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Diphthongs

59 questions

All types59Multiple choice30Matching14Fill in the blank15
Question 1Question →

Match each word on the left with the word on the right that contains the exact same diphthong sound.

Click a left item, then click its matching right item

Items

soul
douse
joint
pier

Matches

Show answer & explanation

Answer

'soul' pairs with 'groan' (/əʊ/), 'douse' pairs with 'bough' (/aʊ/), 'joint' pairs with 'spoil' (/ɔɪ/), and 'pier' pairs with 'gear' (/ɪə/).
Each word on the left is correctly paired with the corresponding word on the right based on their shared diphthong sound: 'soul' and 'groan' both feature /əʊ/, 'douse' and 'bough' both feature /aʊ/, 'joint' and 'spoil' both feature /ɔɪ/, and 'pier' and 'gear' both feature /ɪə/.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the vowel sound in each word on the left.
'soul' has /əʊ/, 'douse' has /aʊ/, 'joint' has /ɔɪ/, and 'pier' has /ɪə/.
Phonetic identification requires determining the glide sound made by the vowel combination.
2
Identify the vowel sound in each word on the right.
'groan' has /əʊ/, 'bough' has /aʊ/, 'spoil' has /ɔɪ/, and 'gear' has /ɪə/.
Matching requires matching identical diphthong sounds regardless of differences in spelling.
3
Pair words sharing identical diphthong sounds.
'soul' matches 'groan', 'douse' matches 'bough', 'joint' matches 'spoil', and 'pier' matches 'gear'.
Words with matching phonetic symbols form correct pairs.

Key Concept

Diphthong Sound Identification and Phonetic Matching
Question 2Question →

From the options provided below, select the word that features the identical diphthong sound to the one produced in aisle.

Show answer & explanation

Answer: thyme

Answer

The word containing the identical diphthong sound is 'thyme'.
The word 'aisle' contains the /aɪ/ diphthong. Similarly, 'thyme' is pronounced /taɪm/, utilizing the identical /aɪ/ diphthong sound.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the primary vowel sound in the target word.
The word 'aisle' is phonetically transcribed as /aɪl/, which contains the diphthong /aɪ/.
Determining the exact phonetic sound of the prompt word is essential for sound matching.
2
Analyze the phonetic pronunciation of each option.
'machine' (/məˈʃiːn/) contains /iː/, 'thyme' (/taɪm/) contains /aɪ/, 'breadth' (/brɛdθ/) contains /e/, and 'suite' (/swiːt/) contains /iː/.
Distinguishing pure monophthongs from diphthong glides isolates the correct phonetic match.
3
Select the option with the matching diphthong.
'thyme' (/taɪm/) matches the /aɪ/ diphthong in 'aisle'.
Both words share the open-to-close fronting diphthong /aɪ/.

Key Concept

Identification of the /aɪ/ Diphthong Sound
Question 3Question →

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

Show answer & explanation

Answer: heir

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)
Question 4Question →

Which of the words listed below features the exact diphthong sound /eɪ/ present in gauge?

Show answer & explanation

Answer: faint

Answer

faint
The word gauge is transcribed as /ɡeɪdʒ/ and contains the diphthong /eɪ/. The word faint (/feɪnt/) is the only option that contains this exact same diphthong sound.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the target diphthong sound in the word 'gauge'.
The word 'gauge' is phonetically transcribed as /ɡeɪdʒ/, which features the diphthong /eɪ/.
Determining the correct phonetic symbol establishes the sound matching criteria for the options.
2
Analyze the vowel sound of each choice option.
'plaid' has /æ/, 'faint' has /eɪ/, 'heifer' has /e/, and 'quay' has /iː/.
Distinguishing pure monophthong vowels from diphthongs prevents falling for orthographic spelling traps.
3
Match the word containing the identical diphthong sound /eɪ/.
The word 'faint' (/feɪnt/) shares the identical /eɪ/ diphthong sound as 'gauge'.
Both words contain the glide from /e/ to /ɪ/.

