TKT: KAL Part 2 Phonology: phonemic symbols trainers notes

Description
This activity introduces the phonemic symbols of English. Participants have a chance to
review existing knowledge before practising reading phonetic transcriptions of words, and
then correcting and writing their own. They discuss the usefulness of the phonemic symbols
to the teacher. There is also a TKT:KAL sample task.
Time required:

45 minutes

Materials
required:

Participants Worksheet 1 (one copy per participant)

Participants Worksheet 2 (one copy per participant)

Sample Task (one copy per participant)

Dictionaries (optional), one per pair of participants

to introduce and practise phonemic symbols

to introduce the phonemic chart and its layout

to develop participants ability to read and and transcribe words

phonetically

Aims:

Procedure
1. Ask everyone to come to the board and each write one phonemic symbol they know
and a word containing the sound. If any participants dont know any phonemic
symbols or arent sure, they dont have to write anything on the board.
2. Elicit from the group:
the differences between sounds, letters of alphabet and morphemes (see Key
below)
what terms they know for describing sounds.
N.B. This stage is just to ascertain participants knowledge. Accept all answers at this
stage. These points will be dealt with during the session.
3. Point out that this session is about the phonemic script, which is tested in KAL
through teaching-related tasks. Candidates are not tested directly on their knowledge
of phonemic script.
4. Give out Participants Worksheet 1. In pairs or small groups, participants should
match the symbols on the chart with the words in the box. The sound they should
think about in each word is in bold. The first one is done as an example. If
participants are finding it difficult to do this, you could say the sound represented by
the symbols they dont know, for them to match with the correct word.
5.

Write 3 or 4 words in phonemic script on the board, e.g. /iz/; /njuz/; /klev/ and
ask participants to read the words. Give out Participants Worksheet 2, on which

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some words have been transcribed phonetically. Some of the transcriptions are
wrong. Participants work in 2s or small groups to identify whether the phonetic
transcriptions are right or wrong, and to correct any mistakes. Feed back with the
whole group (see Key below).
6. Participants now write, individually, any three words in handwriting. They swap their
words with a partner, who has to write their partners words using the phonemic
chart. Monitor or provide dictionaries for participants to check their answers.
7. Refer participants to Participants Worksheet 2 Exercise 2: Participants work
individually to complete the words, then compare their answers with a partner. Feed
back as necessary (see Key below). Optionally, extend the activity by asking
participants to write similar clues to pass on to one another.
8. Round up with the following game:
Each participant chooses one or two phonemic symbols
Participants mingle and write one phonemic symbol on anothers back. The
second participant must say three words containing that sound
Participants continue to mingle writing and saying the sounds.
If this game is not suitable for your group, it can be done in pairs with one participant
writing the symbol with their finger on the desk.
9. With the whole group, give out the Sample Task and discuss the following questions:

How might knowledge of phonemic symbols help the teacher in the

classroom? (They provide help in

using the phonemic chart

using a dictionary and helping students use them

highlighting problem sounds for students

becoming more aware of the sounds of English

designing worksheets on pronunciation.)

Would it be useful or not to teach your learners these symbols?
(Participants may have differing views on this. Invite a range of opinions and
arguments. TKT: KAL does not imply that these symbols must be taught to
students. Teachers should decide what is appropriate for their own students.)
10. Participants can complete the Sample Task in their own time (see Key below).

Additional information

Phonemic symbols might be tested in KAL in any of the teaching contexts outlined in
Step 9; i.e. they are tested in contexts that relate to teaching.

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See the TKT: KAL Sample Paper questions 2128 for an example task in which
phonemic symbols are used.
https://www.teachers.cambridgeesol.org/ts/teachingqualifications/kal

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TKT: KAL Part 2 Phonology: phonemic symbols answer keys

Key to Procedure steps
Step 2:

Sounds are made up of single units and each phonemic symbol represents one
sound.
Letters of the alphabet are the written means of representing sounds. They may
represent more than one sound, or may be combined to represent a sound.
Morphemes contain several sounds, and are the smallest meaningful units of
language. (For more on morphemes, see the activity TKT: KAL Part 1 Lexis:
Word formation.)
Sounds can be described in different ways, e.g. plosive, bilabial, consonant,
vowel, etc
Let participants know that TKT:KAL uses the IPA (International Phonetic
Alphabet), and covers US and UK pronunciations, as used in widely used course
books. It does not expect candidates to know the differences between US and
UK pronunciations, however.

