English Pronunciation and Phonetics PDF

English Pronunciation and Phonetics LESSON 1 THE ORGANS OF SPEECH I. GENERAL All the sounds we make when we speak are produced by a flow of air which comes from the lungs into the throat and then passes through the nose or mouth. This stream of air is modified (changed) along the pa...

English Pronunciation and Phonetics LESSON 1 THE ORGANS OF SPEECH I. GENERAL All the sounds we make when we speak are produced by a flow of air which comes from the lungs into the throat and then passes through the nose or mouth. This stream of air is modified (changed) along the passage in order to produced different sounds. The different parts of the vocal tract that can make changes to the flow of air are called the organs of speech/ articulators. II. DESCRIPTION THE ARTICULATORS 1. The lips, consisting of upper lip and lower lip, can form different shapes, be pressed together, or brought in contact with the teeth. 2. The teeth (upper and lower) are usually shown in the diagram immediately behind the lips. 3. The tongue, usually divided into tip, front, middle and back, can be moved into different places and different shapes. 4. The tooth ridge or the alveolar ridge is just behind the upper teeth. 5. The hard palate is often called the ‘roof of the mouth’. 6. The velum or the soft palate is the extreme back of the roof of the mouth. It can be raised or lowered to open or close the passage to the nasal cavity. 7. The vocal cords or the vocal folds are in the throat (Adam’s apple). They may open or close and let the air pass through the opening between them. When they are apart, the air can pass out freely without the vibration and produce voiceless sounds. When they close tightly and open rapidly causing vibration, we have voiced sound. 1  English Pronunciation and Phonetics THE VOCAL CORDS The word glottis is used to refer to the opening between the vocal folds/ cords. The changes of the vocal folds and their position (glottis) are often important in speech. In general, vocal cords can be moved into four different positions. a. Wide apart for normal breathing and usually during voiceless consonants b. Narrow glottis c. Vocal fold vibration- when the edges of the vocal folds are touching each other, or nearly touching, the air from the lungs pushes them apart so that a little air escapes. As the air flows quickly past the edges, the folds are brought together again, causing the so-called vocal fold vibration. d. Closure – the vocal folds are firmly FOUR DIFFERENT STATES OF THE GLOTTIS pressed together and no air can pass between them. The seven articulators described above are the main ones used in speech, but there are three other things to remember. Although these are important in making sounds, they cannot be described as articulators in the same sense as the lips or the vocal cords. 8. The pharynx is a tube which begins just above the larynx. At its top end it is divided into two, one part being the back of the mouth and the other being the beginning of the way through the nasal cavity. 9. The lower jaw can move up or down to change the size of oral cavity. 10. The nose and nasal cavity are important in making nasal sounds such as /m, n/. 2  English Pronunciation and Phonetics LESSON TWO VOWELS I. GENERAL In the most common view, vowels are voiced sounds in which there is no obstruction to the flow of air as it passes from the lungs to the lips. Moreover, other important differences between vowels and consonants are in their different distributions, the different contexts and positions in which they occur. All of the vowels are syllabic, for they form the centre of a syllable. Whenever a vowel occurs in a word, there is a syllable. There are 20 vowels in the English language: 12 cardinal-single vowels /, , , , , , , , , , , / and 8 diphthongs /, , , , , , , /. II. CLASSIFICATION It has become traditional to locate cardinal vowels on a four-sided figure to help students learn a way of describing, classifying and comparing vowels. RP VOWEL CHART Cardinal vowels can be classified according to the following principles: 1. The position of the tongue - When the front of the tongue is raised toward the hard palate, we have front vowels. - When the middle of the tongue is raised toward the hard palate, we have central vowels. - When the back of the tongue is raised toward the soft palate, we have back vowels. 3  English Pronunciation and Phonetics 2. The height of the tongue - When the tongue is raised close to the palate and the passage is narrow, we have close vowels. - When the tongue is in mid position, we have mid-open vowels. This group sometimes is considered to include half-close and half-open vowels. - When the tongue is low and the passage is wide, we have open vowels. 3. Lip position: The lips can have three main shapes: rounded, spread and neutral. - When the vowel is produced with the corners of the lips brought towards each other and the lips pushed forwards, it is rounded. - When the vowel is produced with the corners of the lips moved away from each other, it is spread. - When the vowel is produced with lips not noticeable rounded or spread, it is neutral. 4. Length - When some vowels are produced and sustained over a longer time than others, they are long vowels. - The vowels which are relatively short are short vowels. 5. Muscle tension - When we produce a vowel with great tension of the jaw and the throat, we have a tense vowel. - When we produce a vowel with great relaxation of the jaw and the throat, we have a relaxed vowel. III. DIPHTHONGS A diphthong is a combination of 2 vowels produced within one syllable. - The first element is the nucleus (strong – clear – distinct vowel sound). - The second element is the glide (weak – short vowel). 4  English Pronunciation and Phonetics LESSON THREE FRONT VOWELS I. DESCRIPTION It is only the front part of the tongue that is raised or lowered to produce the front vowels. - When the front part of the tongue is raised close to the palate and the air passage is narrow, we have // and //. The lips are spread. The sound // is longer than the sound //. - When the front part of the tongue is half between its low and high position, we have //. The lips are slightly spread. The sound is short and relaxed. - When the front part of the tongue is very low and the air passage is wide, we have //. The lips are slightly spread. The sound is short and rather tense. II. DRILL 1. Target sound /  / A. Listen to the sound. Listen and repeat the sound. B. Listen and repeat the words with sound /  /, then the sentences. sheep Look out for that sheep. leak Stop it leaking cheeks What lovely cheeks! peel This peel’s got vitamin C in it. bean Throw out that bean. leave He’s going to leave. 