Key Concept

Identification of the /eɪ/ diphthong sound in English phonetic transcription.
Estimated Time:45s
Question 5Question →

Pair each target word on the left with the word on the right that shares its precise diphthong sound.

Click a left item, then click its matching right item

Items

choir
gauge
brooch
scarce

Matches

Show answer & explanation

Answer

The correct pairings are: 'choir' matches 'sleight' (/aɪ/); 'gauge' matches 'fete' (/eɪ/); 'brooch' matches 'foam' (/əʊ/); and 'scarce' matches 'glare' (/eə/).
The correct pairings are established by matching the underlying diphthongs: 'choir' and 'sleight' both feature /aɪ/; 'gauge' and 'fete' both feature /eɪ/; 'brooch' and 'foam' both feature /əʊ/; and 'scarce' and 'glare' both feature /eə/.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Transcribe the phonetic vowel sounds of the target words on the left.
'choir' yields /aɪ/, 'gauge' yields /eɪ/, 'brooch' yields /əʊ/, and 'scarce' yields /eə/.
Identifying accurate international phonetic alphabet (IPA) transcriptions overcomes deceptive orthographic spellings such as 'oo' in 'brooch' or 'au' in 'gauge'.
2
Transcribe the phonetic vowel sounds of the comparison words on the right.
'sleight' yields /aɪ/, 'fete' yields /eɪ/, 'foam' yields /əʊ/, and 'glare' yields /eə/.
Determining the primary diphthongs in the right column enables direct one-to-one matching.
3
Correlate each target word with its exact diphthong counterpart.
All four target words align precisely with their corresponding diphthong match in the right column.
Matching identical phonetic diphthong classifications completes the exercise correctly.

Key Concept

Identification of Received Pronunciation English diphthongs despite deceptive orthographic spelling variations.
Question 6Question →

Which of the following words contains the exact same diphthong sound as the one present in the word sleight?

Show answer & explanation

Answer: guile

Answer

The word 'guile' contains the exact same diphthong sound (/aɪ/) as 'sleight'.
The word 'sleight' is pronounced /slaɪt/, featuring the diphthong /aɪ/. The word 'guile' is pronounced /ɡaɪl/, which contains the exact same diphthong glide /aɪ/.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the phonetic transcription and vowel sound of the target word 'sleight'.
The word 'sleight' is pronounced /slaɪt/, which contains the diphthong glide /aɪ/.
Determining the accurate IPA transcription of the prompt word is essential for sound matching.
2
Analyze the vowel sounds of each given option.
'guile' = /ɡaɪl/ (/aɪ/); 'freight' = /freɪt/ (/eɪ/); 'sleek' = /sliːk/ (/iː/); 'heifer' = /ˈhef.ər/ (/e/).
Transcribing option words isolates diphthongs from monophthongs and deceptive spelling traps.
3
Match the target diphthong /aɪ/ with the correct option.
'guile' matches 'sleight' in sharing the /aɪ/ diphthong sound.
Both words articulate the identical vowel glide from /a/ to /ɪ/.

Key Concept

Identification of the /aɪ/ diphthong sound despite non-standard spelling patterns
Estimated Time:1m 15s
Question 7Question →

Match each target word in List A with the word in List B that contains the identical diphthong sound.

Click a left item, then click its matching right item

Items

feign
height
mauve
scarce

Matches

Show answer & explanation

Answer

The correct pairings are: 'feign' matches with 'prey' (/eɪ/), 'height' matches with 'guile' (/aɪ/), 'mauve' matches with 'foe' (/əʊ/), and 'scarce' matches with 'bear' (/eə/).
Each word in List A shares its exact diphthong sound with a specific word in List B: 'feign' and 'prey' both contain /eɪ/; 'height' and 'guile' both contain /aɪ/; 'mauve' and 'foe' both contain /əʊ/; 'scarce' and 'bear' both contain /eə/.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Determine the precise diphthong sound present in each word of List A.
'feign' contains /eɪ/, 'height' contains /aɪ/, 'mauve' contains /əʊ/, and 'scarce' contains /eə/.
Phonetic analysis reveals the underlying vowel glide regardless of spelling conventions.
2
Analyze the phonetic composition of each word in List B to locate matching diphthongs.
'prey' contains /eɪ/, 'guile' contains /aɪ/, 'foe' contains /əʊ/, and 'bear' contains /eə/.
Spelling variations like 'ey', 'ui', 'oe', and 'ear' represent specific diphthong sounds.
3
Pair each word in List A to its phonetic match in List B.
feign pairs with prey (/eɪ/), height pairs with guile (/aɪ/), mauve pairs with foe (/əʊ/), and scarce pairs with bear (/eə/).
Matching identical phonetic diphthong transcriptions completes the classification.

