I. Answer the following questions.

1- What are the differences between vowels and consonants?

2- What is a vowel? How can we classify the vowels in the English language?
3- What is a diphthong? Give 5 examples of the centering diphthongs and five examples of the
closing diphthong in English.
4- What is a consonant? How can we describe the consonants? What are the types of consonants
classified according to the manner of articulation/ organs of articulation in English?
5- What is the Cardinal Vowel Diagram used for?

II. Decide if the following statements are true or false:

1 - Speech sounds are divided into pure vowels and diphthongs.
2 - All vowels are voiced.
3 - A pure vowel is an unchanging sound in the pronunciation of which the organs of speech do not
perceptibly change the position throughout the duration of the vowel.
4 - The front vowel is the one in the production of which the front of the tongue is raised in the direction of
the hard palate.
5 - According to the height to which a part of the tongue is raised, vowels can be classified into close and
open vowels.
6 - A close vowel is the one in the production of which the tongue is as low as possible.
7 - A rounded vowel is the one in the production of which the tongue is as low as possible.
8 - Vowels can be long or short.
9 - /i:/ is a long vowel.
10 - /e/ is a long vowel.
11- A diphthong is a pure vowel.
12 - Diphthongs can be divided into centering and closing diphthongs according to the second element of
the diphthong.
13 - The word learn contains a diphthong.
14 - A consonant is a sound in the production of which no obstruction is formed in the mouth by the active
organs of speech.
15 - Consonants may be classified according to a -the organs of speech, and b - the manner of
articulation.
16 - If we classify the consonants according to the state of vibration of the vocal cords, they can be voiced
or voiceless.
17 - Labials are bi-labials and labio-dentals.
18 - Palatals are sounds articulated in the glottis.
19 - A plosive is a stop sound.
20 - A nasal is a sound formed by the tip of the tongue firmly pressed against the teethridge or the teeth
so that the air can escape at one or both sides of the tongue.

III. Choose the best answer

1- Speech sounds are divided into vowels and ……….
A- phonemes B- syllables C- words D- consonants

2- Which of the following is incorrect?

A- All vowels are voiced. B- Vowels are less sonorous than consonants.
C- All vowels are syllabic. D- Consonants are either voiced or voiceless.

3- ....... is an unchanging sound in the pronunciation of which the organs of speech do not
perceptibly change the position throughout the duration of the vowel.
A- A diphthong B- A pure vowel C- A consonant D- A trithong

4- In the articulation of the ………..sound, the central of the tongue is raised toward the palate.
A- front B- back C - central D- open

5- A/ An……….vowel is the one in the production of which one part of the tongue comes close to the
palate without
touching it and the air passage is narrow, but not so much as to form a consonant.
A- open B- mid-open C- mid-close D- close

6-Which of the following words contains a close vowel?

A- sand B- hard C- sit D- hot

7- Which of the following words does not contain an open vowel?

A- seen B- hat C- hot D- not

8- According to the ..............., vowels can be rounded or unrounded.

A- height of the raised part of the tongue B- raised part of the tongue
C- length of the vowels D- shape of the lip

9- .………… vowels are the ones in the production of which the lips are drawn together so that the
opening between them is more or less round.
A- Rounded B- Unrounded C- Long D-Short

10- ………vowels are the ones in the production of which the lips may be spread out so as to leave a long
narrow opening between them.
A- long B- spread C - rounded D- short

11- ............ is a combination of two vowels pronounced within one syllable.

A- A diphthong B- A consonant C- A front vowel D- An open vowel

12- Which of the following words contains a closing diphthong?

A- hear B- sure C-day D- very

13- Which of the following criteria can not be used as a classifying criterion for consonant classification?
A- The position of the soft palate B- The manner of articulation
C- The place of articulation D- The shape of the lips

14- /ɑ:/ is a/ an ……………. vowel.

A- open front short B- open central long C- close front long D- open back long

15- /ɪs /is a .……

A- diphthong B- consonant C- pure vowel D- syllable

16- /aɪ/ is a . . . . . . . . .
A- diphthong B- consonant C- pure vowel D- syllable

17- Which of the following is true?

A- Vowels are produced with complete closure in the vocal tract.
B- Consonants are produced with no obstruction in the vocal tract.
C- Consonants are more sonorous than the vowel.
D- All vowels are syllabic.

18- Which of the following is not used as a criterion in vowel classification?

A- The height to which the tongue is raised B- The part of the tongue which is raised
C- The windpipe D- The vowel length

19- . .. . . . ..are sounds articulated, by the lower lip against the upper teeth.
A- Labio-dentals B- Alveolars C- Velars D- Glottals

20- The cardinal vowel diagramme is a …………..based on a combination of articulatory and auditory
judgements.
A- a system of guessing B- a system of stress patterns
C- system of letters D- a set of standard reference points

IV Fill in the blanks with appropriate words:

1 - We can describe vowels by referring to the part of the tongue which is at the highest point in the
mouth. If the front of the tongue is at the highest point near the hard palate, we have a ______________
vowel.
2 - If the back of the tongue is at the highest point near the soft palate, we have a______________ vowel.
3--Vowels which are produced between the positions for a front and back vowel are called
______________ vowels.
4- One element in the description of vowels is the part of the tongue which is at the highest point in the
mouth. A second element is the ______________ to which that part is raised.
5- If the tongue is placed as low as possible in the mouth, the vowel which results is an______________
vowel.
6- If the tongue is raised as high as possible in the mouth, without touching the roof of the mouth, the
vowel which results is a______________ vowel.
7- The vowel /i: /in /fi:d / and /u: /in /fu:d / are both ______________ and the vowel / a: /in /fa:/ -far is
an______________ vowel.
8- The position of the lips also has an effect on vowel quality. If the lips are drawn together so that the
opening between them is round, we have a______________ vowel. And if the lips are not drawn together
the vowel is ______________ vowel.
9- According to the length vowels may be______________ or ______________.
10- A combination of vowels pronounced within one syllable is called a_____________.
11- If the organs of speech start in the position for one vowel and then immediately glide to the position of
another, the result is a______________.
12-Diphthongs are represented by two symbols in phonemic transcription, the first shows the position of
the organs of speech at the ______________ of the glide, and the second shows their approximate
position at the ______________ of the glide.
13-Labio-dental consonants are articulated by______________ lip against the ______________.
14-Alveolar consonants are articulated by the tip of the tongue against the ___________.
15-Consonants that have alveolar articulation together with a simultaneous raising of the main body of the
tongue towards the roof of the mouth are called ______________ consonants.
16- Affricative is a combination of a______________ consonant with an immediately following
______________ sound.
17- Semi-vowels are_______ sounds in the production of which the organs of speech start at or near
a______________ and immediately move away to some other ______________ sound.
18- ______________ are the sounds produced when the air stream is completely stopped for a moment,
after which it is allowed to rush out of the mouth with an explosive sound.
19-______________ are sounds articulated in the glottis.
20-______________ are the sounds formed by the tip of the tongue firmly pressed against the teeth-ridge
or the teeth so that the air can escape at one or both sides of the tongue.