5  English Pronunciation and Phonetics C. Listen to the dialogue and pay attention to the words with the target sound. Then practice reading it aloud. IN A CAFÉ: ‘IT’S CHEAPER TO EAT AT MARGUERITE’S’ CHRISTINA: What would like to eat, Peter? The cheese sandwiches are the cheapest. PETER: Er … mmm … oh, a cheese sandwich, please, Christina. CHRISTINA: Cheese … mmm … Janine? Would you like a beef sandwich or a cheese sandwich? JANINE: A cheese sandwich, please. PETER: What about you, Christina? Would you like cheese or beef? WAITRESS: Are you ready to order? What would you like to eat? CHRISTINA: Er, we’ll have one beef sandwich, two cheese sandwiches, and … mmm tea for me. JANINE: Tea for me too, please. PETER: Yes, make that three teas, please. WAITRESS: (Writing down the order) One beef sandwich, two cheese sandwiches and three teas. 2. Target sound / / A. Listen to the sound. Listen and repeat the sound. B. Minimal pairs /  / / / sheep ship leak lick cheeks chicks peel pill bean bin leave live Look out for that sheep. Look out for that ship. Stop it leaking! Stop it licking! What lovely cheeks. What lovely chicks. This peel’s got vitamin C in it. This pill’s got vitamin C in it. Throw out that bean. Throw out that bin. He’s going to leave. He’s going to live. 6  English Pronunciation and Phonetics C. Dialogue: Listen to the following dialogue and complete it with the words in the box. history festival cinema interesting prize-winning gorilla Africa gymnastics Olympic excited beginning terrific chimpanzee THREE INTERESTING FILMS BILL: Good evening, Mrs. Lee. GINA: Is Kim in? BILL: Is he coming to the cinema, Mrs. Lee? It’s the Children’s Film (1) …………. MRS LEE: Kim’s ill. BILL: Here he is! GINA: Hi, Kim! KIM: Hi, Gina! Hi, Bill! BILL: Kim, we’ve got these three free tickets to see three (2) …………films for children. MRS LEE: Listen, Kim ……… KIM: Is it (3) ………? GINA: We think it is. First there’s a short film about gorillas and (4) ………… and (5) ……… in Africa, and ……… BILL: ………… then the next film is about the six best Olympic (5) ………… competitions, and then ………. GINA: … then it’s the big film – The (6) ………… of English Cricket. KIM: Cricket! BILL: It’s a (7) ………… film. MRS LEE: If you’re ill, Kim ………… GINA: It would be a pity to miss it. MRS LEE: Now listen, you kids ……… BILL: And it begins in fifty minutes. MRS LEE: KIM! KIM: Quick! Or we’ll miss the (8) ………… of the gorilla film! 3. Target sound / / A. Listen to the target sound. Listen and repeat the target sound B. Minimal pairs / / // pin pen 7  English Pronunciation and Phonetics bin Ben tin ten pig peg bill bell chick cheque I need a pin. I need a pen. That’s my bin. That’s my Ben. It’s a big tin. It’s a big ten. Where’s the pig? Where’s the peg? There’s the bill. There’s the bell. She wants a chick. She wants a cheque. C. Listen to the dialogue and fill the gaps with the correct questions (a – g) below. a) Can I get you a drink, Adele? b) Is that better? c) Was it expensive? d) Are you listening to the Red Hot Chili Peppers? e) How did you spend your holiday, Adele? f) Are you a friend of Emma’s? g) Have you met my friend Adele yet, Kevin? FRIENDS ADELE: Hi, Emma! Hi, Ben! Hello, Emily! Hello, Eddie! Hi, everybody! EVERYBODY EXCEPT Hi, Adele! KEVIN: EMILY: Nice to see you again, Adele. Kevin, this is Adele. Adele, this is Kevin. ADELE: Hi, Kevin. (1)…………? It’s terribly loud. KEVIN: Yes...(turns the music down) (2) ………? (Adele nods her head) (3)…………? ADELE: Yes. KEVIN: Emma said she had a friend called Adele. EDDIE: Help yourself to Mexican food, Adele. It’s on the kitchen bench. EMILY: And there’s French bread on the shelf. BEN: (4) ……………………? ADELE: Yes, thanks, Ben. Some lemonade with a bit of ice in it. EMMA: (5) ……………………? KEVIN: Yes. I’ve just met her. She’s very friendly. BEN: (6) ……………………………? ADELE: I went to South America with my best friend Kerrie. 8  English Pronunciation and Phonetics EVERYBODY: Well! EMMA: We’re all jealous. EDDIE: (7) ………………………… ADELE: Not very. But I spent everything. I haven’t any money left. 4. Target sound / / A. Listen to the target sound. Listen and repeat the target sound. B. Minimal pairs // / / X axe pen pan men man send sand gem jam bread Brad Put the ‘x’ here. Put the axe here. Can I borrow your pen? Can I borrow your pan? Look at the men. Look at the man. I’m sending the table. I’m sanding the table. It’s a lovely gem. It’s a lovely jam. We had bread for lunch. We had Brad for lunch. C. Listen and complete the sentences below. Each missing word has the sound / /. Then practice reading them aloud. Number one has been done as an example. 1. Aaron works at the Ajax Travel Agency. 2. He’s on holiday in ………… 3. His boss is Mrs. ………… 4. Aaron left an ………… and ………… on his desk. 5. He ………… to contact Anthony about the ………… of ………… he ………… on ……… 6. Aaron has a ………… habit of being ………… from work. 7. Aaron booked a ………… to San ………… with three …………: an anteater, an…………, and an ………… 8. The computer has ………… and Aaron hadn’t done the ………… up for the ………… programmes. Mrs. Allen is very ………… 9. The best advertising ………… have been ………… because of Aaron’s bad ………… 10. Aaron doesn’t ……… to come ……… to the ……… agency because he’s been ……… 9  English Pronunciation and Phonetics LESSON FOUR CENTRAL VOWELS I. DESCRIPTION We have central vowels when the very middle part of the tongue is used. - When the middle part of the tongue is in mid position, we have the sounds / / and / /. The lips are neutral. The sound / / is longer and tenser than the sound / /. - When the middle part of the tongue is low, we have /  /. The lips are neutral. The sound is short and relaxed. II. THE “SCHWA” The most frequently occurring vowel in English is //, which is always associated with weak syllables and weak forms. In quality it is mid and central, relaxed, but the quality of this vowel is not always the same. However, the variation is not as important as its distribution (where it is appropriate and where it is not). To do this, we must consider spelling. The following examples will give us a rough guide to the correct pronunciation of weak syllables. - Spelt with ‘a’; strong pronunciation would have / /: attend, character, barracks - Spelt with ‘ar’; strong pronunciation would have //: particular, monarchy, molar - Adjective endings spelt ‘ate’; strong pronunciation would have //: intimate, desolate, accurate - Spelt with ‘o’, strong pronunciation would have /  /: tomorrow, carrot - Spelt with ‘or’, strong pronunciation would have / /: forget, opportunity - Spelt with ‘e’, strong pronunciation would have //:postmen, violet - Spelt with ‘er’; strong pronunciation would have / /: perhaps, superman - Spelt with ‘u’, strong pronunciation would have / /: autumn, support 10  English Pronunciation and Phonetics - Spelt with ‘ough’ (there are, of course, other pronunciation for ‘ough’): thorough, borough - Spelt with ‘ous’ : gracious. callous III. DRILL 1. Target sound / / A. Listen to the sounds Listen and repeat the sounds B. Minimal pairs / / / / cap cup hat hut track truck ban bun bag bug ankle uncle Where’s my cap? Where’s my cup? There’s a hat in the garden. There’s a hut in the garden. See the tracks on the road. See the trucks on the road. There’s a ban on it. There’s a bun on it. She’s got a bag. She’s got a bug. My ankle was injured. My uncle was injured. C. Listen to the dialogue and fill the gaps with the correct words from the box. worry lovely honey brother other nothing company wonderful month does SHE DOESN’T LOVE HIM JASMINE: Honey, why are you so sad? (Duncan says (1) …………………………) JASMINE: (2) …………………………, why are you so unhappy? I don’t understand. DUNCAN: You don’t love me, Jasmine. JASMINE: But Duncan, I love you very much! DUNCAN: That’s untrue, Jasmine. You love my cousin. JASMINE: Justin? DUNCAN: No, his (3)………………………… JASMINE: Dudley? DUNCAN: No. Stop being funny, Jasmine. Not that one. The (4)………… brother. Hunter. You think he’s (5)………………………… and I’m unattractive. 