Material Seminar Lec

1.
PRACTICE the vowel sounds

1. Name some distinctive features of the English vowels.
2. Are deal and dill a minimal? Why?
3. Are deal and did a minimal pair? Why?/Why not?
4. Match the words in the first column with those in the second one so as to obtain
minimal pairs:
Column I
catch
pip
cheap
sap
he
caught
lap
pal
say
sink
Column II
zip
fought
lass
Sam
mink
cap
Paul
she
heap
lay
5. Find as many minimal pairs as possible (in all basic position) for the following
vowel phonemes:
[i:] vs. [i]; [u:] vs. [u]; [] vs. [:]; [e] vs. [Q]; [;] vs. [a:]; [Q] vs. [a:]; [] vs. [].
6. Which are the vowel phonemes that can appear in front of [N]?
7. If one compares short vowels to long ones, which of them have a more restricted
distribution?
8. Give the vowel phonemes that cannot appear in word-final position.
9. Specify the English phonemes that cannot appear in initial position.
10. Describe the simple front vowels in the following sentences and explain the
difficulties encountered by Romanians in acquiring their correct pronunciation:
a. Maggies bag is easy to carry.
b. He felt extremely well after such a big meal.
11. Give the English sounds corresponding to the following descriptions:
- central, mid-open, short, unrounded vowel;
- back, mid-open, long, rounded vowel;
- front (retracted), close, short, unrounded vowel;
- back (advanced), close, short, unrounded vowel.
12. Write the symbols for the vowels in the following words:
a. bread
b. rough
c. foot
d. hymn
e. full
g. sat
h. friend
i. cool
j. Oedipus k. ask
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f. cough
l. further.
13. Pronounce the following minimal pairs:

mad [mQd] mud [md]
put [put] pot [pt]
bit [bit] bet [bet]
men [men] man [ mQn]
cut [kt] cot [kt]
fin [fin] fan [fQn]
14. Short vowels contrasted. Pronounce the following words:
[e] vs. [Q]
[Q] vs. []
[i] vs. [e]
bit
bet
hem ham
lack luck
tin
ten
set sat
bad bud
fill fell
peck pack
fan fun
built belt
send sand
stamp stump
lift left
wreck rack
flash flush
[] vs. []
dug dog
cup cop
rub rob
stuck stock
luck lock
[] vs. [u]
lock look
cod could
pot put
shock shook
crock crook
15. Practice the pronunciation of the short vowels in longer contexts.

[Q]
BAD a bad cat
MAT a bad cat on the mat
PAT dont pat the bad cat on the mat
THAT dont pat that bad cat on the mat.
[e]
END in the end the men
SAID in the end the men said
MET in the end the men said theyd met
FRIEND
in the end the men said theyd met a friend.
[Q] and [e] contrasted
BAD BED
What a bad bed that is!
PAT PET
Children like patting their pets.
MAN MEN
He was the man who led the other men to battle.
GAS GUESS
I guess that smell must be gas.
SAD SAID
She said she felt very sad.
HAD HEAD
He had a good head for figures.
LATTER LETTER
Did you send a letter or an e-mail? The latter.
[]
HOBBY
ON/LONG
COST/LOT
CONTRARY
SHOPS
[]
DOES/MONEY
OTHER
STUFF
BECOME
Whats your hobby?

How long have you been working on your hobby?
Does your hobby cost a lot of money?
On the contrary.
There are lots of books on hobbies in the shops.
It doesnt cost much money.
Are there any other books on the upper shelf?
Ive seen some of your stuff.
Youll become an instructor.
[] and [] contrasted
NOT
NUT
Thats not a chestnut, its a peanut.
SNOB
SNUB
Snobs often snub people.
HOBBY
HUBBY
Her hobby is looking after her hubby.
LONG
LUNG
You need good lungs for long-distance running.
WANDER WONDER She wandered about, wondering what to do.
COLLAR COLOUR White shirts with different coloured collars.
16. Pronounce the following minimal pairs containing long vowels. Pay attention to
the fact that a voiceless consonant shortens the preceding long vowel.
heard [h:d] - hurt [h:t] hard [ha:d] hearth [ha:P]
been [bi:n] beat [bi:t] cord [k:d] caught [k:t]
rude [ru:d] root [ru:t]
NOTE: The main difficulties encountered by Romanian learners in the pronunciation
of English vowels is due to the fact that in English there are twice as many simple
vowel sounds as there are in Romanian. Actually there are two independent English
vowels corresponding to each Romanian vowel:
R [i] E [i]
R [e] E [e]
R [a] E [a:]
E [i:]
E [Q]
E []
R [o]
E [] R [u]
E [u] R []
E []
E [:]
E [u:]
E [:]
The Romanian learners have to keep the two members of each pair of vowels
distinctly apart, both with respect to their quality and to their length. The following
exercises are meant to fulfil this goal.
17. Read aloud the following minimal pairs based on the contrast between [i:] and [i]:
-feel - fill;
bead - bid;
read - rid;
scheme - skim;
-steel still;
been bin;
greed grid;
leap lip;
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-feet fit;
-leave live;
-peach pitch;
-eat it
reap rip;
peel pill;
least list;
cheap chip
seal sill;
reach rich;
deal dill;
cheek chick
deep dip.
feast fist;
Gene/Jeangin.
peak pick
18. Read aloud the following phrases and sentences in which [i:] occurs frequently;
as free as a bee
agree to flea
steel heel
eager to leave
speech speed
easy to believe
cheesy meal
see no evil
receive three
-Jean will receive her degree in three weeks.
-Read these three recipes to me.
- The guilty plea was part of the deal.
- Thats easy for me to equal.
-The three greeting cards were free.
-She didnt hear you speak last evening.
-He could see the reaping machines in the field.
19. Read aloud the following sentences in which [i] occurs frequently:
-Bills sister is silly.
-Give this bill to him.
-Six big kids are still ill.
-Its windy in his living-room.
-No weather is ill if the wind be still (proverb).
-Chicago is a big city in Illinois.
-Is he too ill to pitch this spring?
-Sitting in the rear seat, he cleaned the windows in minutes.
-If a man sits down to think, he is immediately asked if he has a headache.
20. [i:] and [i] contrasted. Read aloud the following, trying to keep the distinction
between the two vowels clear:
a. When did Sir Walter Raleigh leave?
b. When did Sir Walter Raleigh live?
a. He was looking at the sheep.
b. He was looking at the ship.
a. She was leap-reading.
b. She was lip-reading.
21. Practice the [u:] sound in longer contexts:
-What kind of food is this soup?
Do you have two bowls of soups a day?
Yes, I do. And what about you?
I sometimes, too, have two soups a day.
-Luke has a loose tooth.
-School rules must be obeyed.
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-He refused to move.

-At noon we were in a mood to go to the swimming pool.
22. Practice the [u] sound in longer contexts:
-He would make a good cook.
-The woman took the bottle and shook it.
-Mr. Hook whose cookbook you have brought is our butcher.
-The bullet was fired by a good-looking man.
23. Read aloud the following minimal pairs based on the contrast between [u:] and
[u].
pool pull He had to be pulled out of the pool.
suit soot His suit was full of soot.
Luke look Look at Luke!
fool full The world is full of fools.
wooed
would
She would like to be wooed by an Uzbek ruler.
whod
hood
Whod wear a hood nowadays?
Cooed
could
The pigeons cooed whenever they could.
24. Read aloud the following minimal pairs based on the contrast between [:] and
[]:
cord
cod
awed
odd
dawn
don
stalk
stock
pawned
pond
port
pot
naught
not
sport
spot
gnawed
nod
cork
cock
forks
fox
sworn
swan
wars
was
court
cot
roared
rod
Morse
moss
corpse
cops
born
Bonn (town in Germany)
25. Read aloud the following sentences containing the [:] sound:
- She pawned her shawl and bought a ball.
- A tall man was crawling in the hall.
- They called the doctor when their daughter caught the flu.
- The audience in the law-court saw Paul hitting John in his jaw.
26. Read the following sentences in which the sound [] occurs frequently.
- John stopped all the clocks on the docks.
- A watched pot never boils.
- Theyd stock their shop with cots.
- The yacht was rocking on the pond.
- The doctor was in the corridor talking to Tom.
27. Read aloud the following minimal pairs based on the contrast between [a:] and
[]:
lark
luck
cud card
dark
duck
last lust
barks
bucks
carp cup
March
much
barge budge
cart
cut
barn bun
psalm
sum
calm come
2. Practice the English diphthongs and triphthongs

