Vowels and Consonants - 2 - Free MCQ Practice Test with solutions,

Phonics: There are many definitions used- 

• Method of reading instruction that breaks language down into its simplest components
• Teaching reading by training beginners to associate letters with their sound values
• A method of teaching reading that focuses on letter-sound relationships
• When we describe the sound we use, with reference to these criteria we are concerning ourselves with matters of phonetics. When we talk about how phonemes function in language, and in what ways they relate to each other in a language we are referring to the abstract side of the sound of language.
• Only by studying both phonetics and the phonology of a language, it is possible to acquire a full understanding of the use of sounds in the spoken form of that language.

Pronunciation refers to the way in which we make the sound of words. Learning to pronounce English well takes muscle coordination, and that means practice, it is not just mental activity.

• The pronunciation of English can vary dramatically from one region to the next.
• The first step to take is to understand how the locals sound and practice those sounds.
• In order to know the correct pronunciation of English words, the learner should know the spelling, meanings, and how they are pronounced.
• Do this is to record yourself reading and speaking loudly and clearly, giving yourself a great reference for progress.
• Paying close attention to that word’s features helps to know the correct pronunciation. Features include its spelling, syllables, and meaning.
• To help students in improving their pronunciation skills, encourage them to speak English as much as they possibly can.

Hence, it becomes clear that in order to know the correct pronunciation of English words, the learner should know the spelling, meanings, and how they are pronounced.

Language is a rule-governed system that organises its proper use and dictates how words relate to one another. The acceptable sound combinations of a language are specified in its phonological rules as it:

• promotes the ability to manipulate sounds in spoken language.

• controls the way the sounds change during vocal communication.

• explains how a speaker deals with the underlining representation of a sound while pronouncing the same.

• Eg: 'S' may be pronounced as 's' in "cats" while 'z' in "peas".

Linguistics is the scientific study of language. It has two branches- macro linguistics and microlinguistics. Syntax, semantics, pragmatics, phonetics, phonology, morphology are part of microlinguistics.

Language is a symbolic, rule-governed system, shared by a group of people to express their thoughts and feelings. These rules are the set of conventions that organize their proper use and dictate how words relate to one another.

• Some of these rules that govern a language include phonology, syntax, morphology, semantic, etc.

Phoneme: It is the ‘smallest unit of sound' that distinguishes one word from another. Since sounds cannot be written, we use letters to represent or stand for the sounds.

Consonant sound: These sounds produced with some restriction or closure in the vocal tract.

• There are 24 consonant sounds in most English accents. 
• Whereas there are 20 vowel sounds in English, among them 12 as pure vowels and 8 as diphthongs.
• Stress also has an impact on the use or omission of consonant sounds in the same as the vowel sounds.

Hence, the total number of Consonant sounds in English is 24.

Consonant is the non-vowel sounds which are articulated with complete or partial blockage of the vocal tract. In different languages number of consonants vary from 8-10 to 40-50 because one language may make use of a consonant dimension which other languages do not. 

We describe and identify consonants briefly by using a three-term label indicating voicing, place of articulation, manner of articulation.

• As regards voicing, consonants are classified into voiced and voiceless. In the case of voiced consonants, the vocal cords vibrate while in case of voiceless consonants, the vocal cords do not vibrate at the time of producing the sounds.
• Regarding the Place of Articulation, consonants are divided into bilabial, dental, labio-dental, alveolar, post-alveolar, palatal, velar, glottal etc. On the basis of the articulatory points at which the articulators actually touch or are at their closest.
• Regarding the Manner of Articulation, consonants can be divided into stops, fricatives, affricates, nasals, rolls, laterals, frictionless continuants etc. depending on the type of obstruction caused by the narrowing or closure of the articulators.

Hence, we conclude that in different languages, the number of consonants vary from 8-10 to 40 - 50.

IPA: It stands for the International Phonetic Association which was first published in 1888. Its objective is to define sounds of speech that applies to all languages. Pronunciations of some of the words are:

Hence, we conclude that ‘conceit’ has a different pronunciation.

Monophthong comes from the Greek word 'mono' and 'phthong' which means 'single' and 'sound' respectively. Therefore it refers to a single vowel sound which is articulated with exactly one mouth position. Eg: 'O' in the word 'hop'.Monophthongs are 12 in numbers, which are as follows:

Hence, we conclude that there are 12 Monophthong.

IPA: It stands for the International Phonetic Association which was first published in 1888. Its objective is to define sounds of speech that applies to all languages.

Hence, we can understand from the above table pronunciation of thin is different from other words.