11  English Pronunciation and Phonetics JASMINE: Duncan! That’s utter rubbish! DUNCAN: And Hunter loves you too. JASMINE: No, he doesn’t. DUNCAN: Yes, he (6) ………… JASMINE: Duncan, just once last (7) ……… I had lunch with Hunter. You mustn’t (8) ……… I like your (9) ……… much better than Hunter’s. Hunter’s … DUNCAN: Oh, just shut up, Jasmine! JASMINE: But honey, I think you’re (10) ……… DUNCAN: Oh, shut up, Jasmine. JASMINE: Now that’s enough! You’re just jealous, Duncan. You shut up! 2. Target sound / / A. Listen to the sounds. Listen and repeat the sounds. B. Minimal pair A / / / / four fur torn turn warm worm walker worker She’s got four. She’s got fur. It’s a torn sign. It’s a turn sign. I wouldn’t like warm soup. I wouldn’t like worm soup. He’s a fast walker. He’s a fast worker. C. Minimal pair B // / / ten turn Ben burn Bed bird West worst The sign says ten. The sign says turn. Look at it, Ben. Look at it burn. It’s a colourful bed. It’s a colourful bird. It’s the west wind. It’s the worst wind. 12  English Pronunciation and Phonetics D. Minimal pair C / / / / fun fern bun burn bud bird gull girl Fabulous fun! Fabulous fern! Look at that bun. Look at that burn. That’s a tiny little bud. That’s a tiny little bird. There’s a gull on the beach. There’s a girl on the beach. E. Listen and then practise reading aloud the dialogue below. THE WORST NURSE SIR HERBERT: Nurse! COLONEL BURTON: Nurse! I’m thirsty! SIR HERBERT: Nurse! My head hurts! COLONEL BURTON: Nurse Sherman always wears such dirty shirts. SIR HERBERT: He never arrives at work early. COLONEL BURTON: He and … er … Nurse Turner weren’t at work on Thursday, were they? SIR HERBERT: No, they weren’t. COLONEL BURTON: Nurse Sherman is the worst nurse in the ward, isn’t he, Sir Herbert? SIR HERBERT: No, he isn’t, Colonel Burton. He is the worst nurse in the world! 3. Target sound / / A. Listen to the sounds Listen and repeat the sounds. B. Practice the target sound in the underlined unstressed words and syllables. a photograph of Barbara a glass of water a pair of binoculars a photograph of her mother and father a book about South America Look at the clock. What’s the time? It’s six o’clock. It’s a quarter to seven. C. Practice the target sound in weak forms of auxiliaries. Example Was /wz/ she dreaming? – This is the weak form of was. Yes, she was. – This is a different sound. This is the strong form. Practice Was she thinking about South America? Yes, she was. Were her brothers and sisters asleep? Yes, they were. Do they like reading? Yes, they do. 13  English Pronunciation and Phonetics Have you read about South America? Yes, I have. Does your friend like reading? Yes, he does. Are we working hard? Yes, we are. Has your friend been to South America? Yes, he has. Can you swim? Yes, I can. D. Read aloud the story and underline the sound / /in unstressed words and syllables. Then check the answers with your partner. Barbara spent Saturday afternoon looking at a beautiful book about South America. ‘I want to go to South America,’ she said to herself. The next morning, when Barbara woke up at six o’clock, her brothers and sisters were still asleep. Barbara looked at them, and then closed her eyes again. Then she quietly got out of bed and started to pack her suitcase. She took some comfortable clothes out of the cupboard. She packed a pair of binoculars and her sister’s camera. She packed a photograph of herself and one of her mother and father. ‘I mustn’t forget to have some breakfast,’ she said to herself. But then she looked at the clock. It was a quarter to seven. ‘I’ll just drink a glass of water,’ she said. ‘A glass of water,’ she said. ‘Water,’ she said, and opened her eyes. She was still in her bed, and her brothers and sisters were laughing at her. ‘Tell us what you were dreaming about,’ they said to her. But Barbara didn’t answer. She was thinking about her wonderful journey to South America. E. Listen to the dialogue and circle the sound / /. Then practise reading it aloud. SHOPPING A: I’m going to the library. B: Can you buy something for me at the newsagent’s? A: But the newsagent’s is a mile from the library. B: No. Not that newsagent’s. Not the one that’s next to the fish and chip shop. I mean the one that’s near the butcher’s. A: Oh, yes. Well, what do you want? B: Some chocolates and a tin of sweets and an address book. 14  English Pronunciation and Phonetics LESSON FIVE BACK VOWELS I. DESCRIPTION - When the back part of the tongue is raised to the highest position, we have /  / and //. The lips are rounded. The sound / / is longer and tenser than the sound //. - When the back part of the tongue is in the mid position, we have //. - When the back part of the tongue is lowered to the lowest position, we have / / and / /. II. DRILL 1. Target sound / / A. Listen to the sounds. Listen and repeat the sounds. 15  English Pronunciation and Phonetics B. Minimal pair A / / / / cap carp hat heart cat cart ban barn pack park What a lovely cap! What a lovely carp! He touched his hat. He touched his heart. It’s a farm cat. It’s a farm cart. I’ll pack the car. I’ll park the car. C. Minimal pair B / / / / cup carp hut heart cut cart bun barn come calm What’s a beautiful cup! What a beautiful carp! There’s a problem with my hut. There’s a problem with my heart. He covered his cut. He covered his cart. What’s in that bun? What’s in that barn? ‘Come down,’ she said. ‘Calm down,’ she said. D. Listen to the dialogue and fill the gaps with the correct adjectives from the box below. marvelous fantastic smart attractive fabulous AT A PARTY (Margaret and Alana are at the bar. People are laughing in the garden.) ALANA: What a ………… party this is! I’m having so much fun, Margaret. MARGARET: Where’s your glass, Alana? ALANA: Here you are. Thanks. That’s enough. MARTIN: Alana! Margaret! Come into the garden. Tara Darling and Markus Marsh are dancing on the grass. MARGARET: In the dark? MARTIN: They are dancing under the stars. ALANA: …………………………! And Bart Jackson is playing his guitar. MARGARET: Just look at Tara! She can’t dance but she looks very ………… MARTIN: Look at Markus. What a ………… dancer! ALANA: What an ………… couple they are! Let’s take a photograph of them. 16  English Pronunciation and Phonetics 2. Target sound / / A. Listen to the sounds. Listen and repeat the sounds. B. Minimal pair / / / / hat hot cat cot fax fox sack sock tap top backs box It’s hat weather. It’s hot weather. He’s got a white cat. He’s got a white cot. Look for the fax. Look for the fox. Put it in a sack. Put it in a sock. Turn that tap slowly. Turn that top slowly. I can see their backs. I can see their box. C. Listen and fill the gaps with the words you hear. TV ADVERTISEMENT FOR ‘ONWASH’ VOICE A: What’s wrong with you, Mrs. Bloggs? MRS. BLOGGS: What’s wrong with me? I want a holiday from this 1___job of washing socks! VOICE B: Buy a bottle of ‘Onwash,’ Mrs Bloggs! VOICE C: ‘Onwash’ is so 2______ and 3______. VOICE D: You don’t want lots of 4______ water with ‘Onwash’. VOICE A: It’s not a 5 ______ job with ‘Onwash’. VOICE B: Use ‘Onwash’ often. VOICE C: You won’t be sorry when you’ve got ‘Onwash’. VOICE D : Everybody wants ‘Onwash’. EVERYBODY: ‘Onwash’ is so 6 _________! 