, 'cat' matches /æ/, and 'cart' matches /ɑ:/.
Each English word is correctly paired with its exact IPA monophthong symbol based on standard pronunciation rules: 'seat' produces the long /i:/ sound, 'sit' produces the short /ɪ/ sound, 'cat' produces the short /æ/ sound, and 'cart' produces the long /ɑ:/ sound.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the vowel sound in 'seat' and 'sit'
'seat' uses the long pure vowel /i:/ while 'sit' uses the short pure vowel /ɪ/.
Vowel duration (length) and tongue position differentiate the long monophthong /i:/ from the short monophthong /ɪ/.
2
Analyze the vowel sound in 'cat' and 'cart'
'cat' uses the short open front monophthong /æ/, whereas 'cart' uses the long open back monophthong /ɑ:/.
Phonetic rules classify 'cat' under the short vowel sound /æ/ and 'cart' (where 'ar' acts as a long vowel indicator) under /ɑ:/.

Key Concept

Monophthongs (Pure Vowels)
Question 151Question →

Match each word in Column A with the word in Column B that contains the exact same diphthong sound.

Click a left item, then click its matching right item

Items

aisle
feign
brooch
scour

Matches

Show answer & explanation

Answer

'aisle' matches 'height' (diphthong /aɪ/); 'feign' matches 'whey' (diphthong /eɪ/); 'brooch' matches 'throe' (diphthong /əʊ/); 'scour' matches 'plough' (diphthong /aʊ/).
Each paired set contains an identical diphthong sound despite contrasting spelling choices: 'aisle' and 'height' both contain /aɪ/, 'feign' and 'whey' both contain /eɪ/, 'brooch' and 'throe' both contain /əʊ/, and 'scour' and 'plough' both contain /aʊ/.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Determine the phonetic vowel transcription of each word in Column A.
'aisle' is pronounced /aɪl/ (/aɪ/), 'feign' is pronounced /feɪn/ (/eɪ/), 'brooch' is pronounced /brəʊtʃ/ (/əʊ/), and 'scour' is pronounced /skaʊə/ (/aʊ/).
Isolating the vowel glides exposes the specific diphthongs present despite silent letters or deceptive orthography.
2
Transcribe the vowel sounds of the target words in Column B.
'plough' is pronounced /plaʊ/ (/aʊ/), 'height' is pronounced /haɪt/ (/aɪ/), 'throe' is pronounced /θrəʊ/ (/əʊ/), and 'whey' is pronounced /weɪ/ (/eɪ/).
Phonetic analysis reveals the underlying diphthong in each corresponding option.
3
Correlate each item from Column A with the matching diphthong sound in Column B.
Matching pairs: aisle-height (/aɪ/), feign-whey (/eɪ/), brooch-throe (/əʊ/), scour-plough (/aʊ/).
Connecting equivalent vowel glides fulfills the oral English sound-matching requirements.

Key Concept

Identification and phonetic matching of English diphthongs (/aɪ/, /eɪ/, /əʊ/, /aʊ/) across irregular spelling patterns.
Estimated Time:1m 30s
Question 152Question →

Identify the word from the options provided that contains the exact monophthong sound represented by the underlined letters in the word s<u>er</u>geant.

Show answer & explanation

Answer: reservoir

Answer

The word containing the identical monophthong sound as 'sergeant' is 'reservoir'.
In Received Pronunciation, the underlined letters 'er' in 'sergeant' are pronounced as the long open back unrounded monophthong /ɑː/. The word 'reservoir' (/ˈrezəvwɑː/) also ends with this identical pure vowel sound.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Isolate and transcribe the target monophthong sound in the stem word.
The underlined spelling pattern 'er' in 'sergeant' (/ˈsɑːdʒənt/) represents the long open back unrounded monophthong /ɑː/.
English orthography is non-phonetic; 'er' in 'sergeant' is an exceptional spelling rule producing /ɑː/ rather than the typical /ɜː/.
2
Analyze the phonetic realization of the vowel sounds in each option.
'reservoir' = /ˈrezəvwɑː/ (contains /ɑː/), 'term' = /tɜːm/ (contains /ɜː/), 'serge' = /sɜːdʒ/ (contains /ɜː/), 'pierce' = /pɪəs/ (contains /ɪə/).
Matching requires identifying the precise International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) pure vowel symbol for each word in Standard British RP.
3
Select the option that matches the target monophthong /ɑː/.
'reservoir' ends with the exact monophthong /ɑː/.
Both 'sergeant' and 'reservoir' share the pure long vowel sound /ɑː/.

