English Vowels 1 - Tasks

A: Choose the correct vowel symbols and complete the diagram below
based on the descriptions given.

FRONT CENTRE BACK

Close (i) High

(ii)
Half close
(iii)
Mid
(iv)
Half open

(v)
(vi)
(vii)
Open Low

ɔ: ʌ i: æ α: ɜː ʊ

(i) high, close, front, long, slightly spread – i:

(ii) high, slightly back, half close, rounded, short vowel - ʊ
(iii) mid, back, slightly half open, strongly rounded, long vowel - ɔ:
(iv) mid, slightly half open, central, neutral vowel - ɜː
(v) mid, half open, central, neutral vowel - ʌ
(vi) low, open, front, slightly spread vowel - æ
(vii) low, open, slightly back (between centre and back), neutral vowel -

α:

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B: Complete the diagram below.

Diphthongs

centering closing

ending in ǝ ending in ɪ ending in ʊ

ɪǝ eǝ ʊǝ eɪ aɪ Ɔɪ ǝʊ aʊ

C: In each of the lists below, circle two words that contain a

1. high vowel

hen done rude man seed

2. low vowel

beat jog rat good far

3. mid central neutral vowel

lunch mass third gist debt

4. front vowel

niece tread youth saw cook

5. back vowel

ease verse soon sun crop

6. rounded vowel

must ooze brat morn web

7. spread vowel

heart dream set true won

8. long vowel

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grin hand free ought not

9. lax vowel (short vowel)

weep thread coop friend great

1
0. tense vowel

height junk glint climb elk

11. rhotacized vowel

lean juice puke learn blur

12. diphthong

ghost blood night fangs wolves

13. triphthong

fame much higher power glamour

D: In the following sets of words, the sound of the vowel is the same in every
case but one. Circle the word that has a different vowel sound.

1. child laugh shy fine hide

2. mood crew doom good fruit

3. clove glove roast loathe known

4. less breadth said gem hair

5. brag haste weigh claim maid

6. barge farm crumb dark vast

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7. have chap grand wand black

8. verb them third curse pearl

9. fowl grouse brawn drought frown

10. hall don flog throb jot

E: In groups of four, list down three examples of words for the vowel
symbols below.

Pure Vowels/ Monophthongs

Short Long

/ɪ/ Busy, ship, started /i:/ Eager, ship, field

/ǝ/ About, police, the /з:/ Bird, hurt, work

/æ/ Apple, cat, mat /ɑ:/ Car, bath, safari

/ɒ/ Not, what, because /ɔ:/ Door, walk, saw

/ʊ/ Good, put, should /u:/ Moon, grew, through

/ʌ/ Up, money, cut

/e/ Bed, dead, said

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F: In groups of four, list down three examples of words for each symbol
below.

Diphthongs

/ɪə/ Ear, here, career /aɪ By, high, fine

/eə/ Hair, careful, there ɔɪ Boy, point, oil

ʊə/ Your, sure, tourist /əʊ Coat, low, note

/eɪ Train, plane, say /aʊ/ Now, our, house

G: In groups of four, list down three examples of words for each symbol
below.

Triphthongs

/eɪə/ Mayor, gaiety, payer /aɪə Tire, pious, dryer

ɔɪə Loyal, joyous, royal /əʊə Lower, poetry, vowel

/aʊə / Towel, flower, slower

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