Key Concept

Phonetic Sound Matching across English Diphthongs and Orthographic Variations
Question 8Question →

Phonetic precision in Oral English requires recognizing diphthong glides despite deceptive spelling patterns. Which of the following words contains the identical diphthong sound found in buoy?

Show answer & explanation

Answer: employ

Answer

The word containing the identical diphthong sound as 'buoy' is 'employ'.
The target word 'buoy' is phonetically transcribed as /bɔɪ/, containing the diphthong /ɔɪ/. The word 'employ' (/ɪmˈplɔɪ/) shares the exact same diphthong glide.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Determine the phonetic representation of the target word 'buoy'
The word 'buoy' is phonetically transcribed as /bɔɪ/, which contains the diphthong sound /ɔɪ/.
The spelling 'uoy' is deceptive, but the vowel sound produced is the diphthong glide /ɔɪ/.
2
Transcribe and analyze the vowel sound in each given option
'employ' is /ɪmˈplɔɪ/ (/ɔɪ/); 'fluid' is /ˈfluː.ɪd/ (/uː/ + /ɪ/); 'cruise' is /kruːz/ (/uː/); 'choir' is /ˈkwaɪə/ (/aɪ/).
Systematic phonetic breakdown isolates the matching diphthong sound.
3
Match the option containing the identical /ɔɪ/ diphthong glide
'employ' matches 'buoy'.
Both words conclude with the identical /ɔɪ/ diphthong sound.

Key Concept

Identifying Diphthong Glides Across Deceptive Orthography
Question 9Question →

Which of the following words has the same vowel sound as the underlined part of the word *great*?

Show answer & explanation

Answer: break

Answer

The word 'break' has the same diphthong sound /eɪ/ as found in 'great'.
The word 'great' is pronounced /ɡreɪt/, which features the closing diphthong /eɪ/. The word 'break' is pronounced /breɪk/ and contains the exact same /eɪ/ diphthong sound.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Determine the phonetic sound of the target word.
The underlined vowel combination in 'great' is pronounced as the diphthong /eɪ/ (/ɡreɪt/).
A diphthong is a combination of two adjacent vowel sounds within the same syllable where the sound glides from one vowel to another.
2
Analyze the vowel sound present in each option.
'bread' is pronounced /bred/ (monophthong /e/), 'break' is pronounced /breɪk/ (diphthong /eɪ/), 'receive' is pronounced /rɪˈsiːv/ (monophthong /iː/), and 'height' is pronounced /haɪt/ (diphthong /aɪ/).
Identifying the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) transcriptions reveals true sound values regardless of spelling variations.
3
Select the option with the matching sound.
'break' (/breɪk/) matches the sound /eɪ/ in 'great' (/ɡreɪt/).
Both words share the identical /eɪ/ diphthong sound despite potential spelling traps in similar words.

Key Concept

Identification of English diphthong sounds (/eɪ/) across varying orthographic spellings
Question 10Question →

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

Show answer & explanation

Answer: great

Answer

The word 'great' contains the diphthong sound /eɪ/, which is identical to the vowel sound in 'grate'.
The word 'grate' is pronounced /ɡreɪt/ and contains the diphthong sound /eɪ/. The word 'great' is pronounced identically as /ɡreɪt/ and therefore shares the exact same diphthong sound.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the phonetic vowel sound in the target word 'grate'.
The word 'grate' is phonetically transcribed as /ɡreɪt/, which features the diphthong /eɪ/.
Establishing the correct target phoneme is necessary to find an accurate sound match.
2
Analyze the vowel sounds of each given option.
'great' has /eɪ/, 'bet' has /e/, 'pack' has /æ/, and 'height' has /aɪ/.
Diphthong sounds involve a glide from one vowel quality to another, distinguishing them from monophthongs.
3
Match the option containing the identical /eɪ/ diphthong sound.
'great' is a homophone of 'grate' and shares the identical diphthong /eɪ/.
Phonetic matching relies on spoken pronunciation rather than spelling conventions.