Key Concept

Phonetic identification of pure monophthong /ɑː/ across irregular orthographic representations
Estimated Time:1m 0s
Question 153Question →

Phonetic consonant clusters are determined by sequences of spoken consonant phonemes rather than written letters. Based on standard English pronunciation rules, which phonetic consonant cluster structure correctly matches each of the given words?

Click a left item, then click its matching right item

Items

Prompts
Psychology
Drafts
Scream

Matches

Show answer & explanation

Answer

Prompts matches with Initial 2-sound cluster (/pr/) and final 4-sound cluster (/mpts/); Psychology matches with No initial cluster due to a silent letter ('p'), with a medial 2-sound cluster (/kl/); Drafts matches with Initial 2-sound cluster (/dr/) and final 3-sound cluster (/fts/); Scream matches with Initial 3-sound cluster (/skr/) with no final consonant cluster.
Each word is matched strictly according to its spoken phonemic composition: 'Prompts' (/prɒmpts/) contains 2 initial and 4 final consonant sounds; 'Psychology' (/saɪkɒlədʒi/) has a silent initial letter 'p' and a medial cluster /kl/; 'Drafts' (/drɑːfts/) has 2 initial and 3 final consonant sounds; and 'Scream' (/skriːm/) contains a 3-consonant initial cluster /skr/.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Transcribe each word into its standard International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) representation to isolate spoken consonant sounds from orthographic letters.
Prompts -> /prɒmpts/; Psychology -> /saɪkɒlədʒi/; Drafts -> /drɑːfts/; Scream -> /skriːm/.
Consonant clusters are defined exclusively by contiguous consonant phonemes in spoken English, disregarding silent letters or spelling conventions.
2
Analyze the position and count of consonant phonemes in 'Prompts' and 'Psychology'.
'Prompts' has /p/+/r/ (2) at the start and /m/+/p/+/t/+/s/ (4) at the end. 'Psychology' begins with silent 'p', leaving /s/ (no cluster), but has /k/+/l/ (2) medially.
Determines the precise structural count for words affected by final complex clusters and initial silent letters.
3
Analyze the position and count of consonant phonemes in 'Drafts' and 'Scream'.
'Drafts' has /d/+/r/ (2) initially and /f/+/t/+/s/ (3) finally. 'Scream' has /s/+/k/+/r/ (3) initially and a single consonant /m/ at the end.
Distinguishes between three-consonant initial clusters and three-consonant final clusters.
4
Pair each word with its corresponding structural description.
Prompts -> right_1, Psychology -> right_2, Drafts -> right_3, Scream -> right_4.
Matches all items correctly based on empirical phonetic analysis.

Key Concept

Phonetic Consonant Clusters vs. Orthographic Spelling
Question 154Question →

From the options lettered A to D, choose the word that has the same pure vowel sound as the one represented by the underlined letters in the word sieve.

Show answer & explanation

Answer: busy

Answer

The word containing the same pure vowel sound /ɪ/ as 'sieve' is 'busy'.
The underlined letter combination 'ie' in 'sieve' is pronounced as the short pure vowel sound /ɪ/ (/sɪv/). The word 'busy' also features the short vowel sound /ɪ/ in its first syllable (/ˈbɪzi/).

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the monophthong vowel sound in the target word.
The underlined letters 'ie' in 'sieve' are pronounced as the short pure vowel /ɪ/ (/sɪv/).
English orthography uses the 'ie' spelling pattern deceptively in 'sieve' to produce a short monophthong.
2
Analyze the main vowel sound in each option.
'busy' has /ɪ/ (/ˈbɪzi/), 'thief' has /iː/ (/θiːf/), 'receive' has /iː/ (/rɪˈsiːv/), and 'height' has /aɪ/ (/haɪt/).
Phonetic breakdown reveals which word shares the short pure vowel /ɪ/.
3
Select the word matching the target sound.
'busy' matches the /ɪ/ sound found in 'sieve'.
Both 'sieve' and 'busy' share the short front unrounded monophthong /ɪ/.

Key Concept

Monophthong sound identification and deceptive spelling patterns
Question 155Question →

Identify the matching diphthong sounds by pairing each word on the left with the word on the right that contains the identical vowel glide.