3. Target sound / / A. Listen to the sounds. Listen and repeat the sounds. B. Minimal pair / / / / Don Dawn cod cord shot short pot port 17  English Pronunciation and Phonetics fox forks spot sport Is your name Don? Is your name Dawn? This cod was in the sea. This cord was in the sea. He was shot. He was short. It’s a small pot. It’s a small port. Look for the fox. Look for the forks. I don’t like these spots. I don’t like these sports. C. Listen to the report, paying attention to the words with the target sound. Then practise reading it aloud. SPORTS REPORT FOR RADIO STATION 4 ANNOUNCER: This morning the Roarers football team arrived back from York. Laura Short is our reporter, and she was at the airport. LAURA SHORT: Good morning, listeners. This is Laura Short. All the footballers are walking towards me. Here’s George Ball, the goalkeeper. Good morning, George. GEORGE BALL: Good morning. Are you a reporter? LAURA SHORT: Yes. George. I’m Laura Short from Radio Station 4. Tell us about the football match with York. GEORGE BALL: Well, it was awful. We lost. And the score was forty-four, four. But it wasn’t my fault, Laura. LAURA SHORT: Whose fault was it, George? GEORGE BALL: The forwards LAURA SHORT: The forwards? GEORGE BALL: Yes. The forwards. They were always falling over or losing the ball! 4. Target sound /  / A. Listen to the sounds. Listen and repeat the sounds. B. Minimal pair / / /  / pot put cod could lock look rock rook box books Pot the plant in the garden Put the plant in the garden. How do you spell ‘cod’? How do you spell ‘could’? I’ll lock you up. I’ll look you up. The wind blew around the rock. The wind blew around the rook. Give me the box. Give me the books. 18  English Pronunciation and Phonetics C. Listen to the dialogue, paying attention to the words with the target sound. Then practise reading it aloud. A LOST BOOK MR. COOK: Could you tell me where you’ve put my book, Bronwen? MRS. COOK: Isn’t it in the bookshelf? MR. COOK: No. The bookshelf is full of your cookery books. MRS COOK: Then you should look in the bedroom, shouldn’t you? MR. COOK: I’ve looked you took that book and put it somewhere, didn’t you? MRS. COOK: The living room? MR. COOK: No. I’ve looked. I’m going to put all my books in a box and lock it! MRS. COOK: Look, John! It’s on the floor next to your foot. MR. COOK: Ah! Good! 5. Target sound /  / A. Listen to the sounds. Listen and repeat the sounds. B. Minimal pair /  / /  / look Luke pull pool full fool could cooed would wooed Look, a new moon! Luke, a new moon. The sign said ‘Pull’. The sign said ‘Pool’. This isn’t really full proof. This isn’t really foolproof. The bird could. The bird cooed. ‘He would, Julie, at the full moon.’ He wooed Julie at the full moon. C. Listen to the dialogue, paying attention to the words with the target sound. THE TWO RUDEST STUDENTS IN THE SCHOOL MISS Good afternoon, girls. LUKE: GIRLS: Good afternoon, Miss Luke. MISS This afternoon we’re going to learn how to cook soup. Turn on your computers LUKE: and look at unit twenty-two. LUCY: Excuse me, Miss Luke. MISS Yes, Lucy? LUKE: LUCY: There’s some chewing gum on your shoe. 19  English Pronunciation and Phonetics MISS Who threw their chewing gum on the floor? Was it you, Lucy? LUKE: LUCY: No, Miss Luke, it was Susan. MISS Who? LUKE: LUCY: Susan Duke. SUSAN: It wasn’t me, stupid. It was Julie. JULIE: It was you! SUSAN: It wasn’t me! My mouth’s full of chewing gum. Look, Miss Luke! JULIE: Stop pulling my hair, Susan. It was you! SUSAN: YOU! JULIE: YOU! MISS Excuse me! If you two continue with this rudeness, you can stay after school LUKE: instead of going to the pool. 20  English Pronunciation and Phonetics LESSON SIX DIPHTHONGS I. DESCRIPTION Diphthongs are sounds which consist of a movement or glide from one vowel to another. The first vowel is much longer and stronger than the second. As the glide happens, the loudness of the sound decreases, so the last part of English diphthongs is shorter and quieter. In term of length, diphthongs are like long vowels. There 8 diphthongs divided into three groups: a/ The fronting diphthongs glide toward // - // The starting point is at the position of / / - // The starting point is between front and back, which is quite similar to / /. - // The starting point is the same as for / /. // // // b/ The centering diphthongs glide towards the vowel / / - /  / The starting point is a little bit closer than /  /. - /  / The starting point is the same as for / /. - / / The starting point is slightly closer than / / /  / /  / / / c/ The retracting diphthongs glide towards /  / - /  / This diphthong starts at the position of the vowel /  /. The lips may be noticeably rounded. 21  English Pronunciation and Phonetics - / / This diphthong begins with a vowel similar to /  / but a little more front. There is only slight lip-rounding. /  / / / II. DRILL 1. Target sound // A. Listen to the sounds Listen and repeat the sounds. B. Minimal pair / / // pen pain shed shade edge age wet wait pepper paper What an awful pen! What an awful pain! The dog’s in the shed. The dog’s in the shade. It’s a difficult edge. It’s a difficult age. Just wet. Just wait. Test this food. Taste this food. That’s too much pepper. That’s too much paper. C. Listen to the dialogue, paying attention to the words with the target sound. AT THE RAILWAY STATION (Mr Grey is waiting at the railway station for a train.) MR. GREY: This train’s late! I’ve been waiting here for ages. PORTER: Which train? MR. GREY: The 8.18 to Baker Street. PORTER: The 8.18? I’m afraid you’ve made a mistake, sir. MR. GREY: A mistake? My timetable says: Baker Street train – 8.18. PORTER: Oh no. The Baker Street train leaves at 8.08. MR. GREY: 8.08? 22  English Pronunciation and Phonetics PORTER: They changed the timetable at the end of April. It’s the first of May today. MR. GREY: Changed it? May I see the new timetable? What does it say? PORTER: It says: Baker Street train – 8.08. MR. GREY: Oh no, you’re right. The train isn’t late. I am. 2. Target sound // A. Listen to the sounds. Listen and repeat the sounds. B. Minimal pair / / // bar buy bark bike Pa pie R eye cart kite heart height That was a good bar. That was a good buy. What a noisy bark. What a noisy bike. He loves his Pa. He loves his pie. It’s got two R’s. It’s got two eyes. It’s a cart. It’s a kite. Check the heart. Check the height. C. Listen to the dialogue and fill the gaps with the correct words from the box. bike nice type iced mobile climbing spider Friday library tonight HEIDI, CAROLINE AND NIGEL (Heidi and Caroline are both typing.) HEIDI: (Stops typing. She’s smiling.) Hi, Nigel. NIGEL: Hi, Heidi. Hi, Caroline. You’re looking 1 _______, Caroline. (Silence from Caroline. She keeps typing.) NIGEL: Would you like some 2 _______ coffee, Caroline? CAROLINE: (Keeps on typing.) No thanks, Nigel. I’m busy typing. I have 99 pages to 3_______ by Friday. NIGEL: Never mind. Do you like motor 4 _______ riding, Caroline? CAROLINE: Sometimes. (Mobile phone rings.) … My 5 ______! … Hello … (Smiles) … Hi, Riley! Mmmm! … (Laughs) … I’d like that … Mmmm … at five … at the 6______ … it’s 19 High Street … bye bye! (Caroline puts away her mobile and starts typing.) NIGEL: Would you like to come rididng with me 7______, Caroline? 