ABLE Pronunciation and Phonetics 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is the term for the reduction of an unstressed vowel to the neutral /ə/ sound in connected speech?
- Elision
- Linking
- Reduction (Correct answer)
- Schwa insertion
Correct answer: Reduction
Vowel reduction refers to the process by which unstressed syllables are pronounced with the schwa /ə/, as in 'about' where the 'a' is reduced.
Question 2: Which of the following pairs are minimal pairs?
- 'cat' and 'cats'
- 'bat' and 'bad' (Correct answer)
- 'run' and 'ran'
- 'sing' and 'singing'
Correct answer: 'bat' and 'bad'
Minimal pairs differ by exactly one phoneme; 'bat' /bæt/ and 'bad' /bæd/ differ only in the final consonant /t/ vs. /d/.
Question 3: In English, word stress can change the grammatical category of a word. Which example correctly demonstrates this?
- 'RE-cord' (noun) vs. 're-CORD' (verb) (Correct answer)
- 're-CORD' (noun) vs. 'RE-cord' (verb)
- 're-CORD' is always a noun
- 'RE-cord' is always a verb
Correct answer: 'RE-cord' (noun) vs. 're-CORD' (verb)
In English, many two-syllable noun/verb pairs shift stress, so 'RE-cord' functions as a noun while 're-CORD' functions as a verb.
Question 4: The /θ/ sound, as in 'think', is classified phonetically as which type of consonant?
- Bilabial fricative
- Dental fricative (Correct answer)
- Alveolar stop
- Velar nasal
Correct answer: Dental fricative
The /θ/ sound is a dental fricative, produced by placing the tongue near or between the upper teeth and allowing air to pass through narrowly.
Question 5: Which feature distinguishes 'pin' /pɪn/ from 'spin' /spɪn/ in English phonetics?
- Aspiration of the initial /p/ (Correct answer)
- Length of the vowel
- Voicing of the nasal
- Stress placement
Correct answer: Aspiration of the initial /p/
In English, /p/ at the start of a stressed syllable is aspirated (followed by a puff of air), but /p/ after /s/ is unaspirated.
Question 6: What is 'connected speech', and why is it important for language learners?
- Speech produced by two people in conversation
- Natural spoken language where sounds influence each other across word boundaries (Correct answer)
- Reading aloud from a written text
- Speaking with correct grammar and vocabulary
Correct answer: Natural spoken language where sounds influence each other across word boundaries
Connected speech describes natural flowing speech where sounds blend, reduce, or are deleted across word boundaries, making it essential for real-world listening comprehension.
Question 7: Which term describes the omission of a sound or syllable in spoken language, as in pronouncing 'comfortable' as 'comf-ta-ble'?
- Assimilation
- Epenthesis
- Elision (Correct answer)
- Liaison
Correct answer: Elision
Elision is the omission of sounds or syllables during speech, commonly occurring in fast or informal speech to ease articulation.
ABLE Pronunciation and Phonetics 2
What is the term for the reduction of an unstressed vowel to the neutral /ə/ sound in connected speech?