HANDOUT CLASS 2

OverviewOverview of English Sounds and the Phonetic Alphabet

The English language has a rich and varied sound system that includes both vowel
and consonant sounds. To accurately represent these sounds, linguists use the
International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA), a standardized system of phonetic notation.
The IPA provides a unique symbol for each sound, or phoneme, making it easier to
study and teach pronunciation.

Vowel Sounds
Vowel sounds are produced without any blockage of airflow in the vocal tract.
They can be categorized into two main types:
- Short Vowels: These are typically found in shorter, unstressed syllables.
Examples include the vowels in “cat” /ae/, “bed” /e/, “sit” /i/, “pot” /o/, and
“cup” /u/.
- Long Vowels: These are usually longer in duration and often found in stressed
syllables. Examples include the vowels in “see” /iː/, “cake” /eɪ/, “father” /ɑː/,
“boat” /oʊ/, and “boot” /uː/.

Diphthongs
Diphthongs are complex vowel sounds that begin with one vowel sound and glide
into another within the same syllable. Examples include “buy” /aɪ/, “boy” /ɔɪ/, and
“cow” /aʊ/.

Consonant Sounds
Consonant sounds involve some degree of constriction of airflow. They can be
categorized based on various features such as voicing, place of articulation, and
manner of articulation.
-Voiced Consonants: These sounds are produced with vibration of the vocal cords.
Examples include /b/, /d/, /g/, /v/, /z/, and /ʒ/ (as in “measure”).
-Voiceless Consonants: These sounds are produced without vibration of the vocal
cords. Examples include /p/, /t/, /k/, /f/, /s/, and /ʃ/ (as in “shoe”).

Practicing Vowel Sounds

Short Vowels
To practice short vowels, you can use minimal pairs (pairs of words that differ by
only one sound) to contrast different vowel sounds. For example:
- /æ/ and /ɛ/: “cat” vs. “bet”
- /ɪ/ and /ɛ/: “sit” vs. “set”
- /ʌ/ and /ɒ/: “cup” vs. “cot”
Repeat each pair several times, focusing on the distinct sound of each vowel.

Long Vowels
Long vowels can also be practiced using minimal pairs or by focusing on specific
words:
- /iː/: “see”, “bean”, “green”
- /eɪ/: “cake”, “date”, “fate”
- /ɑː/: “father”, “car”, “star”
- /oʊ/: “boat”, “coat”, “note”
- /uː/: “boot”, “food”, “mood”

Practicing Consonant Sounds

Voiced and Voiceless Pairs

Practice by contrasting voiced and voiceless pairs of consonants:

- /p/ and /b/: “pat” vs. “bat”
- /t/ and /d/: “tack” vs. “deck”
- /k/ and /g/: “coat” vs. “goat”

Pronunciation Exercises and Repetition Drills

Tongue Twisters
- For /s/ and /ʃ/: “She sells seashells by the seashore.”
- For /p/ and /b/: “Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers.”

Repetition Drills
Select a word or sentence and repeat it multiple times, gradually increasing speed
while maintaining clarity. For example:
- “The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog.”
- “How much wood would a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck
wood?”

ASSESSMENT FOR CLASS 2

Identify which word you hear in the following:
1. /ɪ/ vs. /iː/
- “ship” vs. “sheep”
- “bit” vs. “beat”
- “sit” vs. “seat”
- “hit” vs. “heat”
- “fit” vs. “feet”
2. /æ/ vs. /ɛ/
- “cat” vs. “bet”
- “bat” vs. “bet”
- “man” vs. “men”
- “pat” vs. “pet”
- “sad” vs. “said”

3. /ʌ/ vs. /ɒ/

- “cup” vs. “cop”
- “luck” vs. “lock”
- “cut” vs. “cot”
- “bud” vs. “bod”
- “fun” vs. “fon”

4. /p/ vs. /b/

- “pat” vs. “bat”
- “pig” vs. “big”
- “pan” vs. “ban”
- “cap” vs. “cab”
- “tap” vs. “tab”

5. /t/ vs. /d/

- “tap” vs. “dap”
- “ten” vs. “den”
 - “town” vs. “down”
- “bat” vs. “bad”
- “tack” vs. “deck”

6. /k/ vs. /g/

- “coat” vs. “goat”
- “cap” vs. “gap”
- “call” vs. “gall”
- “cart” vs. “guard”
- “pick” vs. “pig”

7. /f/ vs. /v/

- “fine” vs. “vine”
- “fan” vs. “van”
- “fat” vs. “vat”
- “leaf” vs. “leave”
- “safe” vs. “save”

8. /s/ vs. /z/

- “sip” vs. “zip”
- “seal” vs. “zeal”
- “bus” vs. “buzz”
- “rice” vs. “rise”
- “place” vs. “plays”
2. MAKE A VIDEO & READ THE FOLLOWING PASSAGE ALOUD WHICH
INCLUDES THE VARIETY OF VOWEL SOUNDS SO USE IT:;
The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog. The weather today is bright and
sunny, perfect for a stroll in the park. Children are playing with their pets, and the
air is filled with laughter. On the other side, a group of friends is setting up a picnic
under a large oak tree. They have brought sandwiches, fruit, and lemonade. The
scene is picturesque and calm.
Meanwhile, in a nearby pond, ducks are swimming and quacking. The sight is both
serene and lively. An artist is sitting on a bench, sketching the beautiful scenery.
Birds are chirping in the background, adding a melodic soundtrack to the
afternoon.
Submittion Date: 09th-June-2024