23  English Pronunciation and Phonetics CAROLINE: Not tonight, Nigel. I’m going for a drive with Riley. (Smiles to herself and keeps typing.) NIGEL: What about 8 ________? CAROLINE: Friday? I’m going 9_________ with Miles. NIGEL: All right then. Bye. HEIDI: Caroline, Nigel’s put something behind your computer. CAROLINE: Is it something nice, Heidi? HEIDI: No.it’s a 10__________ 3. Target sound // A. Listen to the sounds. Listen and repeat the sounds. B. Minimal pair // // all oil ball boil corn coin tore toy roar Roy It’s all there. It’s oil there. It’s a ball on his head. It’s a boil on his head. Look at that golden corn. Look at that golden coin. The paper tore. The paper toy. Hear the engine roar. Hear the engine, Roy. C. Listen to the dialogue, paying attention to the words with the target sound. ROYAL’S ROLLS ROYCE (Joyce Royal takes her noise Rolls Royce to the mechanic employed at the garage, a young boy named Roy Coyne. Roy loves Rolls Royces.) ROY COYNE: What a terrible noise, Mrs. Royal! JOYCE ROYAL: Isn’t it annoying, Roy? It’s out of oil. ROY COYNE: A Rolls Royce! Out of oil? … And look! (pointing) … The water’s boiling! Perhaps you’ve spoilt the motor. Or even destroyed it. How disappointing! It’s such a beautiful Rolls Royce! … (raising his voice) … AND A ROLLS ROYCE ISN’T A TOY! JOYCE ROYAL: How disappointing! I’ll be late for my appointment. 4. Target sound / / A. Listen to the sounds. Listen and repeat the sounds. 24  English Pronunciation and Phonetics B. Minimal pair / / / / car cow bar bow bra brow grass grouse arch ouch It’s the best car. It’s the best cow. It was a long bar. It was a long bow. Her bra was wrinkled. Her brow was wrinkled. There’s beautiful grass here. There’s beautiful grouse here. ‘Arch!’ he said loudly. ‘Ouch!’ he said loudly. C. There are six items to change in the dialogue. Listen to the dialogue and make the words the same as the recording. A MOUSE IN THE HOUSE MRS. BROWN: Ow! You’re shouting too loudly. Sit down and don’t frown. MR. BROWN: (sitting down) I’ve found a mouse in the house. MRS. BROWN: A town mouse? MR. BROWN: Yes. A little round mouse. It’s running around in the lounge. MRS. BROWN: On the ground? MR. BROWN: Yes. It’s under the couch now. MRS. BROWN: Well, get it out. MR. BROWN: How? MRS. BROWN: Turn the couch upside down. Get it out somehow. We don’t want a mouse in our house. Ours is the cleanest house in the town! 5. Target sound /  / A. Listen to the sounds. Listen and repeat the sounds. B. Minimal pair 1 /  / /  / burn bone fern phone Bert boat work woke flirt float It’s a large burn. It’s a large bone. It’s a green fern. It’s a green phone. That’s my Bert. That’s my boat. 25  English Pronunciation and Phonetics I work early. I woke early. He likes flirting. He likes floating. C. Minimal pair 2 /  / /  / caught coat nought note bought boat jaw Joe ball bowl Gino’s caught. Gino’s coat. It’s a nought. It’s a note. We had a bought picnic. We had a boat picnic. It’s my jaw. It’s my Joe. Give me the ball. Give me the bowl. D. Listen to the dialogue, paying attention to the words with the target sound. SNOW IN OCTOBER (Joe Jones is sleeping, but Joanna woke up a few minutes ago.) JOANNA: Joe! Joe! JOE! Hello, wake up, Joe! JOE: (groans) Oh! What is it, Joanna? JOANNA: Look out of the window. JOE: No. My eyes are closed, and I’m going to go to sleep again. JOANNA: Oh! Don’t go to sleep, Joe. Look at the snow! JOE: Snow? But it’s only October. I know there’s no snow. JOANNA: Come over to the window, Joe. JOE: You’re joking, Joanna. There’s no snow. JOANNA: OK. I’ll put my coat on and go out and make a snowball and throw it at your nose, Joe Jones! 6. Target sound /  / A. Listen to the sounds. Listen and repeat the sounds B. Minimal pair. /  / /  / E ear bee bear tea tear pea pier bead beard 26  English Pronunciation and Phonetics That E’s too big. That ear’s too big. It’s a small bee. It’s a small beer. This tea tastes salty. This tear tastes salty. It’s an old pea. It’s an old pier. He has a black bead. He has a black beard. C. Listen to the dialogue and fill the gaps with the words you hear. Each missing word has the target sound. A BEARDED MOUNTAINEER (Mr. and Mrs. Lear are on holiday in Austria.) MR. LEAR: Let’s have a 1 _____ here, dear. MRS. LEAR: What a good idea! They have very good beer here. We came here last 2_______ MR. LEAR: The atmosphere here is very 3 ________ MRS. LEAR: But it’s windier than last year. MR. LEAR: (speaking to the waiter) Two beers, please. MRS. LEAR: Look, dear! Look at that 4 _________ drinking beer. MR. LEAR: His 5 _________ is in his beer. MRS. LEAR: Hs beard has nearly disappeared into his 6 _________ MR. LEAR: Sh! He might 7 ____________ WAITER: (bringing the beer) Here you are, sir. Two beers. MR. LEAR: Thank you. (drinking his beer) Cheers! MRS. LEAR: 8 _________ ! Here’s to the bearded mountaineer! 7. Target sound /  / A. Listen to the sounds. Listen and repeat the sounds. B. Minimal pair /  / /  / ear air beer bear pier pear hear hair tear tear Cheers! Chairs The ear isn’t good. The air isn’t good. It’s a sweet beer. It’s a sweet bear. That’s an old pier. That’s an old pear. How do you spell ‘hear’? How do you spell ‘hair’? That’s a tear. That’s a tear. ‘Three cheers!’ he said. ‘Three chairs!’ he said. 27  English Pronunciation and Phonetics C. Listen to the dialogue, paying attention to the words with the target sound. A PAIR OF HAIRCLIPS MARY: I’ve lost two small hairclips, Claire. They’re a pair. CLAIRE: Have you looked carefully everywhere? MARY: Yes. They’re nowhere here. They just aren’t anywhere. CLAIRE: Have you looked upstairs? MARY: (getting impatient) Upstairs! Downstairs! Everywhere! They just aren’t there! CLAIRE: Hm! Are they square, Mary? MARY: Yes. Why? CLAIRE: Well, you’re wearing one of them in your hair! MARY: Oh! Then where’s the other one? CLAIRE: It’s over there under that chair. MARY: Hm! 28  English Pronunciation and Phonetics LESSON SEVEN TRIPHTHONGS I. DESCRIPTION A triphthong is a glide from one vowel to another and then to a third, all produced rapidly and without interruption. The triphthong can be looked upon as being composed of the fronting and retracting diphthongs with added /  / on the end. Thus we get: - With fronting diphthongs /  /+ / / = // /  / + / / = /  / / / + / / = // - With retracting diphthongs / / + / / = / / /  / + / / = // II. DRILL 1. /  / fire, hire, tyre, buyer, wire, flyer, empire, iron, tired, trial, quiet, lion 2. /  -  / fire – far, tyre – tar, buyer – bar, hired – hard 3. /  / flowers, power, tower, shower, sour, flour, coward, towel, vowel, showery, allowance 4. /  -  / tower – tar, towering – tarring, cower – car, coward – card 5. / - / tower – tyre, dowry – diary, flour – flyer, trowel – trial 6. // greyer, player, layer, payer 7. / / slower, lower, grower, sower, mower, followers 8. // employer, destroyer, royal, loyal, employers, annoyance 29  English Pronunciation and Phonetics LESSON EIGHT THE ENGLISH CONSONANTS I. DESCRIPTION In the production of consonants, the air stream from the lung is stopped or obstructed obstruction of the air stream formed in the mouth by the articulators. As being compared with vowels, the consonants are different from vowels in three aspects. ASPECTS VOWELS CONSONANTS Manner of articulation Without any obstruction With stoppage or restriction of the air stream Voicing All vowels are voiced Some are voiced whereas others are sounds voiceless Distribution Syllabic (forming the core All but some nasal and lateral are not of a syllable) syllabic; they cannot form the center of a syllable. II. CLASSIFICATION A/ PRINCIPLES: 1. Place of articulation - Sounds made with both lips (bilabial): The obstruction of the air stream occurs at the lips; these sounds are made with the two lips coming together. - Sounds made with the lower lip and the upper teeth (labio-dental): The obstruction occurs because the lower lip and the upper teeth come together. - Sounds made with the tip of the tongue and the teeth (dental): The obstruction of the air stream occurs because the tip of the tongue is between the teeth or touches the area just behind the upper teeth. - Sounds made with the tip of tongue and the tooth ridge (alveolar): The obstruction occurs when the tip of the tongue touches the tooth ridge or alveolar ridge. - Sounds made with the blade of tongue and the area slightly further back (palato- alveolar): These sounds are made when the blade of the tongue approaches the area just behind the tooth ridge. - Sounds made with the blade of the tongue and the hard palate (palatal): In the pronunciation of this sound, the blade of the tongue approaches the hard palate. - Sounds made with the back of the tongue and the soft palate (velar): In producing these sounds, the back of the tongue touches the soft palate, causing an obstruction to the air stream. 