Theoretical problems
1. Diphthongs have been described as sequences of two vocalic sounds. List the
vocalic sounds serving as diphthong nuclei and the vocalic sounds serving as glides?
2. Do diphthongs have a general distribution?
3. Is there any functional difference between a diphthong and a vowel in the
following minimal pairs?
beat bite; bee beer; mouse mice;
mouth moth;
cord code; fee fear; mouth myth;
tea tear.
4. Does a shortening of a diphthongs take place before a voiceless or a voiced
plosive? Consider the example: code coat cope.
5. State whether the following are true or false:
- In distribution and function diphthongs are similar to vowels.
- In English there are as many syllables in a word as there are syllabic vowels (and
syllabic m, n, N, l, r).
-The glides can be isolated as syllabic sounds.
- The syllabic sound of an English diphthong is its first sound..
-The two elements of a diphthong can be divided into two syllables, or between two
syllables.
- Diphthongs are defined as a sequence of two vocalic sounds because, in spite of
their distribution and function, they form only one syllabic peak.
Practical exercises
6. Practice the following minimal pairs based on the contrast between [ai] and [ei]:
white wait
lied laid
rice race
rise raise
like lake
file fail
7. Read aloud the following minimal pairs based on the contrast between [i] and
[E]:
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here
steered
really
hair
stared
rarely
beer bear
ears airs
weary wary
8. On the vowel diagram indicate the glides for the diphthongs in the following
words:
freight, hold, sphere, fair, bow, sky, toil.
9. Write the symbols for the diphthongs in the following words:
tone way hair style beer out
coil
they
10. Practice the diphthong [ei] in the following sentences:

- State your name.
- Taste makes waist.
- The rain in Spain stays mainly in the plane.
- They may stay in hay in April and May.
- They say they sleighed all day long.
11. Practice the diphthong [ai] in the following sentences:
- My child likes to fly a kite.
- I like Paris by night.
- Ill try to arrive on Friday night around nine.
- Never smile at the crocodile!
- Id like to buy some nylon tights.
12. Practice the diphthong [i] in the following sentences:
- Its a noisy noise that annoys an oyster.
- Many slave boys toiled in Troy.
- Loyd raised his voices to the naughty boys.
- The boys made noise with their toys.
- Bring the soy-beans oil to the boiling point.
13. Read the following words based on the contrast between the diphthongs [ei], [ai]
and [i]:
say sigh soy;
pays pies poise
cane kin(e) coin
tray try Troy
bays buys boys
laid -lied -Loyd
tale -tile -toil
paint -pint -point.
14. Practice the diphthong [U] in the following sentences:

- Those are old notions.
- The phone has no tone.
- He wrote an ode to the rose.
- The whole bowl was full of oat.
- Dont go home alone.
- His only goal was to go to the North Pole.
15. Practice the diphthong [au] in the following sentences:
- Dont shout out so loud!
- The Browns found a mouse in their house.
- Now the cow bowed and found a flower.
- It was very cloudy in the mountains.
16. Read the following minimal pairs based on the contrast between the diphthongs
[u] and [au]:
no - now
hoe - how
phoned - found
known - noun
load - loud
oat - out
17. Practice the diphthong [E]
- How dare you share my pear?
- He rarely had money for the fare.
- I saw her somewhere in the square.
- Since Mary found her mare there, she had nothing to declare.
- She bought a new pair of jeans to share with Mary.
- They would rarely wear their golden jewelry.
18. Practice the diphthong [U] in the following sentences:
- England was at war with both the Moors and the Boers.
- The doctor was sure that he was past cure.
- We went on a tour of the moors.
- Henry Moores art is sure to endure the passage of time.
- The jury convicted poor Muriel.
19. Practice the diphthong [i] in the following sentences:
- He drew nearer and nearer to the feared pier.
- Beer should not be feared to be dear.
- There were tears in the eyes of the deer.
- He couldnt hear, so he drew nearer.
- Our theater staged Shakespeares King Lear last year.
20. Read aloud the following list of minimal pairs based on the contrast between [E]
and [u]:
pear poor; bare Boer; mare moor; tear (vb) tour; dare dour; share sure.
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21. Read and give the phonetic transcription of the poem Fire and Ice by Robert
Frost. Pay attention to the diphthongs.
Some say the world will end in fire,
Some say in ice.
From what Ive tasted of desire,
I hold with those who favour fire.
But if I had to perish twice,
I think I know enough of hate
To say that for destruction ice
Is also great
And would suffice.
22. Read aloud the following words containing triphthongs. The [i] and [u] in the
sequences [ai +] and [au +] should not be made too strong.
[ai]
[au]
tyre
coward
trial
tower
quiet
flower
flyer
ours
buyer
shower
tired
bower
riot
towel
iron
powerful
23. The less common triphthongs [ei], [U], [i] should be pronounced with the
normal diphthong smoothly followed by []. The [i] and [u] need not be weakened at
all. Try pronouncing the following words:
greyer, grower, player, royal, followers, employer, thrower, betrayal, lawyers.
3. Practice the English consonants

1. Distinguish the manner of articulation of the English consonantal sounds and
specify the classes of consonants thus produced.
2. Distinguish the basic points of articulation in English.
3. Give the articulators and the points of articulation for the following English
sounds: [p], [k], [h], [z], [f].
4. Give the English sounds corresponding to the following simplified descriptions:
a. voiced, alveolar fricative;
b. voiceless, velar plosive;
c. voiceless, palato-alveolar fricative;
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d. voiced, alveolar plosive.

e. voiced, labio-dental fricative;
f. voiceless, interdental fricative;
g. voiceless, glottal plosive.
5. Each of the following purports to be an articulatory description of English
consonantal sound. Which of these descriptions are representations of actual English
sounds, and which are impossible features?
a. voiceless, labio-dental fricative;
b. voiceless, apico-velar plosive;
c. voiceless, glottal fricative:
d. voiceless, bilabial fricative;
e. voiced, apico-dental (interdental) fricative;
f. voiceless, dorso-velar fricative.
6. Identify the words made up of the sounds corresponding to the following
articulatory descriptions:
a. voiceless, fortis, bilabial plosive; front, close, short, lax, unrounded vowel;
voiceless, fortis, velar plosive.
b. voiced, lenis, bilabial plosive; back, close, short, lax, rounded vowel;
voiceless, fortis, velar plosive.
c. alveolar, voiceless, fortis plosive; narrow, closing diphthong (glide to [i]);
voiceless, alveolar fricative; alveolar, voiceless, fortis plosive.
7. Give the articulatory description of the sounds which make up the following
words: front, nasal, velar.
8. Find minimal pairs (whenever possible in all basic positions - initial, medial and
final-) for the following English phonemes: [s : z], [p : b], [tS : dZ], [l : r], [f : v], [T :
D].
Example:- initial: [si:l] seal vs. [zi:l] zeal
- medial: [:si:siN] ceasing vs. [:si:zing] seizing
- final: [sins] since vs. [sinz] sins.
9. Transcribe the following words phonemically:
a. fishes
e. archives
b. shaver
f. others
c. sixth
g. measure
d. these
h. ahead
10. Features used to define individual sounds can also be used to describe sets of
related sounds. For instance, the set consisting of [p t k b d g] would be described as
sharing the feature [+stop] (plosive). We can also use the features of manner of
articulation, point of articulation and voice to subdivide larger sets of sounds. [p t k]
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would be described by the features [+stop] and [- voice], [b, d, g] as [+stop] and
[+voice], [p b] as [+stop] and [+bilabial], [t d k g] as [+stop], [-bilabial], etc. Describe
the following classes or subclasses of sounds:
[T D f v s z S Z], [D v z Z], [v z Z], [z Z], [s z]
[p t], [f v s z], [m n]
11. How does voicing/voicelessness of a consonant affect the preceding vowel or
diphthong?
12. Indicate with a & mark which of the following vowels and diphthongs are
shortened as a result of a following voiceless, fortis consonant:
a. tea [ti:]
d. dark [da:k]
g. egg [eg]
b. meat [mi:t]
e. card [ka:d]
h.oak [uk]
c. toad [tud]
f. lip [lip]
i. kite [kait]
13. Specify the variants (allophones) of the plosive consonants in the following
words: peak, blame, ribbon, adore, climate.
14. Identify and describe the syllabic /m/, /n/, /N/ and /l/ in the following lines:
a. I have found some of the best reasons I ever had for remaining at the bottom
simply by looking at the man at the top (Frank Moore Colby, Essays)
b. In the grave, dust and bones jostle not for the wall. (Proverb)
c. What you say is nothing but a truism.
d. A spasm of coughing made her stop laughing.
e. This is the spray the Bird clung to/Making it blossom with pleasure
(R. Browning, Misconceptions)
15. Find possible cases of intrusive r and linking r in the pronunciation of the
sentences below. Mark the place where the intrusive r occurs by a small cross, and
the occurrences of linking r by a small circle.
a. Granada is famous for its monuments. But therere a lot of interesting places
outside Granada itself.
b. The area of a room of 10 feet by 15 feet is 15o square feet.
c. My grandpa is ill.
d. Fancy Sarah asking Ada out! The idea of it makes me laugh.
e. When Freda attended her first speech class in her drama academy the tutor
said she did not keep her jaw open.
f. Australia and New Zealand are two English speaking countries.
g. New Zealand has other islands far out.
16. Read the following list of words which illustrate the various phonetic values of
[p]:
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aspirated
peel
pet
part
Paul
powder
unaspirated unreleased laterally

