English Pronunciation and Phonetics

LESSON THREE

FRONT VOWELS
I. DESCRIPTION

It is only the front part of the tongue that is raised or lowered to produce the front vowels.

- When the front part of the tongue is raised close to the palate and the air passage is
narrow, we have /iù/ and /I/. The lips are spread. The sound /iù/ is longer than the
sound / I/.
- When the front part of the tongue is half between its low and high position, we have
/e/. The lips are slightly spread. The sound is short and relaxed.
- When the front part of the tongue is very low and the air passage is wide, we have
/Q/. The lips are slightly spread. The sound is short and rather tense.

II. DRILL

1. Target sound / iù /
A. Listen to the sound.
Listen and repeat the sound.

B. Listen and repeat the words with sound / iù /, then the sentences.
sheep Look out for that sheep.
leak Stop it leaking
cheeks What lovely cheeks!
peel This peel’s got vitamin C in it.
bean Throw out that bean.
leave He’s going to leave.

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C. Listen to the dialogue and pay attention to the words with the target sound. Then
practice reading it aloud.

IN A CAFÉ: ‘IT’S CHEAPER TO EAT AT MARGUERITE’S’

CHRISTINA: What would like to eat, Peter? The cheese sandwiches are the
cheapest.
PETER: Er … mmm … oh, a cheese sandwich, please, Christina.
CHRISTINA: Cheese … mmm … Janine? Would you like a beef sandwich or a
cheese sandwich?
JANINE: A cheese sandwich, please.
PETER: What about you, Christina? Would you like cheese or beef?
WAITRESS: Are you ready to order? What would you like to eat?
CHRISTINA: Er, we’ll have one beef sandwich, two cheese sandwiches, and …
mmm tea for me.
JANINE: Tea for me too, please.
PETER: Yes, make that three teas, please.
WAITRESS: (Writing down the order) One beef sandwich, two cheese sandwiches
and three teas.

2. Target sound /I /

A. Listen to the sound.

Listen and repeat the sound.

B. Minimal pairs
/ iù / /I /
sheep ship
leak lick
cheeks chicks
peel pill
bean bin
leave live
Look out for that sheep. Look out for that ship.
Stop it leaking! Stop it licking!
What lovely cheeks. What lovely chicks.
This peel’s got vitamin C in it. This pill’s got vitamin C in it.
Throw out that bean. Throw out that bin.
He’s going to leave. He’s going to live.

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C. Dialogue: Listen to the following dialogue and complete it with the words in the box.
history festival cinema interesting prize-winning gorilla
Africa gymnastics Olympic excited beginning terrific chimpanzee

THREE INTERESTING FILMS

BILL: Good evening, Mrs. Lee.
GINA: Is Kim in?
BILL: Is he coming to the cinema, Mrs. Lee? It’s the Children’s Film (1) ………….
MRS LEE: Kim’s ill.
BILL: Here he is!
GINA: Hi, Kim!
KIM: Hi, Gina! Hi, Bill!
BILL: Kim, we’ve got these three free tickets to see three (2) …………films for children.
MRS LEE: Listen, Kim ………
KIM: Is it (3) ………?
GINA: We think it is. First there’s a short film about gorillas and (4) ………… and (5)
……… in Africa, and ………
BILL: ………… then the next film is about the six best Olympic (5) …………
competitions, and then ……….
GINA: … then it’s the big film – The (6) ………… of English Cricket.
KIM: Cricket!
BILL: It’s a (7) ………… film.
MRS LEE: If you’re ill, Kim …………
GINA: It would be a pity to miss it.
MRS LEE: Now listen, you kids ………
BILL: And it begins in fifty minutes.
MRS LEE: KIM!
KIM: Quick! Or we’ll miss the (8) ………… of the gorilla film!

3. Target sound / e /

A. Listen to the target sound.

Listen and repeat the target sound

B. Minimal pairs
/I / /e /
pin pen

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bin Ben
tin ten
pig peg
bill bell
chick cheque
I need a pin. I need a pen.
That’s my bin. That’s my Ben.
It’s a big tin. It’s a big ten.
Where’s the pig? Where’s the peg?
There’s the bill. There’s the bell.
She wants a chick. She wants a cheque.

C. Listen to the dialogue and fill the gaps with the correct questions (a – g) below.
a) Can I get you a drink, Adele?
b) Is that better?
c) Was it expensive?
d) Are you listening to the Red Hot Chili Peppers?
e) How did you spend your holiday, Adele?
f) Are you a friend of Emma’s?
g) Have you met my friend Adele yet, Kevin?
FRIENDS
ADELE: Hi, Emma! Hi, Ben! Hello, Emily! Hello, Eddie! Hi, everybody!
EVERYBODY EXCEPT Hi, Adele!
KEVIN:
EMILY: Nice to see you again, Adele. Kevin, this is Adele. Adele, this is
Kevin.
ADELE: Hi, Kevin. (1)…………? It’s terribly loud.
KEVIN: Yes ...(turns the music down) (2) ………? (Adele nods her head)
(3)…………?
ADELE: Yes.
KEVIN: Emma said she had a friend called Adele.
EDDIE: Help yourself to Mexican food, Adele. It’s on the kitchen bench.
EMILY: And there’s French bread on the shelf.
BEN: (4) ……………………?
ADELE: Yes, thanks, Ben. Some lemonade with a bit of ice in it.
EMMA: (5) ……………………?
KEVIN: Yes. I’ve just met her. She’s very friendly.
BEN: (6) ……………………………?
ADELE: I went to South America with my best friend Kerrie.

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EVERYBODY: Well!
EMMA: We’re all jealous.
EDDIE: (7) …………………………
ADELE: Not very. But I spent everything. I haven’t any money left.

4. Target sound /Q /

A. Listen to the target sound.

Listen and repeat the target sound.

B. Minimal pairs
/e / /Q /
X axe
pen pan
men man
send sand
gem jam
bread Brad
Put the ‘x’ here. Put the axe here.
Can I borrow your pen? Can I borrow your pan?
Look at the men. Look at the man.
I’m sending the table. I’m sanding the table.
It’s a lovely gem. It’s a lovely jam.
We had bread for lunch. We had Brad for lunch.

C. Listen and complete the sentences below. Each missing word has the sound / Q/.
Then practice reading them aloud. Number one has been done as an example.

1. Aaron works at the Ajax Travel Agency.

2. He’s on holiday in …………
3. His boss is Mrs. …………
4. Aaron left an ………… and ………… on his desk.
5. He ………… to contact Anthony about the ………… of ………… he ………… on ………
6. Aaron has a ………… habit of being ………… from work.
7. Aaron booked a ………… to San ………… with three …………: an anteater,
an…………, and an …………
8. The computer has ………… and Aaron hadn’t done the ………… up for the …………
programmes. Mrs. Allen is very …………
9. The best advertising ………… have been ………… because of Aaron’s bad …………
10. Aaron doesn’t ……… to come ……… to the ……… agency because he’s been ………