30  English Pronunciation and Phonetics - Sounds made with the narrowing opening between the vocal folds (glottal) BILABIAL POSITION LABIO-DENTAL POSITION DENTAL POSITION ALVEOLAR POSITION PALATO-ALVEOLAR POSITION PALATAL POSITION VELAR POSITION 2. Manner of articulation – the way in which the air stream is obstructed - Complete obstruction of the air stream (stops) - Partial obstruction of the air stream (fricatives) - Complex consonants sounds (affricates) – a combination of a stop followed by a fricative - Sounds made with the air being stopped in the oral cavity and escaping through the nasal cavity (nasals) 31  English Pronunciation and Phonetics - Sounds made with the air escaping along the sides of the tongue (lateral) - Sounds made when the articulators approach each other but do not get completely closed (approximants) 3. Voicing – whether there is vibration of the vocal cords - Sounds made with the vocal folds vibrating (voiced): /, , , , , , , , , , , , , , / - Sounds made with no vibration of the vocal folds (voiceless): /, , , , , , , , /  FORTIS and LENIS - The voiceless consonants are sometimes called fortis (meaning ‘strong’) and voiced are then called lenis (meaning ‘weak’). When they are in final position, the difference between them is primarily the fact that vowels preceding voiceless are shorter. The shortening effect of the voiceless sounds is most noticeable when the vowel is one of the long vowels or diphthongs. B/ CONSONANT CHART Articulators Bilabial Labio- Dental Alveolar Palato- Palatal Velar Glottal Manners of dental alveolar articulation Plosive (stop)       Fricative          Affricate   Nasal   Lateral  Approximant    32  English Pronunciation and Phonetics LESSON NINE PLOSIVE CONSONANTS I. DESCRIPTION Plosive consonants are produced when the air stream is stopped completely at some point in the mouth, then released suddenly with an explosive sound. The production of plosive consonants consists of four phases: i. The first phase is when the articulator(s) move to form the stricture for the plosive. We call this the closure phase. ii. The second phase is when the compressed air is stopped from escaping. We call this the hold phase. iii. The third phase is when the articulator(s) used to form the stricture are moved so as to allow air to escape. This is the release phase. iv. The fourth phase is what happens immediately after (iii) so we call it the post-release phase. II. LISTING English has six plosive consonants /p, b, t, d, k, g/. 1. Bilabial plosive consonants: when the lips are pressed together, we have /p/ and/ b/. To make the /p/ or /b/ sound: 1. Close and slightly tense your lips and relax your tongue. 2. Build up air pressure behind your lips and hold it for a moment. 3. Release the air using no voice for /p/. Release the air while producing voice for /b/. Fig. 1 33  English Pronunciation and Phonetics 2. Alveolar plosive consonants: when the tip of tongue is pressed against the alveolar ridge, we have /t/ and /d/. To make the /t/ or /d/ sound: 1. Open your mouth slightly and relax your lips. 2. Place the tip of your tongue on the gum (alveolar) ridge just behind your upper teeth. 3. Build up the air pressure in the space between your tongue and the top of your mouth. 4. + Suddenly release the pressure by dropping your tongue, do not use voice for /t/. Fig. 2 + Suddenly release the pressure by dropping your tongue, use voice for /d/. 3. Velar plosive consonants: when the back of tongue is pressed against the area where the hard palate ends and the soft palate begins, we have /k/ or /g/ To make /k/ or /g/ sound 1. Press the back of your tongue up against you soft palate. 2. Build up the air pressure behind this 3. + Release the pressure, using no voice for /k/ + Release the pressure, using voice for /g/ Fig. 3 NOTES: + /b – d – g/ are unaspirated in all positions whereas /p – t – k/ are aspirated in initial and final positions + In initial position, /b/, /d/, and /g/ cannot be preceded by any consonant, but /p/, /t/ and /k/ may be preceded by /s/. When one of /p/, /t/, /k/ is preceded by /s/, it is unaspirated. + When there are double plosive consonants, only one explosion can be heard but for double length, which is referred to as Incomplete Explosion. *Aspiration refers to a noticeable burst of air on the release of a voiceless plosive consonant. 34  English Pronunciation and Phonetics III. DRILL 1. Bilabial plosive consonants: /b/ and /p/ 1.1 Target sound /p/ A Listen to the sound /p/ Listen and repeat the sound /p/. B Listen and repeat the words with sound /p/, then the sentences. C Dialogue pin It's a useful pen. pen Pen, please. pear Look at the yellow pear! cap It's an old cap. pup What a lively pup! poppy Do you like Poppy? PASSPORT, PLEASE. (Mr and Mrs Tupman are the airport. They have just got off the plane from Paris.) Official: Passport please! Mr Tupman: Poppy! Poppy! I think I've lost the passport! Mrs Tupman: How stupid of you, Peter! Didn't you put them in your pocket? Mr Tupman: (emptying his pocket) Here's a pen.... a pencil... my pipe... a postcard... an envelope with a stamp... a pin... Mrs Tupman: Oh, stop taking things out of your pockets. Perhaps you put them in the plastic bag. Mr Tupman: (emptying the plastic bag) Here's a newspaper... an apple... a pen... a plastic cup.... a spoon.... some paper plates... a piece of potato pie.... a pepper pot... Mrs Tupman: Oh, stop pulling things out of the plastic bag, Peter. These people are getting impatient. Mr Tupman: Well help me, Poppy. (to official) We've lost our passports. Perhaps we dropped them on the plane. Official: Then let the other passengers pass, please. Mr Tupman: Poppy, why don't you help? You aren't being very helpful. Put the things in the plastic bag Official: Your name, please? Mr Tupman: Tupman Official: Please go upstairs with this policeman, Mr Tupman. 35  English Pronunciation and Phonetics 1.2 Target sound /b/ A. Listen to sound /b/ Listen and repeat the sound /b/ B Minimal pairs /p/ /b/ pin bin pen Ben pear bear cap cab pup pub Poppy Bobby It’s a useful pin. It’s a useful bin. Pen, please! Ben, please! Look at the yellow pear. Look at the yellow bear. It’s an old cap. It’s an old cab. What a lively pup! What a lively pub! Do you like Poppy? Do you like Bobby? C Dialogue BOB: Hi, Barbara! BARBARA: Hi, Bob. It's my birthday today. BOB: Oh, yes!... Your birthday!...err... Happy birthday, Barbara! BARBARA: Thanks, Bob. Somebody gave me this blouse for my birthday. BOB: What a beautiful blouse! It's got... err... blue butterflies on it. BARBARA: And big black buttons. BOB: Did... err...mm.. Ruby buy it for you? BARBARA: Yes. And my brother gave me a book about birds. BOB: I didn't remember your birthday, Barbara. I'm terribly sorry. I've been so busy with my new job. I left my old job. The one in the pub. Guess what? I'm driving a cab. BARBARA: A cabbie! Congratulations! Don't worry about the birthday present, Bob. But remember that proverb: "Better late than never". 