released
speak
adopt
play
spend
prompt
uplift
span
kept
apple
Spartan
roped
couple
spot
keep track simple
nasally
released
open
happen
hypnotic
stop news
shrapnel
[b]:
partially
devoiced
bee
boat
bartender
Berlin
beam
bend
Boston
fully voiced plosionless laterally

released
lobby
subdued
blame
above
object
cable
Moby Dick grabbed
bubble
nabob
subpoena probable
obey
web
able
about
snob
emblem
abacus
tube
sublime
nasally
released
ribbon
submerge
crabmeat
submarine
obnoxious
abnormal
urban
18. Read the following minimal pairs containing the [p] and [b] sounds:
[p] and [b] in initial position
peak [pHi:k] beak [bi:k]
pack [pQk] back [bQk]
port [pH:t] bought [b:t]
pride [praid] bride [braid]
pat [pQt]
bat [bQt]
pen
Ben
pit [pit]
bit [bit]
park [pHa:k] bark [ba:k]
pull [pul] bull [bul]
plays [pleiz] blaze [bleiz]
pie [pai]
buy/by [bai]
[p] and [b] in mid-position

repel [ri:pel]
rebel [ri:bel]
roped [rUpt]
robed [rUbd]
simple [simpl]
symbol [simbl]
staple [steipl]
stable [steibl]
rapid [rQpid]
rabid [rQbid]
[p] and [b] in final position
rip [rip]
rib [rib]
rope [rUp]
cap [kQp] cab [kQb] tripe [traip]
tap [tQp]
tab [tQb]
wrap [rQp]
lap [lQp]
lab [lQb]
cap [kQp]
robe [rUb]
tribe [traib]
grab [grQb]
cab [kQb]
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19. Practice the following phrases containing the [p] sound.

stop sign
slipping zipper
grape pop
repair shop
superior straps
responsive person
sip of punch
paddle in the pool
slipper strap
plastic wrapper
explicit promise
prune plums
cryptic concept
pleasant place
proud priest
accept applause slept at the opera
hopelessly repressed
20. Read the following tongue twister and observe the aspiration of the initial [p]
sound.
Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers;
A peck of pickled peppers Peter Piper picked;
If Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers,
Wheres the peck of pickled peppers Peter Piper picked?
21. Practice the following phrases containing the [b] sound:
bunch of bananas bean bag
big hot tub
bad back
bind books
hobby cabinet
throbbing earlobe urban subway
best rubies
scrub the curb
black umbrellas brand-new broom
22. The following sentences contain [p] and [b] in difficult blends and combinations;
scan them silently before you read them out loud.
- The purple bubble burst its bonds and popped up.
- The bouncy baby bubbled and babbled happily after the bottle.
- Do people prefer bright baubles or pretty peonies and poppies?
- The blushing bride breathed happily after the priest blessed the bridal breakfast.
- Peter Piper protested at being labeled a pepper pickler.
23. Practice the [t] sound in the following words which illustrate its various phonetic
variants:
aspirated
time
tool
talk
tar
torch
tooth
tale
unaspirated unreleased laterally

released
stop
hot dog
cattle
stain
night bar
little
stool
cost price at last
disturb
night cap settle
astonish
smart
battle
still
lost
parental
steak
scout
total
nasally
released
hot news
mutton
cotton
bottom
bitten
kitten
certain
24. Practice the following phrases containing the sound [t].

top ten
tea time
cute note
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tick-tock
telephone table
talented sister
toe tapping
great debate
western forest
enter data
tested lettuce
smart students
25. Read the following phrased and sentences in which [t] occurs frequently:
-Tit for tat.
-That is a storm in a tea-pot.
-Trust Tom for telling the truth.
-Tell me when to take it to the right.
-The teacher told Terry that Tim had to take the test next Tuesday at ten.
-Sometimes the tongue is faster than the eye.
-Which is the most expensive hotel in Tokyo?
-I can attest to the quality of teaching.
-Take the note from under the tea pot.
-I put the tip of my toe in the center of the tub.
26. Challenge sentences for [t]
-Twenty teachers of Latin trusted their students not to start cheating in the test.
-The detective was tricked into betraying his secret to the beautiful temptress.
-The dentist dropped his button into the fountain and instantaneously tried to take it
out.
-Tommy Turner taped his talk with his psychiatrist.
27. Read the following words paying attention to the sound [d].
Partially fully voiced plosionless laterally
nasally
devoiced
released
released
double
day
deal
deer
date
duck
dust
damp
adore
ado
Teddy
lady
cider
soda
body
odor
sad
changed
amazed
under
made
code
wide
aid
saddle
riddle
cradle
handle
middle
paddle
dwindle
poodle
sadness
admission
hardness
cadmium
sudden
hidden
redness
shouldnt
28. Practice the following phrases containing the sound [d]

dirty dogs
dangling in the wind
double-decker
decided to divorce
dirty dancing
dos and donts
hidden address
sudden advance
deep depression
dwindling red-light
idle hands
defect detection
29. Read the following minimal pairs based on the distinction between [t] and [d]:
two do
torn dawn
ten den
tie
die
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ton don
tune dune
tea
Dee
tie
die
writer
latter
whitish
kitty
matter
bitter
bet
late
set
feet
cot
bed
laid
said
feed
cod
town
tan
tip
tuck
rider
ladder
widish
kiddy
madder
bidder
down
Dan
dip
duck
wetting
water
putting
knotted
rated
shutter
heart
sight
brought
hit
shoot
wedding
warder
pudding
nodded
raided
shudder
hard
side
broad
hid
shooed
30. Read the following sentences containing [t] and [d].