Click a left item, then click its matching right item

Items

pier
flair
lure
dough

Matches

Show answer & explanation

Answer

The correct pairings are: 'pier' matches with 'fear' (/ɪə/), 'flair' matches with 'there' (/eə/), 'lure' matches with 'boor' (/ʊə/), and 'dough' matches with 'foe' (/əʊ/).
Each target word pairs precisely with the word sharing its diphthong sound: 'pier' matches 'fear' (/ɪə/), 'flair' matches 'there' (/eə/), 'lure' matches 'boor' (/ʊə/), and 'dough' matches 'foe' (/əʊ/).

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Determine the primary diphthong sound in each word on the left.
'pier' contains /ɪə/, 'flair' contains /eə/, 'lure' contains /ʊə/, and 'dough' contains /əʊ/.
Identifying phonetic transcriptions reveals the specific vowel glides regardless of spelling.
2
Analyze the vowel glides in each word on the right.
'there' contains /eə/, 'foe' contains /əʊ/, 'fear' contains /ɪə/, and 'boor' contains /ʊə/.
Phonetic analysis isolates the target diphthong sound for comparison.
3
Match words sharing identical diphthong vowel sounds.
'pier' pairs with 'fear', 'flair' pairs with 'there', 'lure' pairs with 'boor', and 'dough' pairs with 'foe'.
Direct sound correspondence establishes the correct phonetic pairs.

Key Concept

Identification and phonetic matching of Received Pronunciation (RP) diphthong sounds
Question 156Question →

When analyzing English words strictly by their spoken consonant sounds rather than their orthographic spelling, which of the following words features both an initial consonant cluster of two sounds and a final consonant cluster of three sounds?

Show answer & explanation

Answer: crafts

Answer

The word 'crafts' contains an initial consonant cluster of two sounds (/kr/) and a final consonant cluster of three sounds (/fts/).
The word 'crafts' is phonetically transcribed as /kræfts/ or /krɑːfts/. At the beginning of the word, /k/ and /r/ form an initial cluster of 2 consonant sounds. At the end of the word, /f/, /t/, and /s/ form a final cluster of 3 consonant sounds, perfectly meeting both criteria.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Transcribe each candidate word into its accurate phonetic representation, identifying and ignoring silent letters.
'crafts' → /kræfts/; 'wrists' → /rɪsts/; 'sculpts' → /skʌlpts/; 'knights' → /naɪts/.
Consonant clusters are defined exclusively by sequences of adjacent consonant sounds in speech, not by written consonant letters.
2
Analyze the onset (initial sound sequence) of each word to find a 2-consonant cluster.
'crafts' has /kr/ (2 sounds); 'sculpts' has /sk/ (2 sounds); 'wrists' starts with /r/ (1 sound, silent 'w'); 'knights' starts with /n/ (1 sound, silent 'k').
Words with silent initial letters do not form initial clusters.
3
Analyze the coda (final sound sequence) of words with valid initial clusters to find a 3-consonant cluster.
'crafts' ends in /fts/ (3 sounds: /f/ + /t/ + /s/); 'sculpts' ends in /lpts/ (4 sounds: /l/ + /p/ + /t/ + /s/).
Matching both constraints requires evaluating both initial and final phonetic positions.

Key Concept

Phonetic breakdown of consonant clusters versus orthographic spelling
Estimated Time:1m 30s
Question 157Question →

Match each English word on the left with the correct description of its phonetic consonant cluster structure on the right.