Key to Participants Worksheet 1

i

see

pit

put

too

near

day

wet

ago

her

saw

pure

boy

low

cat

run

arm

hot

hair

my

how

pen

bee

ten

do

chin

general

key

go

fat

vat

thin

that

sun

zip

ship

measure

map

nose

hang

hat

led

red

wet

yet

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The vowels are in the top left, diphthongs in the top right. Consonants are in the bottom
three rows. The two top rows of consonants are arranged with unvoiced and voiced
pairs alongside one another.

Key to Participants Worksheet 2

Exercise 1
1. table /tebl/

2. handbag /hmbg/

4. fortunately /ftntl/

5. jumping /dmp/

3. dangerous
/dendrs/
6. thanks /ks/

7. university /junvst/

8. mother /m/

9. matched /mtt/

10. muddled /mdld/

11. careful /kefl/ (UK)

12. shampoo /mpu/

/kerfl/ (US)

13. pleasure /ple/

14. because /bkz/

15. women /wmn/

16. harmful /hmfl/ (UK)

17. mysterious

18. housewife /haswaf/

/hrmfl/ (US)

/mstris/ (UK)

/mstrs/ (US)

Exercise 2
1. /stsfa/ satisfy

2. / smha/ somehow

3. / lej/ layer

4. /bkt/ bucket

5. /natam/ nightime

6. / mgnfsnt/ magnificent

7. /klamt/ climate

8. / fmn/ fisherman

9. / mdrti/ majority

10. / bju:tfl/ beautiful

Key to Sample Task

1C

2B

3C

4A

5B

6A

7C

8C

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TKT: KAL Part 2 Phonology: phonemic symbols Participants

Worksheet 1
Put the words below into the correct box in the phonemic chart, according to the sound they
exemplify. The first one is done for you.

see

pit
wet
cat

run
hot
put
ago

see
arm
saw

too
her

day
my
boy
low

how
near
hair
pure

bee
do
fat
go

hat
yet
key
led
map

nose
pen
red
sun

ten
vat
wet
zip

general
hang
that
thin

ship
measure
chin

What, if any, categories of sounds do the six rows of the chart correspond to?

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TKT: KAL Part 2 Phonology: phonemic symbols Participants

Worksheet 2
Exercise 1
Look at the transcriptions of these words. Tick the correct ones and correct the ones which
are wrong.
1. table /tebl/

2. handbag /hmbg/

3. dangerous /dendrus/

4. fortunately /ftntli/

5. jumping /dmpng/

6. thanks /s/

7. university /junvst/

8. mother /m/

9. matched /mttt/

10. muddled /mdlt/

11. careful /kefl/ (UK)

12. shampoo /mpu/

/kerfl/ (US)

13. pleasure /plz/

16. harmful /hmfl/ (UK)

/hrmfl/ (US)

14. because /bkz/

15. women /wmn/

17. mysterious

18. housewife /hsewaf/

/mstris/ (UK)

/mstrs/ (US)

Exercise 2
Look at these transcriptions. What word do they transcribe? Write in the missing symbol.
Only one sound is missing in each case.
1.

/stsf -/

2. /s-mha/

3. /l-j/

4. /bk-t/

5. /n-tam/

6. /m-gnfsnt/

7. /klam-/

8. /f-mn/

9. /m-rti/

10. /bju:tf-l/

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TKT: KAL Part 2 Phonology: phonemic symbols Sample Task

A teacher is selecting words that would give her students practice of particular sounds they
have difficulty pronouncing.
For questions 1-8, choose the word listed A, B or C that would practise the sound(s) given.
1. //
A. foot

B. thought

C. stopped

2. / i:/
A. pillar

B. feeling

C. fighter

3. //
A. danger

B. mouth

C. breathing

4. //
A. machine

B. surprised

C. revise

5. /j/
A. jungle

B. youthful

C. untidy

6. /sk/
A. excuse

B. secure

C. misguided

7. //
A. ambitious

B. reasonable

C. confusion

8. / w/
A. outline

B. handwriting

C. whenever

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