- Lots of ladies left their hats on the table during the time they told stories.
- Teachers are trusting of their students honesty during endterm testing times.
- Picture yourself getting to stand at the end of an empty corridor.
- Didnt I tell you times and times again to do your homework, Teddy?
[k]:
aspirated unaspirated unreleased laterally
nasally
released
released
keep
scale
action
clover
reckon
call
scale
contract
climate
bacon
kite
school
electricity club
acknowledge
core
scholastic locked
freckle
thicken
cane
ascribe
chalk
pickle
cause
escort
smoke
cluster
key
ski
stick
acclaim
32. Practice the following phrases containing the sound [k].
common cause
back ache
Cape Cod
Coca Cola
drink of milk
Christmas carrols
cute character
canal crossing
curious looking
carrying cargo
racoon catching drinking liquor
33. Practise the sound [g] in the following words, trying to pronounce correctly its
variants:
15
partially
devoiced
go
guide
game
goose
guess
gown
fully voiced plosionless laterally

released
tiger
rugby
glory
ago
fig tree
glimmer
logo
plug
struggle
foggy
tango
wriggle
toga
vogue
igloo
begin
mug
single
nasally
released
organ
ignite
dignity
rigmarole
signature
fragment
34. Practice the following phrases containing the sound [g].

begin again
dog days
engagement gift
big figtree
gushing jug
get a guide
go get it
gauze fragments
elegant luggage
good colleague
gorgeous signature
the longest monologue
35. Keep the [k] and [g] apart in the following minimal pairs:
cave gave
card guard
curl girl
could good
cap gap
coal goal
class glass
crow grow
pick pig
back bag
lack lag
dock dog
lock log
Dick dig
36. Read the sentences below containing [k] and [g].

- The regular caretaker took his gardening with a grain of salt.
- Maggie begged the wicked frog king for a kiss and quickly became a frog queen.
- The Grand Canyon is gorgeous, but if campers keep leaving garbage around, it
will become gruesome.
- I begged her not to put all the eggs in one basket.
- The angry captain let the bout go aground.
- Your grades go down with vague guesses on exams.
37. Practise the following words, with long, strong friction for [f] and short, weak
friction for [v]:
[f] and [v] in initial position
fast [fa:st] vast [va:st]
few [fju:] view [vju:]
feel [fi:l]
veal [vi:l]
fear [fi]
veer [vi]
foal [fUl] vole [vUl]
file [fail]
vile [vail]
ferry [feri] very [veri]
fat [fQt]
vat [vQt]
fan [fQn] van [vQn]
fail [feil]
veil [veil]
16
[f] and [v] in mid-position

proofing [:pru:fiN] prooving [:pru:viN]
safer [:seif]
savour [:seiv]
defied [di:faid]
divide [di:vaid]
refuse [ri:fju;z]
reviews [ri:vju:z]
[f] and [v] in final position
When [f] and [v] occur at the end of words, after a vowel, they influence the length of
that vowel. The strong consonant [f] makes the vowel shorter, whereas the weak
consonant [v] makes it longer. Practice this with the following list of words:
leaf [li:f]
leave [li:v]
life [laif]
live [laiv]
half [ha:f] halve [ha:v]
strife [straif]
strive [straiv]
calf [ka:f] carve [ka:v]
waif [weif]
wave [weiv]
surf [s:f] serve [s:v]
safe [seif]
save [seiv]
proof [pru:f] prove [pru:v]
belief [bi:li:f]
believe [bi:li:v]
38. Practice the following phrases containing the sound [f].
fine beef
fine beef
funny photo
famous females face to face
face the facts
furnace fire
deaf chef
defend the fans
foolish faults
tough muffin
enough affinity
39. Read the following sentences containing the sound [f]:
- His face grew flushed when he won the raffle.
- She left the snowflakes on the frosty shelf.
- Florence fried fifty fat cauliflowers for five of her finest friends.
- Frequent fliers often find fault with their favorite flights of fancy.
- Half a loaf frequently fails to satisfy the food preferences of affluent folk.
- Please inform Fanny if any funny references are made before breakfast is finished.
(source: Hahner et al, 1997: 120-121)
40. Practice the sound [v] in all three basic positions:
Victor
Stephen
Eve
vain
invent
wave
vitamin
moving
dive
vote
heaven
native
voice
avoid
dove
void
advance
five
Vernon
paving
jive
41. Practice the following phrases containing the sound [v]:
heaven above
give five
very valuable
vintage view
velvet gloves
Vivians vindictiveness
voice vote
have value
oval shovel
17
moving van
weavers village
Valentines Day fever
42. Sentences with [f] and [v]:

-Valerie was a vivacious vixen, variously proving herself vindictive and benevolent.
-Did you receive a Valentine from your lover?
-They proved that the levels were even.
-Olivias fianc believed that her sylphlike figure was effectively featured in her
effervescent offering of flamenco.
-Vivienne vacations at Valetta the first fourteen days of February.
43. Read aloud the following words, phrases and sentences in which the sound [T]
occurs frequently:
three
method
both
theory
author
death
thorough
ethical
wealth
thick
diphthong mouth
throw
lethal
depth
thrush
healthy
warmth
throat
atheist
earth
therapy
toothpaste growth
thistle
lethargic
south
a thorough method
thick thumb
pathetic thug
ethnic pathways
thought nothing mammoth theft
a thousand toothpicks
youthful theme
third Thursday
three bathrobes
fourth birthday
thirsty throng
-Thing worth thinking thoroughly about
-Throw the thick thing at a greater depth.
-The cathedral was at the end of the path.
-He wrote a third theory about the toothache.
-She lived on the fourth floor, in room thirteen.
-On the fourth of the month he thought of Elisabeth.
-Two fifths equals four tenths.
-It was his third faithless love affair.
-Thanks for thinking of both of us; it was thoroughly thoughtful of you.
-Three threadbare travelers threaded their way through isothermal pathways to reach
their zenith.
-Without a thesaurus, authoring three growth phrases with the phoneme [T] is a
thankless task.
44. Practise the following tongue twister:
This is Theodore Thickthumb who thrust his thick thumb through a thorny thicket of
thirty-three thousand thistles.
18
45. Read the following text:

The box of thimbles from the Thrifty Thimble Company arrived as ordered.
However, instead of thirty-six thimbles the box contained only thirty-three thimbles,
three thimbles fewer than the thirty-six we had ordered. We wrote to the company
explaining that we had ordered thirty-six, not thirty-three thimbles, and asked them to
send us the extra three thimbles. They replied that they were in error in sending only
thirty-three thimbles rather than thirty-six and that they would ship us three additional
thimbles immediately.
46. Read aloud the following words, phrases and sentences containing the sound [D]:
there
mother
breathe
though
although
with
these
together
bathe
the
other
loathe
thus
worthy
clothe
that
leather
soothe
thereafter rhythm
teethe
theirs
wither
seethe
themselves neither
scathe
those rhythms
within and without
thee and thou
their mother
gather together
farther and farther
father is there
other feather
either mother or father
-Father and mother are rather tired.

-This leather is as smooth as a feather.
-They were gathering cotton before the hot weather.
-Either brother may be bathing in the river.
-He was breathing smoothly, although the weather was rather bad.
-There was fine weather when father and mother went on the trip.
-They were within the boundaries.
-Their things were put together in a leather bag.
-The baby is teething, dont tease him.
- Therein lies the tale of Wuthering Heights.
47. Read the following text. Pay attention to the correct pronunciation of the [D]
sound:
Neither of them was there when their brother arrived. He had not bothered to get in
touch with them and therefore neither of them expected him. When they came home
their surprise at his sudden visit can thus be imagined. Their brother was rather at a
loss for words and they themselves were almost speechless. They then estimated that
it had been more than ten years since they had seen each other. It was indeed a happy
gathering for all of them and although much had happened in the meantime they were
together again at last.
19
48. Read the following words containing the sound [s]:

send
assume
pass
small
describe
likes
Sam
ascend
purse
sweet
essential
dominance
sorrow
destitute
fax
sign
cassette
juice
soar
baseball
kiss
sound
mist
menace
supper
decent
cactus
ceiling
proceed
lettuce
cycle
classic
verse
certain
deceive
actress
49. Read the following sentences containing the sound [s]. Adjust your tongue to
produce the clearest, strongest [s]:
set aside
silk suit
sing song
kiss Sarah
purchase price
pass the salt
safe and sound
Sweet Swan of Avon
sexy Swiss hats
sad sermon
tasteless lettuce
actress address
solar system
classic ceiling
deceitful policy
-
They set sail to South America.