Key Concept

Diphthong Sound Identification (/eɪ/)
Estimated Time:45s
Question 11Question →

Complete the statement below by identifying a word that features the indicated diphthong sound.

Fill in the blanks below

The word that contains the diphthong sound /aɪ/, as heard in the word 'my', is .
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Answer

The blank is completed with any English word containing the diphthong sound /aɪ/, such as 'height', 'kite', or 'fly'.
Any word containing the phonetic glide /aɪ/ (such as 'height', 'kite', or 'fly') correctly demonstrates the /aɪ/ diphthong sound.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the target sound /aɪ/.
The target phonetic sound /aɪ/ is a diphthong gliding from the open front vowel sound /a/ towards the near-close front vowel sound /ɪ/.
Recognizing the auditory glide helps distinguish diphthongs from pure monophthong vowel sounds.
2
Select an appropriate word containing this phonetic glide.
Words such as 'height', 'light', 'kite', or 'fly' produce the exact /aɪ/ diphthong sound despite having different spelling patterns.
English oral tests evaluate sound recognition rather than spelling alignment.

Key Concept

Diphthong Identification (/aɪ/ sound)
Question 12Question →

Match each target word in the left column with the word in the right column that contains the identical diphthong sound.

Click a left item, then click its matching right item

Items

gauge
sleight
brooch
heir

Matches

Show answer & explanation

Answer

'gauge' matches 'feign' (/eɪ/), 'sleight' matches 'height' (/aɪ/), 'brooch' matches 'foe' (/əʊ/), and 'heir' matches 'scarce' (/eə/).
Each pair is matched strictly by its shared diphthong sound despite irregular spellings: 'gauge' and 'feign' share /eɪ/, 'sleight' and 'height' share /aɪ/, 'brooch' and 'foe' share /əʊ/, and 'heir' and 'scarce' share /eə/.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Determine the phonetic transcription and primary diphthong sound for each left-column word.
'gauge' is pronounced /ɡeɪdʒ/ (/eɪ/), 'sleight' is pronounced /slaɪt/ (/aɪ/), 'brooch' is pronounced /brəʊtʃ/ (/əʊ/), and 'heir' is pronounced /eə/ (/eə/).
Spelling patterns in English are often misleading; establishing standard IPA transcriptions reveals the underlying diphthong.
2
Determine the primary diphthong sound for each right-column word.
'feign' has /eɪ/, 'height' has /aɪ/, 'foe' has /əʊ/, and 'scarce' has /eə/.
Identifying the corresponding sounds in the target options enables direct pair matching.
3
Pair each word from the left column with its matching counterpart on the right based on identical diphthongs.
gauge - feign (/eɪ/), sleight - height (/aɪ/), brooch - foe (/əʊ/), heir - scarce (/eə/).
Matching identical phonetic sounds fulfills the examination criteria.

Key Concept

Identifying identical diphthong sounds across deceptive orthographic spellings
Question 13Question →

Provide a word that correctly completes the sentence by identifying a word containing the specified diphthong sound.

Fill in the blanks below

The diphthong sound /ɔɪ/, which is present in 'boy', is also found in the word .
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Answer

Any word containing the /ɔɪ/ diphthong, such as 'coin', 'voice', 'choice', 'boil', or 'point', correctly completes the sentence.
The sound /ɔɪ/ is a prominent English diphthong heard in words like 'boy', 'coin', 'voice', 'choice', 'oil', and 'boil'. Providing any word that features this glide correctly satisfies the phonetic requirement.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the target diphthong sound.
The symbol /ɔɪ/ represents an open-mid back rounded vowel gliding towards a near-close near-front unrounded vowel, as in 'boy' or 'rejoice'.
Understanding the phonetic glide helps isolate words with identical vowel quality.
2
Select a word containing this specific phonetic sound.
Words like 'coin' (/kɔɪn/), 'voice' (/vɔɪs/), or 'boil' (/bɔɪl/) share the exact /ɔɪ/ diphthong.
These words feature the correct sound glide rather than pure monophthongs or other diphthongs.

