ESL Speaking & Pronunciation 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which word contains the vowel sound /æ/ as in 'cat'?
- cake
- care
- map (Correct answer)
- mate
Correct answer: map
'Map' contains the short /æ/ sound, the same vowel as in 'cat'.
Question 2: What is 'schwa' (/ə/) in English pronunciation?
- The loudest vowel sound in a word
- The shortest, most neutral unstressed vowel sound (Correct answer)
- A silent consonant found in words like 'knight'
- A long vowel sound in stressed syllables
Correct answer: The shortest, most neutral unstressed vowel sound
Schwa /ə/ is the most common vowel sound in English, appearing in unstressed syllables like the 'a' in 'about'.
Question 3: When giving a formal speech, which speaking habit should you AVOID?
- Making eye contact with the audience
- Speaking at a clear, moderate pace
- Using filler words like 'um' and 'uh' frequently (Correct answer)
- Varying your pitch and tone
Correct answer: Using filler words like 'um' and 'uh' frequently
Excessive filler words like 'um' and 'uh' distract listeners and undermine the speaker's credibility.
Question 4: How is the 'th' sound in 'think' different from the 'th' in 'this'?
- 'Think' uses a voiced /ð/ and 'this' uses a voiceless /θ/
- 'Think' uses a voiceless /θ/ and 'this' uses a voiced /ð/ (Correct answer)
- Both words use the same /θ/ sound
- Both words use the same /ð/ sound
Correct answer: 'Think' uses a voiceless /θ/ and 'this' uses a voiced /ð/
'Think' has the voiceless /θ/ (no vibration), while 'this' has the voiced /ð/ (vocal cords vibrate).
Question 5: In American English, what happens to the 'h' at the beginning of pronouns like 'him' and 'her' in fast speech?
- It becomes louder and more emphasized
- It is often dropped, especially in the middle of a sentence (Correct answer)
- It changes to a /w/ sound
- It becomes a glottal stop
Correct answer: It is often dropped, especially in the middle of a sentence
In rapid connected speech, the /h/ in unstressed pronouns like 'him' and 'her' is often dropped (e.g., 'Tell him' sounds like 'Tell 'im').
Question 6: Which technique helps ESL speakers sound more fluent when speaking English?
- Pronouncing every word separately with a clear pause between them
- Using contractions like 'don't' instead of 'do not' in conversation (Correct answer)
- Always translating from your native language word by word
- Speaking as slowly as possible at all times
Correct answer: Using contractions like 'don't' instead of 'do not' in conversation
Using contractions is a natural feature of spoken English fluency and makes speech sound less robotic.
Question 7: The words 'desert' (noun: sandy land) and 'desert' (verb: to abandon) differ in which way?
- They are pronounced exactly the same
- The noun is stressed on the first syllable; the verb on the second (Correct answer)
- The verb is stressed on the first syllable; the noun on the second
- They differ in the vowel of the final syllable
Correct answer: The noun is stressed on the first syllable; the verb on the second
The noun 'DES-ert' (sandy land) is stressed on the first syllable, while the verb 'de-SERT' (to abandon) is stressed on the second.
ESL Speaking & Pronunciation 3
Which word contains the vowel sound /æ/ as in 'cat'?