The sand made a mess on the seat
Its the tip of the iceberg.
Im going to sign the lease for the house.
Thats the worse lettuce Ive ever tasted.
Send me a press release.
My silly sister sold her new bicycle at a loss.
The actress had to rehearse the role of a nurse.
The screaming guests have been frightened by the snakes.
The instructor spoke respectfully to the students.
The mosquito is a pest that makes you scratch.
The Orient Express stops twice before leaving France.
The masters assistant will register your instrument or instruct you in its use.
50. Read the following words and phrases containing the [z] sound:
zero
present
loves
zealous
observe
booze
zip
prism
rose
zombie
dosing
blouse
zone
daisy
cause
zebra
rosy
falls
zoo
risen
breeze
20
zone
zink
zipper
music
easy
possess
buzzing bees
noisy music
was it his
gaze
wise
because
zodiac zone
hazy days
amazing news
busy Tuesday
amazing design
Xerox disaster
51. Practice sentences for [z]

- She was gazing at a fuzzy wool blazer.
- The bruise was due to a fall from the trapeze.
- He was awarded a prize for braving the freezing blizzard.
- Does the amusement park close early on Tuesdays?
- He heard the buzzing of bees in the daisies.
- Xerox earns zillions of dollars by setting examples for other rising companies.
- Suzie was busy as a bee while Ezra lazed around noisily.
52. Read the following words based on the contrast between [s] and [z]:
sink zink
looser loser
place plays
said zed
lacy lazy
niece knees
Sue zoo
buses buzzes
price prize
Seal zeal
fussy fuzzy
hearse hers.
53. Read the following minimal pairs based on the contrast [T, t, s] and [D, d, z].
thin tin
sin
seethe seed seize
thank tank sank
teethe teed tease
theme team seem
bathe bade baize
thaw taw saw
lithe lied lies
faith fate face
breathing breeding breezing
54. Read the following words, phrases and sentences in which [S] occurs frequently:
ship
nation
bush
sure
fishmonger blush
shallow
intention
splash
shade
machine
ambush
chaperone cushion
fresh
Chicago
usher
crush
shed
fashion
mustache
shower
tissue
Spanish
chef
ocean
slash
sugar
tension
foolish
washing machine
Polish nation
ocean ships
short shower
spatial relations
shrill shriek
21
foolish charades
shabby chef
fashion shoe
fish dish
wash the dish

shine a shoe
-She shouldnt have mentioned her shameful mission in front of the bishop.
-She washes her hair with fresh shampoo.
-Its a sure sign of shock.
-Shall I wear my new fashionable shawl?
-She sells seashells by the seashore.
-She relished the thought of looking for shells at the shore.
-The usher was shut out of the show.
-The chauffeur stopped at the barber shop for a shave.
-The flashlight was crushed when the shelter collapsed.
-Dont brush against the fresh varnish.
55. Read aloud the following words and phrases paying attention to the pronunciation
of the [Z] sound:
pleasure
rouge
measure
beige
allusion
garage
visual
camouflage
treasure
prestige
visual
massage
casual
mirage
leisure
entourage
measure for measure
precision explosion
casual decision
Asian vision
visual mirage
beige garage
56. Keep [S] and [Z] apart in the following minimal pairs and sentences:
dilution
delusion
glaciar
glazier
mesher
measure
fission
vision
Confucian confusion
-Always shower after a pleasurable massage.
-I was assured that the ocean would be azure in colour.
-He shouldnt wear that brushed-denim leisure suit.
-Shovelling sand can be pleasurable.
-He shaved and showered before brushing his teeth but neglected to massage some
polish into his shoes.
22
57. Practice the sound [h] in the following words and sentences:
hint
behind
hero
abhor
heart
anyhow
horse
rehearse
Halloween
alcohol
who
behind
heat
coherent
hinder
inhabit
humiliate
foothold
Helen
behave
harmless
adhesive.
-The hunters hotel behind the hill is huge and very hot.
-Have you heard that Henry was in a hurry to build himself a house?
-The hurricane destroyed the hurdles and hurt many human beings inhabiting some
horrid huts.
-They were happy but hungry after the rehearsal.
-Who ate the other half of the hamburger?
-Incoherent sentences are hard to handle.
-Too huge a helping can be hazardous to her health.
58. Read the following words, phrases and sentences containing the sound [r].
reef
grass
rake
narrow
rag
crowd
write
berry
ring
train
wreck
hurry
right
brand
rock
carrot
rest
bread
roam
worry
riddle
arrive
raid
terrific
rheumatism curious
robber
hurry
reverend
surround
wrong
direct
rare
aggressive ride
hurry
research
permanent rainwater circular
Brooklyn Bridge
broken promises
his brothers bride
pouring rain
pride and prejudice
very direct
his brothers bride

broad protection
red herring
hurry around
red roses
narrow corridor
Great Britain
brain drain
marriage rite
write to Harry
worry tomorrow
wreck the car
-Strawberries, raspberries and red-currants, with real cream are really very refreshing.
-This train and its trucks are trapped by a tree-trunk across the track.
-Three hundred readers used the library reading room in the period from February to
April, reports the librarian.
-He roamed around the room to find the rake.
23
-The carrier was on the rural route.

-April gives us freedom from the trials of winter.
-Its rare to find a real pearl.
-The red ferry went in the wrong direction.
-Ralph has the list of rules for the raffle.
-The florist hurried across the road.
-I roamed around the room to find the rake.
-He worried that the tar would ruin the rug.
-When you are angry, a frown spreads across your face.
-The fragile crystal broke in the crate.
-He broke the bottle of apricot brandy.
-Friday afternoon traffic across the Brooklyn Bridge increases abruptly at
approximately three-thirty.
-Ferdinand the bull, terror of the ranch, grazed really greedily around the range while
ignoring the surrounding herd.
-Presenters of oral readings should pursue the ready references wherever they occur.
-He brought red roses home for their anniversary.
59. Read the following minimal pairs based on the contrast between [r] and [l]:
reap leap;
pray play
rid lid;
proud ploughed
rook look;
grow glow;
royal loyal;
praise plays
rare lair;
breed bleed
rear leer;
heron Helen
reef leaf;
grass glass
rot lot;
bread bled
rock lock;
crock clock.
60. Say the following phrases making sure to add an intrusive [r]:
law and order
Alaska and Alabama
I saw a man
go to Africa on vacation
vanilla ice cream
Havana is the capital of Cuba.
drama and speech
Your idea is ok.
61. Read aloud the following words, phrases and sentences containing the [tS] sound:
church
teacher
beach
chair
feature
catch
chain
creature
March
chick
picture
such
cheer
furniture
hatch
chat
kitchen
peach
China
hatchet
coach
choose
butcher
watch
chime
enchant
match
24
cheap chalk
kitchen match
chocolate chips
grouchy bachelor
chitchat
cheap china
actual choice
church sculpture
chief coach
teach a child Chinese
charming French woman
cheerful children
-Charles is scratching his itching chin.

-Charles is a cheerful chicken-farmer. A poacher is watching Charless chickens,
choosing which to snatch. He chuckles at the chance of a choice chicken to chew for
his lunch. But the chuckle reaches Charles, who chases the poacher and catches him.
-The kitchen chair had a natural colour.
-The matching China plates chipped easily.
-I chuckle every time I watch them dance the cha-cha.
-He gave the children the chance to enjoy chocolate chip cookies in a cheap French
restaurant.
62. Read the following words, phrases and sentences containing the sound [dZ]:
jelly
aged
orange
gingerbread
ajar
large
jam-jar
fragile
urge
judge
surgeon
hedge
juice
object
age
gender
digit
cabbage
journalism
agile
grudge
gelatin
major
college
joke
suggest
page
a large gin jump for joy
aging major ginger jar
gentle judge large barge
vintage cabbage
strange village
jab at the jaw
-Jeremy Jacobson is an aged judge who tried to urge a jolly jury to be just but
generous.
-George journeys to Japan next June.
-The genial surgeon Jones has an urgent job to carry out.
-Jane enjoyed the wedge of fudge.
-Jacks old job was jumping on baggage.
-Jane was jealous of my beautiful geraniums.
-Sausage and ginger dont mix.
-Jill exaggerated with her large jeans.
-John lost his gold chain and engagement ring.
63. Keep the [tS[ and [dZ] apart in the following words:
[tS ] and [dZ] in initial position
chin [tSin]
gin [dZin]
chain [tSein]
25
Jane [dZein]
cheer [tSi]
choke [tSUk]
choice [tSis]
jeer [dZi]
joke [dZUk]
Joyce [dZis]
chest [tSest]
chunk [tSN]
cheap [tSi:p]
jest [dZest]
junk [dZN]
Jeep [dZi:p]
[tS ] and [dZ ] in mid-position

riches [:ritSiz]
ridges [:ridZiz]
catching [:kQtSiN]
cadging [:kQdZiN]
batches [bQtSiz]
badges [bQdZiz]
breeches [bri:tSiz]
bridges [bridZiz]
purchase [ptSis]
purges [p:dZiz]
[tS ] and [dZ] in final position
rich
ridge
batch
badge
search
surge
catch
cadge
H [eitS]
age [eidZ]
64. Read aloud the following words, phrases and sentences in which [m] appears
frequently:
maid
amount
same
milkman
summer
autumn
mice
comfort
comb
Mark
clumsy
phlegm
mastermind thimble
rhyme
mayday
lemon
rhythm
mouse
demand
broom
mistake
camera
synonym
metal
woman
crumb
amount of money
remember me
summer time
team name
time bomb
tempt me
-Mark and Mary have mumps.

