TEFL Phonology and Pronunciation Teaching 2

Question 1

What is 'assimilation' in connected speech?

Accepted Answer

When a sound changes to become more like a neighboring sound

Answer

When a learner fully adopts a native accent

Answer

When vowels are reduced to schwa in unstressed syllables

Answer

When sentence stress shifts to emphasize new information

Question 2

Which suprasegmental feature refers to the rise and fall of pitch across an utterance?

Accepted Answer

Intonation

Answer

Stress

Answer

Rhythm

Answer

Assimilation

Question 3

What is the schwa (/ə/) in English?

Accepted Answer

The most common unstressed vowel sound

Answer

The strongest stressed vowel in a word

Answer

A diphthong found in formal speech

Answer

A consonant cluster found in many words

Question 4

What is the key difference between segmental and suprasegmental phonological features?

Accepted Answer

Segmental features are individual sounds; suprasegmental features span across sounds and words

Answer

Segmental features are written; suprasegmental features are spoken

Answer

Segmental features concern meaning; suprasegmental features concern grammar

Answer

Segmental features apply to consonants; suprasegmental features apply to vowels

Question 5

What is 'word stress' in English?

Accepted Answer

The emphasis placed on one syllable within a multi-syllable word

Answer

The loudness of a whole word relative to the sentence

Answer

The speed at which a word is pronounced

Answer

The pitch level of a word relative to surrounding words

Question 6

What is a diphthong in English phonology?

Accepted Answer

A vowel sound that glides from one position to another within a syllable

Answer

A pair of consonants pronounced together in a cluster

Answer

Two identical vowels that create an extended long vowel

Answer

A nasal sound produced with closed mouth

Question 7

What is 'linking' in English connected speech?

Accepted Answer

When the final sound of one word connects smoothly to the initial sound of the next

Answer

The use of discourse markers to join ideas in speech

Answer

When consonants are doubled at syllable boundaries

Answer

The practice of linking vocabulary items to grammar structures