Key Concept

Identification and phonetic matching of the /ɔɪ/ diphthong in English words
Question 14Question →

Select the word that shares the same diphthong sound as the word doubt.

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Answer: plough

Answer

plough
The word 'doubt' is pronounced as /daʊt/, containing the diphthong sound /aʊ/. Among the given options, 'plough' is pronounced as /plaʊ/ and contains the exact same /aʊ/ diphthong.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the diphthong sound in the target word
The word 'doubt' is pronounced phonetically as /daʊt/, which features the diphthong /aʊ/.
Determining the exact vowel sound in the prompt word is essential for finding an accurate phonetic match.
2
Compare the vowel sounds across all choices
The word 'plough' is pronounced as /plaʊ/, which shares the same /aʊ/ diphthong sound.
Phonetic analysis reveals that despite different spelling forms ('ou' vs 'ough'), both words share identical vowel glides.

Key Concept

Diphthongs (/aʊ/ sound identification)
Question 15Question →

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/?

Show answer & explanation

Answer: sew

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
Question 16Question →

Match each target word on the left with the word on the right that features the identical diphthong sound.

Click a left item, then click its matching right item

Items

coin
shout
fear

Matches

Show answer & explanation

Answer

'coin' matches with 'boy' (/ɔɪ/), 'shout' matches with 'town' (/aʊ/), and 'fear' matches with 'near' (/ɪə/).
Each pair correctly matches words sharing the same standard English diphthong sound regardless of spelling differences.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the phonetic vowel sound (diphthong) in each left-hand word.
'coin' contains /ɔɪ/, 'shout' contains /aʊ/, and 'fear' contains /ɪə/.
Determining the accurate phonetic transcription of the target sound is essential for sound matching.
2
Find the corresponding right-hand word that produces the identical diphthong sound.
'boy' contains /ɔɪ/, matching 'coin'. 'town' contains /aʊ/, matching 'shout'. 'near' contains /ɪə/, matching 'fear'.
Matching items relies on identical phonetic sound values rather than spelling conventions.

Key Concept

Identifying Standard English Diphthongs (/ɔɪ/, /aʊ/, /ɪə/)
Question 17Question →

In the sentence, 'The magician amazed the audience with a subtle display of sleight of hand,' which word contains the same diphthong sound as the bolded word?

Show answer & explanation

Answer: indict

Answer

The word 'indict' contains the diphthong sound /aɪ/, matching the sound in 'sleight'.
The word 'sleight' is pronounced /slaɪt/, which features the diphthong sound /aɪ/. The word 'indict' is pronounced /ɪnˈdaɪt/ with a silent 'c', also containing the diphthong /aɪ/. Therefore, both words share the exact same diphthong sound.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the phonetic transcription of the target word in the stem
The word 'sleight' is transcribed phonetically as /slaɪt/, featuring the diphthong sound /aɪ/.
Despite its spelling resemblance to 'weight' (/weɪt/), 'sleight' is pronounced with the /aɪ/ glide.
2
Analyze the phonetic composition of each candidate option
'indict' is transcribed as /ɪnˈdaɪt/ (containing /aɪ/), 'weight' as /weɪt/ (containing /eɪ/), 'receipt' as /rɪˈsiːt/ (containing /i��/), and 'freight' as /freɪt/ (containing /eɪ/).
Silent letters like the 'c' in 'indict' and deceptive '-eight' spellings obscure the actual vowel sounds.
3
Select the option that matches the target diphthong
'indict' shares the identical /aɪ/ diphthong sound with 'sleight'.
Both words articulate the /aɪ/ sound despite non-standard spelling representations.