-Millie and Melody mustnt munch margarine and marmalade at the moment, says
Mummy.
-It was a mistake to wear a metal mask.
-An immense mammoth in the museum at Memphis!
-The museum has many memorable monuments to the memory of some remarkable
members of the Moslem community.
-The man was calm after he hit his thumb with a hammer.
-Im going to school for one summer semester.
26
65. Practice the [n] sound in the following words, phrases and sentences.
need
annoy
earn
native
union
burn
Nigeria
pension
nun
network
undertake loan
nostril
concept
fun
knee
antique
happen
a thin man
nobody knocked
wounded knee
nine nuns
nineteen needles
never naughty
Nancys knitting
annoying granny a tin can
-Naughty Nancy has bent the knitting needles and knotted Nannys knitting.
-Henry hands his nephew Nigel a brand-new pound-note on Sundays.
-Norman Brown signs his name again and again with a fine pen line.
-Jane needed a can-opener for the ninety-nine cans.
-She began knitting mittens in November.
-We used satin-finish varnish on the furniture.
66. Practice the sound [N] in the following words, phrases and sentences:
thing
singer
herring
longing
wrong
hanger
strong
banking
gang
finger
a strong young monk
racing and jogging
buying rings
a ringed finger
strong hanger
asking the singer
staying among
doing wrong
amazing things
-Sing a song to me, Jennifer!

-The young king tried the ring on his finger.
-English rankers marching along, singing a rousing drinking-song.
-I think that singing is good exercise for your tongue.
-She is always asking the wrong questions.
-Running and jumping conflict with eating and relaxing.
67. Pronounce the following minimal pairs, paying attention to the difference
between [n] in the first column and [N] in the second one:
[n]
[N]
[n]
[N]
thin
thing
sin
sing
win
wing
ban
bang
fan
fang
pan
pang
lawn
long
ton
tongue
27
stun
gone
stung
gong
run
sun
rung
sung
68. Pronounce the following pairs of words. The first word in each pair ends in [Nk]
and the second in [N]:
[Nk]
[N]
[Nk]
[N]
clank
clang
rink
ring
think
thing
wink
wing
tank
tang
bank
bang
sunk
sung
sink
sing
rank
rank
bunk
bung
stink
sting
hank
hang
69. Read aloud the following words, phrases and sentences containing the [l] sound:
lemon
place
girl
laughter
flame
simple
lettuce
yellow
smuggle
lame
shilling
purple
lentil
lollipop
fool
long life
little Lucy
yellow daffodil
lonely lady
cauliflower fields faulty link
lame lion
late lunch
smell of garlic
-A simple symbol of love is all she longs for.

-This little girl called Lucy, left alone, loves her small doll.
-A noble old lion and a lioness are lying asleep in their lair.
-There were lilies around the blue lake.
-Shes not likely to be lonely.
-The lock was literally welded close.
-There will be hail or sleet late tonight.
-The colours blended together beautifully.
-Lilly slowly ladled little Lettys lentil soup into the lemon-yellow bowl.
-Lately, people have been complaining bitterly about untangling world problems.
70. Practice the semivowel [j] in the following words, phrases and sentences:
yard
yet
beauty
music
youth
yacht
value
tune
university yesterday due
rescue
yellow
universe
new
mutual
Europe
unique
nephew
humour
use
year
cupid
popular
unit
Utah
onion
communicate
28
a new suit
European University
a yelping yapping terrier

yellow onion
the musical youth

humorous nephew
-Young Una is beautiful and alluring in her superb new yellow tunic.
-Unas tutor, Hugo, is an amusing humorous musician.
-Hugos tuneful duet for tube and euphonium is musically unique.
-The problem of uranium disposal has become universal.
-Some musicians use popular folk tunes to produce music which goes beyond the
usual.
-Onions grown in the yard usually produce yearnings for yeasty boullions.
71. Practice the semivowel [w] in the following words, phrases and sentences:
window
wine
twenty
twice
once
one
always
twinkle
William
waiter
dwindle
quality
water
Welsh
quit
square
wave
wishbone tweed
dwarf
windy weather
water waves
weeping Wilma
twenty dwarves
watered-down wine
quiet waiter
-William is always away.

-A weeping willow is moving in the wind.
-I would like some sweet white wine.
-Wilma is worried about the woodworm in the woodwork of her wardrobe.
-Why wouldnt Walter wash with water that wasnt warm? Walter works at a
waxworks and wax wont wash off without warm water.
-William always wears a warm woolen vest in winter.
-Walter, however, will not wear woolen underwear even in the Wild West.
4. Practice- sounds in connected speech

1. Is the individual quality of sounds as pronounced in isolation preserved when they
are used in connected speech?
2. What are the three stages distinguishable in the production of a given sound?
3. How are sounds joined together in connected speech?
4. Which are the most important phonetic phenomena (processes) that occur in
connected speech?
5. Give examples of close and open juncture.
6. How is the transition from one sound to the other fulfilled?
29
7. What is the direction of the adjustments of the articulatory movements?

8. What is the name of the process consisting of a change in at least one feature in the
articulation of a sound in a word or at word boundaries, which is due to the tendency
of the speakers of a language to achieve a certain degree of similarity in the
pronunciation of contiguous sounds?
9. Describe and illustrate by examples the three types of assimilation: progressive,
regressive and reciprocal.
10. Give the phonetic transcription of the following phrases and sentences. What kind
of assimilation takes place in them?
right place gone past
those shoes plant carrots
hit you
kid you
that girl
in case you need it
this year
Has your mother told you that?
I miss you Does your papa know?
11. Transcribe the following English joke and explain by what phonetic process it has
become a source of humour?
Mr. Smith: My wife has just left for the West Indies.
Mr. Brown: Jamaica?
Mr. Smith: No, of her own accord.
12. Listed below are several variants of one of the English prefixes meaning 'not'.
Examine their distribution and explain the instances of assimilation:
Variant
Found in
[im] immature, imperfect, impartial, implausible, imbalance, immortal,
[in] inoperative, indecent, innocent, inedible, inaudible, interminable
[iN] incomplete, incapable, incorrigible, inglorious, ingratitude
[ir] irregular, irresponsible, irreversible, irresistible, irrespective
[il] illegal, illegible, illogical, illiterate, illegitimate
13. Define elision and specify whether it affects: a) only vowels; b) only consonants;
c) both vowels and consonants.
14. In what kind of syllables does the elision of vowels occur?
15. Identify the vowels which are usually elided in the pronunciation of the following
words:
family
garden
deliberate
history
generous
pattern
comfortable
evil
suppose
16. Find elision of consonants in the following words and phrases:
30
-handbag, landscape, grandmother, castle, crumbs, best man, first night, left knee,
kind nurse, skimmed milk.
17. How can juncture change the meaning of the following strings of sounds?
[naishaus], [neiSn], [dZisli:ps], [greitQbi], [grikspai], [ai s: h:reis], [tikit].
5. Practice the syllable

