Practice Test Geeks(MLAT) Modern Language Aptitude Test Practice Test
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Phonetic Script and Association Flashcards

7 cards from real MLAT practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.

Read the first 7 Phonetic Script and Association flashcards as text

  1. In a phonetic script exercise, the symbol 'θ' represents the sound in which English word?

    Answer: think

    The symbol 'θ' represents the voiceless dental fricative, as in 'think,' not the voiced version in 'this,' 'then,' or 'those.'

  2. A learner is told that the symbol [ʃ] maps to a specific sound. Which word demonstrates this phoneme?

    Answer: shell

    [ʃ] represents the voiceless palato-alveolar fricative, heard at the start of 'shell.'

  3. If symbol 'Δ' is defined to mean the sound /k/, which invented word would be pronounced 'kari'?

    Answer: Δari

    Since 'Δ' = /k/, 'Δari' would be read as 'kari.'

  4. On the MLAT, a new phonetic symbol 'ℜ' is paired with the sound /b/. Which transcription stands for 'bana'?

    Answer: ℜana

    Replacing /b/ with 'ℜ' in 'bana' yields 'ℜana.'

  5. Which phonetic concept best describes the difference between /p/ in 'pit' and /p/ in 'spit'?

    Answer: Aspiration

    The /p/ in 'pit' is aspirated (a puff of air follows), while the /p/ in 'spit' is unaspirated.

  6. In a practice MLAT exercise, symbol '◆' = /m/ and '★' = /a/. What does '◆★◆' represent?

    Answer: mam

    Substituting each symbol: ◆=/m/, ★=/a/, so ◆★◆ = /m/ + /a/ + /m/ = 'mam.'

  7. The MLAT phonetic association task primarily tests a learner's ability to do what?

    Answer: Link unfamiliar symbols to spoken sounds quickly

    The phonetic association section measures how rapidly and accurately a learner can pair novel symbols with their corresponding sounds.