Click a left item, then click its matching right item

Items

whistle
splint
prompt
thumbs

Matches

Show answer & explanation

Answer

'whistle' pairs with 'Single initial consonant sound with no final cluster due to a silent letter'; 'splint' pairs with 'Three-consonant initial cluster and a two-consonant final cluster'; 'prompt' pairs with 'Two-consonant initial cluster and a three-consonant final cluster'; 'thumbs' pairs with 'Single initial consonant sound and a two-consonant final cluster with a silent letter'.
Each word is matched according to its actual phonetic breakdown: 'whistle' /ˈwɪs.l̩/ contains a silent 't' and no final cluster; 'splint' /splɪnt/ features a 3-consonant onset /spl/ and a 2-consonant coda /nt/; 'prompt' /prɒmpt/ features a 2-consonant onset /pr/ and a 3-consonant coda /mpt/; 'thumbs' /θʌmz/ contains a silent 'b', leaving a single onset /θ/ and a 2-consonant coda /mz/.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Transcribe each word phonetically to analyze spoken consonant sounds rather than written spelling
'whistle' = /ˈwɪs.l̩/, 'splint' = /splɪnt/, 'prompt' = /prɒmpt/, 'thumbs' = /θʌmz/
Consonant clusters depend strictly on consecutive consonant sounds in speech, ignoring orthographic conventions and silent letters.
2
Count initial and final consonant clusters for each transcribed word
'whistle' has initial /w/ (1 sound) and no final cluster; 'splint' has initial /spl/ (3 sounds) and final /nt/ (2 sounds); 'prompt' has initial /pr/ (2 sounds) and final /mpt/ (3 sounds); 'thumbs' has initial /θ/ (1 sound) and final /mz/ (2 sounds).
Identifying the number of consonant phonomes at the start and end of words establishes the exact structural properties.
3
Match each word to its corresponding structural description
All four items successfully match their exact phonetic cluster count descriptions.
Verifying each match ensures full alignment between phonetic reality and sound structure definitions.

Key Concept

Consonant Cluster Phonetic Structure and Silent Letter Awareness
Estimated Time:1m 30s
Question 158Question →

Identify the word in which the letter 'p' is left unpronounced.

Show answer & explanation

Answer: Receipt

Answer

Receipt
In the word 'receipt' (/rɪˈsiːt/), the letter 'p' is silent and not articulated in standard English pronunciation.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Examine the phonetic breakdown of each option.
'Receipt' is transcribed phonetically as /rɪˈsiːt/.
The consonant letter 'p' is silent and not pronounced when speaking the word.

Key Concept

Silent Letters in English Pronunciation
Question 159Question →

Match each of the following words on the left with the silent consonant letter contained within its standard English pronunciation on the right.

Click a left item, then click its matching right item

Items

Apostle
Phlegm
Indict
Subtle

Matches

Show answer & explanation

Answer

'Apostle' pairs with 'Silent letter t', 'Phlegm' pairs with 'Silent letter g', 'Indict' pairs with 'Silent letter c', and 'Subtle' pairs with 'Silent letter b'.
Each word contains an unpronounced (silent) consonant letter in standard British English pronunciation (RP): 'apostle' (/əˈpɒs.əl/) contains silent 't', 'phlegm' (/flem/) contains silent 'g', 'indict' (/ɪnˈdaɪt/) contains silent 'c', and 'subtle' (/ˈsʌt.əl/) contains silent 'b'.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the phonetic transcription of 'apostle'
The phonetic spelling is /əˈpɒs.əl/, showing that the letter 't' is silent.
Identify the unarticulated consonant sound in 'apostle'.
2
Analyze the phonetic transcription of 'phlegm'
The phonetic spelling is /flem/, showing that the letter 'g' is silent.
Determine which letter is omitted in pronunciation for 'phlegm'.
3
Analyze the phonetic transcription of 'indict'
The phonetic spelling is /ɪnˈdaɪt/, indicating that 'c' is not pronounced.
Identify the unarticulated letter in 'indict'.
4
Analyze the phonetic transcription of 'subtle'
The phonetic spelling is /ˈsʌt.əl/, demonstrating that 'b' is silent.
Match 'subtle' with its unpronounced consonant sound.

Key Concept

Identification of Silent Consonants in Received Pronunciation
Question 160Question →

Complete the statement below regarding English consonant sound pronunciation.

Fill in the blanks below

In the word 'comb', the final letter 'b' is .
Show answer & explanation

Answer

In the word 'comb', the final letter 'b' is silent.
In the word 'comb', the letter 'b' is silent, so the word is pronounced as /kəʊm/ without producing the voiced bilabial plosive /b/.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Examine the phonetic transcription of the word 'comb'.
The phonetic transcription is /kəʊm/.
The word ends with the bilabial nasal sound /m/.
2
Determine the realization of the written letter 'b'.
The letter 'b' is silent.
In standard English phonology, a written 'b' following 'm' at the end of a syllable/root word is not articulated.

Key Concept

Silent Consonants
Estimated Time:30s
PreviousPage 8 / 22Next
Oral English Practice Questions — JAMB UTME — Page 8 | Examkin