1. An English word may begin with a maximum of three consonants. List as many
examples of different three-consonant clusters as you can, then answer the following
questions:
a. What must the first consonant be?
b. What two phonetic features must the second member of the cluster have?
c. What phonetic features must the third member have?
2. Of the following list of consonant clusters, find the ones that can appear in wordinitial position in English:
bl; kl; dl; pl; tl; ml; nl; sl; Sl, Tl; kr; br; tr; dr; kr; gr, mr, nr, Dr, Zr, hr, dZr, tzr, st, pt,
bt, ft, zt, St, ht, pk, rk, sgl, sk, spr.
3. From among the following, find the clusters that can appear in the final segment of
the English syllables.
fs, tk, pt, ps, kt, fT, sp, Ts, sl, ns, mz, lp, St, vz, pd, zd, kst, tSt, sts, lks, nzd, ndz, lvz,
lpt, gTs.
4. What does the nucleus of the syllable correspond to?
5. Grammar mistakes are sometimes the result of not hearing the number of syllables.
For example:
a. Theyve rent(ed) a house.
b. There are two dish(es).
Which of the following words have one syllable and which have two syllables:
painted
rented
added
caused
walked
worked
watched
started
landed
closed
folded
laughed
What is the rule?
causes
dishes
rules
files
mixes
changes
watches
misses
loves
cakes
pieces
prices
What is the rule?
31
6. Sometimes in natural spoken English vowel contractions cause syllables to

disappear completely. Look at the following words. How many syllables would you
expect in each word? How many do you actually pronounce? Write the numbers
down.
Expected number
Actual number
e.g.: medicine
3
2
chocolate
vegetable
comfortable
interesting
secretary
library
6. Practice word-stress
1) Accent is a suprasegmental feature of language, which discharges a distinctive
function, since, just like the segmental phonemes, it can signal differences in
meaning.
a) Over what length does accent (stress) extend?
b) What does it consist of?
2) Syllable prominence is due to a variety of factors. What are they?
3) The varying factors contributing to the prominence of an accented syllable result in
several distinguishable degrees of accent. What are they?
4) Accent discharges its function in English in two ways. What are they?
5) Analyze the following words from the accentual point of view. Show whether a
change in their stress pattern brings about a change in their grammatical function:
affix, increase, abstract, import, insult, contest, contrast, replay, survey.
6) The shift in accent from one syllable to another is sometimes marked by changes
in the segmental phonemes of the words in question. Minimal pairs of the incense (n)
vs. incense (v) type are very rare in English. There are, instead, numerous examples
of shift of accent co-occurring with minor segmental changes, mainly the reduction of
the vowels in unstressed syllables to []. Discuss the accentual patterns of the words
below and indicate the syntactic function (and the meaning) corresponding to each of
the two accentual patterns they possess: contract, convict, refuse, progress, rebel,
project, minute, alternate, supplement, invalid.
7) A closer look at the words exhibiting this kind of change in accent, corresponding
to a change in syntactic function, discloses the fact that when the primary accent falls
32
on the prefix, the words perform a nominal function (i.e. they are either nouns or
adjectives) while when the primary accent falls on the root, they function as verbs.
State which of the following words display two accentual patterns associated with
two different syntactic functions (sometimes unrelated semantically), and which
preserve the accentual pattern while still discharging the two distinct syntactic
functions. Point out those instances in which a shift in accent is accompanied by a
change in the quality of the vowels in the unaccented syllables:
abandon, absent, addict, address, amend, collect, combine, comfort, comment,
compress, test, content, contest, correct, corrupt, decease, degrease, deject, demand,
deposit, digest, discharge, discount, discourse, display, effect, escort, extract, exact,
import, incline, insult, insert, object, perfume, permit, present, prefix, produce,
progress, protest, rebound, record, refill, refund.
8) As far as meaning differences are concerned, accent serves to signal such
differences especially in the case of compound words. Compare blckbrd (a
compound word, meaning a special kind of bird, i.e. mierl) to blck brd (a free
syntactic combination, meaning any bird which is black in colour).
Give the accentual pattern of the following compounds: greenhouse, hot dog,
briefcase, blackboard and then switch it with the accentual patterns of the free
combinations corresponding to them. Analyse the resulting changes in meaning as
well.
9) Identify the appropriate accentual patterns of the italicized words (simple or
compound) or phrases, as revealed by their syntactic function:
1. a. He spoke with no trace of accent.
b. The way you accent these words tells me you were not born in England.
2. a. Thats very abstract.
b. One can abstract several general rules from the examination of these facts.
3. a. He was not on the missing list.
b. He couldnt find the missing list; its been missing for several days.
4. a. You will need a permit to visit the place.
c. This job does not permit of any delay.
10. Read the following words aloud, reading across the page. Place the primary stress
on the appropriate syllable:
majority
major
sacrifice
sacrificial
reference referee
incident
incidental
continent continental
simplify
simplification
occupy
occupation
product
production
33
beautify
converse
nominate
photograph
object
subject
person
beautification
conversational
nomination
photography
objective
subjective
personify
nominee
photographic
objectification
subjectification
personification
11. English speakers do not always agree as to which syllable in a word should be
stressed: should contribute, for example, be pronounced CONtribute or conTRIBute?
Here are some words which are stressed differently by different speakers. Which
syllable do you stress in each case? Check the pronunciation in a dictionary.
a. adversary
b. applicable
c. centrifugal
d. cigarette
e. comparable
f. contribute
g. controversy
h. (an industrial) dispute
i. distribute
j. exquisite
k. ice cream
l. kilometre
m. magazine
n. pejorative
o. primarily
p subsistence
(Source: Trask, R.L., 1994:28)
7. Practice intonation
Tune I
1. Statements. Read the following sentences, paying attention to the correct
intonation.
It was :quite $good.
I :like it :very $much.
I :wouldnt :mind :seeing it again.
I :dont think I can.
The :flowers were beautiful.
They had :difficulty in :finding accommo dation.
2. Repeat the following phrases according to the pattern:
Were late
at night
by heart
I know
by day
at sight
Just now
hes gone
of course
Its mine
at school
in bed
3. Read the following statements with the correct intonation:
I :heard him :play at the :Albert Hall.
34
:Alice was be:ginning to get :very tired.

Its the :early :bird that :catches the worm.
:Too many :cooks :spoil the broth.
She has a :very :small :private income.
He :works :all :day in the city.
:What a :pity he :couldnt come sooner.
4. Wh-questions. Read the following questions with appropriate falling intonation.
:Why did you :change your mind?
:Who on :earth was that?
:Whats the time?
:When can you come?
:Whats the date?
:Why dont you listen?
:What have you done?
:When do the :shops open?
:Where do you :want to sit?
:Which do you :like best?
:How many :pennies are there in a shilling?
:How :long have you been waiting?
5. Commands. Read the following imperative sentences, paying attention to the
falling tone.
:Dont be a :stupid idiot!
:Take your :feet off the chair!
:Come and have :dinner with us!
:Have some chocolate, Eliza!
:Bring me a chair!
:Buy me a newspaper!
:Lend me your penknife!
:Find :page :twenty- nine!
:Run and :fetch a hammer, :John!
:See if you can!
:Turn on the radio!
6. Exclamations. Read the following exclamations.
:Good Heavens!
:How extraordinary!
:What a :very :pretty dress!
35
hank you!
T
:Thank you :very much!
What a :cold day!
:How lovely it all looks!
:Welcome :home again!
:What a question!
:What a :terrible tragedy!
:What a :glorious view!
:Poor :old thing!
7. Question-tags (remark and tag both on falling intonation). This pattern is used in
remarks where the statement is obviously true and the tag merely a polite phrase to
invite the interest of the other person. It is also used where the speaker feels
reasonably sure that his remark is correct and expects the listener to agree with him.
Read the following sentences, paying attention to the intonation marks.
-To:morrows Monday, isnt it?
Youre :wondering who I am, arent you?
Im :rather late, arent I?
He :wasnt :very polite, was he?
You :dont be \lieve me, do you?
I could :try a gain, couldnt I?
We shall :see each :other a gain, shant we?
It :looks like rain, doesnt it?
We :had no choice, had we?
They :should have known, shouldnt they?
That was :most un fair, wasnt it?
Tune II
8. Statements
Tune II is used in its simple from for statements made as requests, remarks of
concern, sorrow, apology and almost any emotion that makes an objective statement
less definite. Read the following sentences, using the correct intonation:
I :wish I could :speak :English like /that.
I :shant be /long.
:John will be :here /soon.
I :wont drive too /fast(so dont worry)
:Thats all /right.
:Thats the :sort of :man he /is.
:Thanks :very /much.
36
If you /like.
:Thats /funny.
:Good /morning.
Its :all the /same.
9. Yes/No questions
:Are you :quite /sure?
:Didnt they :promise to :do it at /once?
:Have you been :staying here /long?
:Do you su:ppose theres :any :chance of /meeting him?
:Did :John :post :that /letter?
:Can I /see it?
:Did you go a:way for /Easter?
:Would you :like it :painted /red?
:Is it :possible to :get it /out?
:Are you :sure it can be /done?
:Can you :come to /lunch tomorrow?
:Would you :like a:nother :slice of /bread?
:Were you in :time for the /concert last night?
Can :anybody :tell me the :name of the :young :man who was /speaking to me just
now?
10. Requests
This is the typically polite and encouraging intonation. It often denotes a somewhat
formal politeness, i.e. casualness and indifference may be present as in the case of
statements (with Tune II). It is, however, more polite than Tune I, but not so polite as
Tune II with emphasis. A sentence which with Tune I is a command becomes a
request if Tune II is used.
Read the following requests with the appropriate intonation:
:Let me :know how you get /on.
:Dont go :back just /yet!
:May I :fetch your /coat?
:Come and :see me /soon!
:Dont :trouble to /answer it!
:Let me :know how you /get there!
Ex:cuse me one /moment!
:Mind what you are /doing!
:Dont be /silly!
37
:Dont :tease your :little /sister!

