ELSA ELSA Pronunciation & Phonetics

Question 1

Which word contains the 'long e' vowel sound as in 'see'?

Accepted Answer

heat

Answer

The word 'heat' contains the long e sound /iː/, as in 'see' or 'feet'.

Question 2

In American English, which word has a silent consonant?

Accepted Answer

knife

Answer

In 'knife,' the letter 'k' is silent; it is not pronounced in standard American English.

Question 3

Which pair of words are minimal pairs (differ by only one sound)?

Accepted Answer

dog / log

Answer

'Dog' and 'log' differ only in their initial consonant sound (/d/ vs. /l/), making them a minimal pair.

Question 4

Where is the primary stress in the word 'photography'?

Accepted Answer

Second syllable (pho-TOG-ra-phy)

Answer

In 'photography,' the stress falls on the second syllable: pho-TOG-ra-phy.

Question 5

Which word ends with the /ʃ/ sound (as in 'shoe')?

Accepted Answer

rush

Answer

The word 'rush' ends with the /ʃ/ sound, the same sound heard at the beginning of 'shoe.'

(ELSA) English Language Skills Assessment Practice Test