Class: ………AVK45……..

– Group: …3…

Name: Phung Hai My

DESCRIBING VOWELS

Exercise 1 – Height of the tongue (Vowel height) (10 minutes)

Answer the following questions. (2,25pts)

1. How different is the tongue body when we produce /ɑ:/ and /i:/?
When we produce /a:/, the tongue is lowered. The tongue is raised when we produce
/i:/………………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………

2. What are the 3 major degrees of vowel height?

High, Mid, Low
……………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………

3. List all the high, mid, and low vowels in English.

High: /i:/ , /ɪ /, /ʊ /, /uː/
Mid : /e /, /ə /, /ɜː/, /ɔː/
Low: /æ/, /ɑː/, /ɒ /, /ʌ/
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………

Exercise 2 – Frontness/backness of the tongue (15 minutes)

True of False? Correct the false statements. (2.5pts)

No. Questions T or F? Your correction

1 /i:/ is called a front vowel because when /i:/ T
is produced, the front part of the tongue is
high in the mouth
2 /e/, /ǝ/, /ɜ:/ and /ʌ/ are front vowels F /e/ is front vowel
The others are central vowels
3 /ɑ:/ is a mid central vowel /a:/ is low central vowel
F
 4 There are 4 back vowels in English T

5 The vowel in the word hot is a low back T

vowel

Exercise 3 – Tension/ Tenseness and Lip rounding (15 minutes)

Match the beginning of the following statements with their endings. Write the letters a-g next to 1-7.
(1.75pts)

1. Tense vowels are produced
2. Lax vowels are produced
3. /i:/, /ɜ:/, /ɑ:/, /ɔ:/ and /u:/
4. Rounded sounds are produced
5. All back vowels
6. /i:/, /ɪ/, /e/, /ɜː/, /æ/, /ɑ:/, /ʌ/, /ə/
7. The vowel in the word need
a. when the lips form a circle-like shape.
b. are unrounded.
c. with greater muscular tension and greater
duration.
d. with relaxed muscles in the mouth.
e. is a high front tense unrounded sound.
f. are tense sounds.
g. are rounded sounds.

1. ……c……. 5. ……g…….
2. …d………. 6. ….…b……
3. …f………. 7. ……e…….
4. …a……….

Exercise 4: Describe vowels (20 minutes)

Write the description to these given vowels (3.5 pts)
i: Tense high front unrounded
I Lax high front unrounded
u: Tense high black unrounded
ʊ Lax high black unrounded
e Lax mid front unrounded
ɜː Tense mid central unrounded
ə Lax upper-mid central unrounded
ʌ Lax mid central unrounded
ɔː Tense mid back unrounded
æ Lax law front unrounded
a: Tense low central unrounded
ɒ Lax low back rounded