2 Alveolar plosive consonants: /t/ and /d/ 2.1 Target sound /t/ A Listen to the sound /t/. Listen and repeat the sound /t/. 36  English Pronunciation and Phonetics B Sound /t/ too You too? sent You sent the emails? cart Is hers the red cart? write Can he write well? train Does this train smell? trunk Is there a trunk here? C Dialogue CUSTOMER 1: I want to buy a skirt. ASSISTANT: Skirts are upstairs on the next floor. CUSTOMER 2: Where can I get some Thai food? ASSISTANT: The cafeteria is on the first floor. CUSTOMER 3: Where's the fruit juice please? ASSISTANT: The next counter on your left. CUSTOMER 4: Tins of tomatoes. ASSISTANT: Try the supermarket in the basement. CUSTOMER 5: Could you tell me where the em.. travel agent's is? ASSISTANT: Yes. It's right next to the restaurant on the third floor. CUSTOMER 6: I want to buy a cricket bat. How do I get to the... the...um...sports equipment? ASSISTANT: Take the lift to the sports department. It's on the top floor. CUSTOMER 7: Where's the telephone, please? ASSISTANT: It's on the next floor opposite the photographer's. CUSTOMER 8: What's the time please? ASSISTANT: It's exactly twenty-two minutes to ten. 2.2 Target sound /d/ A Listen to the sound /t/ Listen and repeat the sound /d/ B Minimal pairs /t/ /d/ too do sent send cart card write ride train drain trunk drunk You too? You do? You sent the emails? You send the emails? Is the red cart hers? Is the red card hers? 37  English Pronunciation and Phonetics Can he write well? Can he ride well? Does this train smell? Does this drain smell? Is there a trunk outside? Is there a drunk outside? C Dialogue A DAMAGED TELEPHONE LINE DAISY: Hello. This is 22882228. DAVID: Hello, Daisy. This is David. DAISY: Oh, hi darling. DAVID: What did you do yesterday, Daisy? You forgot our date, didn't you? DAISY: Well, it rained all day, David... and... I had a bad cold, so I.. er...decided to stay at home. DAVID: Did you?... I phoned twenty times and nobody answered. DAISY: Oh the telephone line was damaged. They repaired it today. DAVID: Well... Daisy! DAISY: What, David? DAVID: Oh! don't worry about it! What did... er... Donald do yesterday? Did he and Diane go dancing? DAISY: No, they didn't yesterday. They just stayed at home and played cards. DAVID: What did you do? Did you play cards too? DAISY: No Jordan and I listened to the radio and..er.. studied. What did you do yesterday, David? DAVID: I've just told you, Daisy. I tried to phone you twenty times! 2.3 Verbs ending in -ED /d/ after a vowel or voiced played, cleaned, snowed, closed, filled, stayed consonant /t/ after an unvoiced consonant brushed, laughed, pushed, watched, danced, walked /d/ after the sound / t / or / d / waited, painted, shouted, wanted, landed, departed Practice Work with a partner, talking about these pictures. Example: stayed awake / snored A: He stayed awake, didn’t he? B: No, he didn’t. He snored. 38  English Pronunciation and Phonetics combed his hair cried a lot painted a room emptied his glass brushed it laughed a lot cleaned it filled it closed a door walked away washed the TV pulled his car opened it waited a long time watched it pushed it departed at noon whispered it danced at night rained all day landed shouted it played cards snowed 3. Velar plosive consonants: /k/ and /g/ 3.1 Target sound /k/ A Listen to the sound /k/ Listen and repeat the sound /k/ B Sound /k/ coat It's a hairy coat curl He's got a lovely curl. class It's a brilliant class. back She's got a strong back. crowing It's crowing 39  English Pronunciation and Phonetics C Dialogue KAREN COOK: Would you like some cream in your coffee, Mrs Klark? KATE KLARK: Call me Kate, Karen. KAREN COOK: Ok, cream Kate? KATE KLARK: No thanks Karen. But I like a little milk. Thanks. KAREN COOK: Would you like some little cream cakes, Kate? KATE KLARK: Thank you. Did you make them? KAREN COOK: Yes, take two. Here's a cake fork and here's a... KATE KLARK: Excuse me, Karen. But what's that next to your bookshelf? Is it a clock? KAREN COOK: It's an electric cuckoo clock. It's American. KATE KLARK: Is it plastic? KAREN COOK: Oh no, Kate. It's a handmade wooden clock. It was very expensive. KATE KLARK: Well, it's exactly six o'clock now and it's very quiet. Doesn't it say cuckoo? KAREN COOK: Of course it does, Kate...Look! CLOCK: Cuckoo, Cuckoo, Cuckoo, Cuckoo, Cuckoo, Cuckoo! KATE KLARK: Fantastic! How exciting! What a clever clock! 3.2 Target sound /g/ A Listen to the sound /g/ Listen and repeat the sound /g/ B Minimal pairs /k/ /g/ coat goat curl girl class glass back bag crowing growing It’s a hairy coat. It’s a hairy goat. He’s got a lovely curl. He’s got a lovely girl. It’s a brilliant class. It’s a brilliant glass. She’s got a strong back. She’s got a strong bag. It’s crowing. It’s growing. C. Listen to the sentences and fill the gaps with the correct words from the box below. computer Maggie postcard Glasgow beginning games weekend Portugal Greece grass catch guess cut camp August girls gossip couple Carol garden Craig 40  English Pronunciation and Phonetics CRAIG AND MAGGIE’S ANSWERING MACHINE 1. Greg and Carol want to stay for a _____ of days at _____ and ______’s house in ____ 2. They’re coming to ____ at the _____ of _______. 3. _______ is always giggling. She wants to _______ up on all the _______. 4. The last time they got together, Greg and Craig played _______ while the two _______ went shopping. 5. Carol says, ‘I _______ you’ve gone away for the _______.’ 6. Craig and Maggie sent a _______ from _______, but they’re going to go to Greece. 7. While Craig and Maggie are in _______, Greg and Carol are going to _______ in their _______. 8. Greg says they’ll be very grateful and they’ll _______ the _______. 41  English Pronunciation and Phonetics LESSON TEN FRICATIVES I. DESCRIPTION Fricatives are consonants produced with the air escaping through a small passage and making a hissing sound. In order to create this narrow passage, the speech organs are to move close together yet not firmly against each other. Fricatives are continuant sounds, which means that you can continue making them without interruption as long as you have enough air in your lungs. II. LISTING The fricatives of English include 9 members / , , , , , , , ,  / 1. Labio-dental fricative consonants /, /- the lower lip is in contact with the upper teeth. To make the target sounds / ,  / 1. Touch your upper teeth with your lower lip. 2. Blow out air between your lip and your teeth. 3. + Don’t use your voice for sound / / + Use your voice for sound // 2. Dental fricative consonants /, / - the tongue is sometimes described as being placed between the teeth; however, the tongue is normally placed inside the teeth with the tip touching the inside of the lower front teeth and the blade touching the inside of the upper teeth. To make the target sounds /, / 1. Put your tongue between your teeth. 