:Lets :try /again!
11. Question-tags
If the tag is spoken on the rising pattern of Tune II, we understand that the speaker is
less certain of his remark; it is presented more as a true question. The speaker
suggests: I believe that this is so, but please correct me if I am wrong. By using this
rising tag he is asking the listeners opinion, and would not be very surprised if he
were contradicted.
Read the following sentences using Tune II for the tags.
It :isnt sold, is it?
You can :drive a car, cant you?
You were :late this morning, werent you?
We :last :met in March, didnt we?
I :ought to :give it back, oughtnt I?
Its a :long :way fromhere, isnt it?
He was :top of his class, wasnt he?
You :do smoke, dont you?
We could :find :out tomorrow, couldnt we?
12. Shift the position of the nucleus in the following sentences and analyse the
resulting modifications in the structure of their intonation patterns:
-I dont think he knows (+2)
-Im going home at six (+2)
-George is a fraud (+2)
-What can you see? (+2)
-I dont think he ought to go (+3)
-How do you know its wrong? (+1)
-I dont want the money (+1).
13. Choose appropriate intonation patterns for the following sentences. Pay attention
to the possibility of choosing several intonation patterns for each sentence and
specify the change in meaning. Notice the deliberate omission of the comas.
- I asked the captain Mr. Brown.
- Janet my wife and John have left.
- Would you like one or two lumps of sugar.
- I thought it would rain.
- I want more experienced people.
- John my brother who lives in Oxford loves fishing.
14. Commands and requests are also distinguished by means of intonation. Transform
the commands in the first column into requests in the second column:
38
I
:Ring me :up at \twelve!
:Will you :pass the \sugar, please?
\Alter it!
Ex\cuse me one moment!
:Come \in!
:Dont :trouble to \answer it!
II
Ring me up at twelve!
Will you pass the sugar, please?
Alter it!
Excuse me one moment!
Come in!
Dont trouble to answer it.
15. The following sentences are given with intonation marks. Sketch the pitch within
the lines below, leaving a gap between each syllable.
a) :Which was the cheap one did you say
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------b) I :only :want to taste it
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------c) She would have thought it was /\obvious
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------d) There :wasnt :even a :piece of bread in the house
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------e) Now will you believe me
--------------------------------------------------------------------16) This exercise is similar, but here you are given polysyllabic words and a tone;
you must draw an appropriate pitch movement between the lines:
a) (rise) opportunity
b) (fall-rise) actually
c) (fall) confidently
d) (rise-fall) magnificent
e) (rise) relationship
f) (fall-rise) afternoon
39
17). In the following bits of conversation, you are supplied with an opening line and
a response that you must imagine saying. You are given an indication in brackets of
the feeling or attitude expressed, and you must mark on the text the intonation you
think is appropriate (mark only the response). Punctuation has been left out, since it
can cause confusion.
Its rather cold (doubtful)
a) It looks nice for a swim.
b) Why not get a car?
Because I cant afford it (impatient)
c) Ive lost my ticket.
You are silly then (Stating the obvious)
d) You cant have an ice cream.
Oh please (pleading)
Seven oclock seven thirty and eight (listing)
e) What time are the buses?
f) She got eight A levels.
Eight (impressed)
g) How much work have you got to do? Ive got to do the shopping (and more
things after that)
18) The following sentences are given without punctuation. Underline the appropriate
tonic syllable places and mark tone-unit boundaries where you think are appropriate.
a) (he wrote the letter in a sad way) he wrote the letter sadly
b) (its regrettable that he wrote the letter) he wrote the letter sadly
c) four plus six divided by two equals five
d) four plus six divided by two equals seven
e) we broke one thing after another fell down
f) we broke one thing after another that night.
19) The distance between two pitch levels is called range. Is the range between two
pitch levels constant?
20) Can differences in pitch be due to individual characteristics of speakers and to the
context in which speech takes place?
21) State whether true or false:
-All sound stretches of an utterance are pronounced on the same level
-No language is spoken on a monotone.
-The distance between a high pitch level and a low one is relative.
-Pitch range varies with every individual as well as with the context of speech.
-When we refer to the intonation pattern of an utterance we have in mind not only the
recurring changes in pitch level but also the movement and the pitch direction
changes of the respective utterance.
-A change either to a higher or to a lower level represents a ....... in pitch.
-The point towards which the movement takes place is called........
22) The fluctuation in pitch, that is in pitch level, pitch range, pitch movement and
pitch direction are the component parts of the intonation pattern of an utterance. The
intonation pattern of an utterance displays a given structure, depending on a variety
of factors. What is the minimal number if syllables in such a pattern?
40
23) Very often, utterances consist of several syllables (and words), resulting in a
more complex structure from the point of view of its intonation.
a) What are the component elements of a more complex intonation pattern?
b) What are the pre- and post-nuclear components of an intonation pattern?
24) Give a schematic representation of the complete structure of an intonation
pattern.
25) Divide the intonation patterns of the following sentences into their component
parts:
a) I met him on my way home.
b) Theres nothing I can do about it.
c) Its impossible for me to do it.
41
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1.

PRACTICE the vowel sounds

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13. Pronounce the following minimal pairs:

15. Practice the pronunciation of the short vowels in longer contexts.

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Whats your hobby?

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-He refused to move.

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2. Practice the English diphthongs and triphthongs

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10. Practice the diphthong [ei] in the following sentences:

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14. Practice the diphthong [U] in the following sentences:

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3. Practice the English consonants

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d. voiced, alveolar plosive.

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unaspirated unreleased laterally

fully voiced plosionless laterally

[p] and [b] in mid-position

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19. Practice the following phrases containing the [p] sound.

unaspirated unreleased laterally

24. Practice the following phrases containing the sound [t].

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28. Practice the following phrases containing the sound [d]

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30. Read the following sentences containing [t] and [d].

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fully voiced plosionless laterally

34. Practice the following phrases containing the sound [g].

36. Read the sentences below containing [k] and [g].

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[f] and [v] in mid-position

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Valentines Day fever

42. Sentences with [f] and [v]:

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45. Read the following text:

-Father and mother are rather tired.

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48. Read the following words containing the sound [s]:

They set sail to South America.

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51. Practice sentences for [z]

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wash the dish

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his brothers bride

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-The carrier was on the rural route.

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-Charles is scratching his itching chin.

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[tS ] and [dZ ] in mid-position

-Mark and Mary have mumps.

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-Sing a song to me, Jennifer!

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