Key Concept

Diphthong Sound Identification (/aɪ/)
Estimated Time:1m 30s
Question 18Question →

In English phonology, spelling patterns can frequently obscure the underlying vowel sounds. Which of the following words contains the exact same diphthong sound as the word gauge?

Show answer & explanation

Answer: feign

Answer

feign
The word 'gauge' is phonetically transcribed as /ɡeɪdʒ/, containing the diphthong /eɪ/. The word 'feign' is pronounced /feɪn/, which shares the exact same /eɪ/ diphthong glide.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the phonetic transcription of the target word
The word 'gauge' is transcribed phonetically as /ɡeɪdʒ/, identifying its primary vowel sound as the diphthong /eɪ/.
Identifying the precise phonetic symbol of the target sound is necessary to locate an exact match.
2
Examine the phonetic structure of each given option
'feign' is pronounced /feɪn/ (/eɪ/), 'plaid' is pronounced /plæd/ (/æ/), 'draught' is pronounced /drɑːft/ (/ɑː/), and 'suite' is pronounced /swiːt/ (/iː/).
Disambiguating deceptive orthography reveals which word contains a diphthong rather than a monophthong.
3
Match the target diphthong sound to the correct option
Both 'gauge' and 'feign' share the diphthong /eɪ/.
'feign' is the only option that contains the identical /eɪ/ diphthong sound.

Key Concept

Diphthong /eɪ/ Identification across Deceptive Orthographic Spellings
Question 19Question →

Identify the word from the choices below that features the identical diphthong sound heard in height.

Show answer & explanation

Answer: guide

Answer

The word 'guide' is the correct choice because it contains the diphthong sound /aɪ/.
The correct option is 'guide' because its vowel sound is the diphthong /aɪ/ (pronounced /ɡaɪd/), matching the vowel glide in 'height' (/haɪt/).

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Determine the phonetic representation of the target word
The word 'height' is transcribed phonetically as /haɪt/, which contains the diphthong vowel /aɪ/.
Identifying the core vowel glide establishes the exact phonetic sound to match.
2
Transcribe and analyze the options
'guide' = /ɡaɪd/, 'hate' = /heɪt/, 'hit' = /hɪt/, 'heat' = /hiːt/.
Evaluating each option isolated from spelling traps reveals the true vowel sound.
3
Select the option with the matching sound
'guide' contains the identical diphthong sound /aɪ/.
Both 'height' and 'guide' share the /aɪ/ diphthong glide despite differing spellings ('eigh' vs 'ui').

Key Concept

Diphthong Sound Identification (/aɪ/)
Estimated Time:45s
Question 20Question →

Oral English assessments require distinguishing subtle diphthong glides from similar vowel sounds despite misleading spellings. Which word from the given set contains the centring diphthong /eə/?

Fill in the blanks below

In the set of words (*tier*, *pierce*, *scarce*, *sheer*), the word that features the centring diphthong /eə/ is .
Show answer & explanation

Answer

The word containing the centring diphthong /eə/ is 'scarce'.
The word 'scarce' is transcribed phonetically as /skeəs/, which contains the centring diphthong /eə/. By contrast, 'tier' (/tɪə/), 'pierce' (/pɪəs/), and 'sheer' (/ʃɪə/) all contain the centring diphthong /ɪə/.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the phonetic transcription of each word in the set according to Standard Received Pronunciation (RP).
*tier* is pronounced /tɪə/, *pierce* is pronounced /pɪəs/, *sheer* is pronounced /ʃɪə/, and *scarce* is pronounced /skeəs/.
Identifying exact phonetic transcriptions reveals the specific vowel glide present in each candidate word.
2
Compare the vowel sounds against the target centring diphthong /eə/.
The word *scarce* (/skeəs/) contains the glide from /e/ to /ə/ (/eə/), whereas *tier*, *pierce*, and *sheer* all contain the glide /ɪə/.
Comparing the vowel glides confirms that 'scarce' is the only word in the set produced with the /eə/ sound.

Key Concept

Identification of Centring Diphthongs (/eə/ vs /ɪə/)
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