Lesson 1: Pure Vowel Sounds

🟦 Introduction

When we speak, the sounds we make come from vowels and consonants. This lesson focuses on pure vowel sounds, also called monophthongs. These are the basic vowel sounds of English—produced with a single, steady mouth shape and tongue position.

In the WASSCE Oral English Paper (Paper 3), you’ll often be tested on your ability to hear and identify these sounds correctly, especially in multiple-choice questions. Being able to recognize these sounds improves your speaking, listening, and even your spelling!

🟩 Key Concepts and Explanations

1. What is a Pure Vowel Sound?

A pure vowel sound is a single, unchanging sound. Your mouth stays in one shape, and there’s no movement as you pronounce the vowel.

Compare that with a diphthong, where your mouth moves from one position to another.

✅ Examples of pure vowels:

• /iː/ as in seat

• /ʌ/ as in cup

• /ɒ/ as in hot

2. How Are Pure Vowels Classified?

✅ Diagram: Tongue Position for Vowels
(For visual learners, insert a vowel quadrilateral showing front, central, and back vowels)

3. The 12 Pure Vowel Sounds of English (RP Model)

4. How to Practice Pure Vowels Effectively

✅ Tips:

• Use a mirror: Check that your mouth and lips stay in one shape.

• Record your voice: Compare your pronunciation to online dictionaries or apps.

• Group similar sounds and test yourself (e.g., /iː/ vs /ɪ/, /ʊ/ vs /uː/).

✅ Vowel Contrast Practice Words:

🧭 Step-by-Step Sample Walkthrough

Question (WASSCE Style):
Choose the word that has a different vowel sound from the others.

A. seat
B. beat
C. meat
D. sit

Step 1: Identify vowel sounds using IPA or listening.

• A. seat → /iː/

• B. beat → /iː/

• C. meat → /iː/

• D. sit → /ɪ/

Step 2: Compare sounds

• /iː/ is long

• /ɪ/ is short and more relaxed

✅ Correct Answer: D. sit

🟨 Practice Exercises

Exercise A: Identify the IPA Vowel Sound

Write the IPA symbol for the underlined vowel:

1. meet → __________

2. hat → __________

3. look → __________

4. head → __________

5. cup → __________

6. goose → __________

7. bed → __________

8. father → __________

9. miss → __________

10. law → __________

✅ Answers & Explanations:

1. /iː/

2. /æ/

3. /ʊ/

4. /e/

5. /ʌ/

6. /uː/

7. /e/

8. /ɑː/

9. /ɪ/

10. /ɔː/

Exercise B: Choose the Odd One Out

1.
A. loop
B. boot
C. good
D. root

Answer: C. good – contains /ʊ/ while others have /uː/

2.
A. cat
B. cup
C. cut
D. luck

Answer: A. cat – contains /æ/ while the others use /ʌ/

3.
A. herd
B. bird
C. bed
D. word

Answer: C. bed – contains /e/, others use /ɜː/

🔁 Recap

By the end of this lesson, you should understand:
✅ What pure vowel sounds are
✅ How to classify them by tongue position, mouth shape, and length
✅ Common WASSCE contrasts and how to identify them
✅ How to practice and pronounce them accurately

Pure vowels are the foundation of clear English speech—mastering them gives you confidence in both listening and speaking.

🪞Reflection Prompt

Take 5 words you use often in daily conversation. Write down their main vowel sound (use a dictionary with IPA or a phonetic app). Are any of the vowel sounds surprising? Record yourself reading them aloud and compare your pronunciation with native or model examples. Which vowels do you need to improve?