2. Blow out air between your tongue and your top teeth. 3. + Don’t use voice for sound // + Use voice for sound / / 42  English Pronunciation and Phonetics 3. Alveolar fricative consonants /, /- the tip of the tongue touches the tooth ridge. To make the target sounds /  / and /  /: 1. Touch your top teeth with the sides of your tongue. 2. Put the tip of your tongue forward to nearly touch the roof of your mouth. 3. + Don’t use your voice for / / + Use your voice for /  / 4. Palato-alveolar fricative consonants /, / - the tongue is in contact with an area slightly further back than the alveolar ridge. To make the target sounds /  / and /  /: 1. Put the tip of your tongue a little back behind tooth ridge 2. Push air through the gap between the tongue and the tooth ridge. 3. + Don’t use your voice for / / + Use your voice for /  / 5. Glottal fricative consonant /  / - the narrowing is between the vocal folds. To make the target sound / / 1. Make a small gap at the back of your mouth. 2. Push a lot of air out very quickly through the small gap. 3. Do not touch the roof of your mouth with your tongue. 43  English Pronunciation and Phonetics III. DRILL 1. Labio-dental fricative consonants 1.1 Target sound /  / A. Listen to the sound. Listen and repeat the sound. B. Minimal pairs (1) / / // pin fin peel feel pork fork pull full snip sniff palm farm It’s a sharp pin. It’s a sharp fin Peel this orange. Feel this orange. There’s no pork here. There’s no fork here. The sign said ‘Pull’. The sign said ‘Full’. Snip these flowers. Sniff these flowers. He showed his palm. He showed his farm. C. Minimal pairs (2) / / // hold fold heat feet hill fill heel feel honey funny hole foal Hold this paper. Fold this paper. I like heat on the back. I like feet on the back. That sign said ‘Hill’. That sign said ‘Fill’. This heel’s different. This feels different. This is honey. This is funny. It’s got a little hole. It’s got a little foal. 44  English Pronunciation and Phonetics D. Practise these six requests in the box below with the intonation going up to make them sound more polite. Then fill the gaps in the dialogue with them. Check the answers with your partner before listening to the dialogue for the final check. 1. Please phone my office after five days, Mrs. Phillips. 2. Please give a friendly laugh. 3. Please use this felt-tipped pen, Mrs. Phillips. 4. Please look …er … soft and beautiful. 5. Please sit on this sofa. 6. Please fill in this form. A FUNNY PHOTOGRAPHER PHOTOGRAPHER: Good afternoon. How can I help you? FRED: I’m Fred Phillips. I want a photograph of myself and my wife Phillippa. PHOTOGRAPHER: Certainly, Mr. Phillips. (a) …………………………………………… PHILLIPPA: I’ll fill it in, Fred. PHOTOGRAPHER: (b) ……………Mr. Phillips, do you prefer a full front photograph or a profile? FRED: A full front, don’t you think, Phillipa? PHILLIPPA: Yes. A full front photograph. FRED: Full front. PHILLIPPA: (hands in the form) It’s finished. PHOTOGRAPHER: Thank you, Mrs. Phillips. (c) …………Is it comfortable? PHILLIPPA: Yes. It feels fine. PHOTOGRAPHER: Mr. Phillips, (d) ………… FRED: That’s difficult. If you say something funny I can laugh. PHOTOGRAPHER: And, Mrs. Phillips, (e) ……… FRED: (laughs) PHOTOGRAPHER: That’s it finished. FRED: Finished? PHOTOGRAPHER: Finished, Mr. Phillips. PHILLIPPA: Will the photograph be ready for the fifth of February? PHOTOGRAPHER: Yes. (f) ………… 1.2 Target sound /  / A. Listen to the sound. Listen and repeat the sound. B. Minimal pairs (1) // // safe save fine vine fail veil few view fast vast ferry very 45  English Pronunciation and Phonetics Safe here? Save here? Fine in the garden? Vine in the garden? It’s a fail? It’s a veil? This room has a few. This room has a view. They need a fast ship? They need a vast ship? Ferry late? Very late? C. Minimal pairs (2) // // bet vet best vest ban van bolt volt boat vote berry very They’re good bets. They’re good vets. He wore his best. He wore his vest. Can they lift that ban? Can they lift that van? We need more bolts. We need more volts. Jones won the boat. Jones won the vote. It’s a berry red colour. It’s a very red colour. D. Listen to the dialogue, paying attention on the different intonations of questions and statements. Then practise reading it aloud with your partner. A FINE VIEW VIVIENNE: Has the Vander family lived here for very long, Victor? VICTOR: Five and a half years, Vivienne. We arrived on the first of February. VIVIENNE: What a lovely view you have! VICTOR: Yes. It’s fabulous. VIVIENNE: Look! You can see the village down in the valley. VICTOR: Yes. We just love living here because of the view. 2. Dental fricative consonants /, / 2.1 Target sound /  / A. Listen to the target sound. Listen and repeat the sound. 46  English Pronunciation and Phonetics B. Minimal pairs (1) // // first thirst fin thin half hearth He’s got a first. He’s got a thirst. A fin soup, please. A thin soup, please. I’d like a half. I’d like a hearth. C. Minimal pairs (2) // // tree three tanks thanks sheet sheath It’s a big tree. It’s a big three. The president sends his tanks. The President sends his thanks. The knife was hidden in a sheet. The knife was hidden in a sheath. D. Minimal pairs (3) // // mouse mouth sum thumb sick thick sink think pass path What a sweet little mouse! What a sweet little mouth! Is this sum OK? Is this thumb OK? It’s very sick. It’s very thick. He’s sinking. He’s thinking. There’s a mountain pass. There’s a mountain path. E. Identify the most important word in each numbered line of the dialogue below. Then exchange the answers with a partner before listening to the dialogue and checking them. GOSSIPS CATHERINE: Samantha Roth is only thirty. RUTH: (1) Is she? I thought she was thirty-three. CATHERINE: Samantha’s birthday was last Thursday. RUTH: (2) Was it? I thought it was last month. CATHERINE: The Roths’ house is worth six hundred thousand. RUTH: (3) Is it? I thought it was worth three hundred thousand. CATHERINE: Ross Roth is the author of a book about moths. 47  English Pronunciation and Phonetics RUTH: (4) Is he? I thought he was a mathematician. CATHERINE: I’m so thirty. RUTH: (5) Are you? I thought you drank something at the Roths’. CATHERINE: No. Samantha gave me nothing to drink. RUTH: (6) Shall I buy you a drink? CATHERINE: Thank you. 2.2 Target sound /  / A. Listen to the target sound. Listen and repeat the target sound. B. Minimal pairs (1) // / / dan than day they dare there doze those Ida either Smith is bigger, Dan Jones. Smith is bigger than Jones. Day arrived. They arrived. Jim dares his friend. Jim, there’s his friend. Doze after lunch. Those after lunch. I don’t know her sister, Ida. I don’t know her sister, either. C. Minimal pairs (2) / / / / close clothe breeze breathe boos booth size scythe The shop sig said ‘Closing.’ The shop sign said ‘Clothing.’ Breeze means air moving. Breathe means air moving. The boos echoed loudly. The booth echoed loudly. That’s a large size. That’s a large scythe. D. Listen. Then practise reading aloud the dialogue below, paying attention to the words with the target sound. THE HAT IN THE WINDOW MISS BROTHERS: I want to buy the hat in the window. ASSISTANT: There are three hats together in the window, madam. Do you want the one with the feathers? MISS BROTHERS: No. The other one. ASSISTANT: The small one for three hundred and three euros? 48  English Pronunciation and Phonetics MIS