ELSA Pronunciation & Phonetics Flashcards
6 cards from real ELSA practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 6 ELSA Pronunciation & Phonetics flashcards as text
In American English, how is the 't' in 'butter' typically pronounced in natural speech?
Answer: As a flap /ɾ/, similar to a quick 'd'
In American English, the /t/ between vowels (as in 'butter') is usually pronounced as an alveolar flap /ɾ/, which sounds similar to a quick /d/.
Which word contains a diphthong (a vowel that glides from one position to another)?
Answer: coin
The word 'coin' contains the diphthong /ɔɪ/, which glides from the /ɔ/ position to the /ɪ/ position.
What does it mean when two words are described as homophones?
Answer: They sound the same but have different meanings and spellings.
Homophones are words that are pronounced identically but differ in spelling and/or meaning, such as 'flour' and 'flower.'
In the phrase 'I want to go,' how is 'want to' most commonly reduced in fast American English?
Answer: 'wanna'
In informal American English, 'want to' frequently reduces to 'wanna' through a process of assimilation and vowel reduction.
Which of the following is an example of final consonant cluster reduction?
Answer: Saying 'bes' instead of 'best'
Final consonant cluster reduction occurs when one or more consonants are dropped at the end of a word, such as saying 'bes' for 'best.'
Which sentence uses rising intonation appropriately in American English?
Answer: A yes/no question: 'Are you coming?'
In American English, yes/no questions typically end with rising intonation to signal that a response is expected.