Exercise: Pure vowels

Matching exercise

As we have seen earlier, there are 12 pure vowels in English. Match the items on the right to the items on the left. Which vowels are used in every word?

Hard	??? /a:/ /æ/ /ʌ/
Cap	??? /a:/ /æ/ /ʌ/
None	??? /a:/ /æ/ /ʌ/
Land	??? /a:/ /æ/ /ʌ/
Nun	??? /a:/ /æ/ /ʌ/

Shook	??? /ʊ/ /u:/
Move	??? /ʊ/ /u:/
Moon	??? /ʊ/ /u:/
Put	??? /ʊ/ /u:/
Shoe	??? /ʊ/ /u:/

Rich	??? /ɪ/ /i:/
East	??? /ɪ/ /i:/
It	??? /ɪ/ /i:/
Eat	??? /ɪ/ /i:/
Pink	??? /ɪ/ /i:/

Cloth	??? /ɔ:/ /ɒ/ /ʌ/
Ought	??? /ɔ:/ /ɒ/ /ʌ/
Shop	??? /ɔ:/ /ɒ/ /ʌ/
Draw	??? /ɔ:/ /ɒ/ /ʌ/
Love	??? /ɔ:/ /ɒ/ /ʌ/

Exercise: Crossword

We can practice the theory we have learnt with this exercise:

Crossword

Complete the crossword, then click on "Check" to check your answer. If you are stuck, you can click on "Hint" to get a free letter. Click on a number in the grid to see the clue or clues for that number.

							1
2		3
							4
									5
							6
								7
														8
									9		10
		11

Across: 2. Place of articulation: it's done by bringing both lips together . 4. Two words. Related with vowel sounds: the tongue is positioned low in the mouth. 6. It allows us to distinguish between voiced and voiceless sounds. 7. It describes whether the vocal cords are vibrating during the articulation of a vowel. 9. It's done with the vocal folds open. 11. Vowel sounds: It refers to whether some of the air escapes through the nose.

Down: 1. Manner of articulation: it's made when the articulators are tight united producing a complete obstruction of the airstream. When the air finally separates the articulators a small explosion is produced. 2. Organ that proceses interpretes the sounds 3. Manner of articulation: it's made by an obstruction in the center of the oral tract, with incomplete closure between both sides of the tongue and the roof of the mouth so the air can pass through them. 5. It refers to two adjacent vowel sounds occurring within the same syllable. 8. Manner of articulation: it's made by a single tap of the tongue against the alveolar ridge. 10. Tiny bones found in the middle ear.

Exercise: Vowels

Click in the single entry to see the exercise!

English Phonetics and Phonology

Quiz

 

1. Choose the correct words which have a front vowel
   1. Shoe
   2. Think
   3. Head
   4. Thumb
   5. Men
   6. What
2. Choose the correct words which have a back vowel
   1. Beat
   2. Son
   3. Pen
   4. Zoo
   5. Seen
   6. Car
3. Choose the correct words which have a central vowel
   1. Sun
   2. Saw
   3. Moon
   4. Blood
   5. Bath
   6. Church
4. Choose the correct words which have a high vowel
   1. Sea
   2. Bed
   3. Lamp
   4. Put
   5. Thumb
   6. Shoe
5. Choose the correct words which have a mid vowel
   1. Sat
   2. Desk
   3. Put
   4. Saw
   5. Head
   6. Bird
6. Choose the correct words which have a low vowel
   1. Beat
   2. Thumb
   3. Bath
   4. Desk
   5. Put
   6. Car