Pretest on IPA (Vowel and Consonant Sounds)

A. Choose the letter of the correct answer.

1. Which of the following is the most common sound in English?
A. ə B. ɛ C. ɑ D. i
2. Which of the following is a voiceless consonant sound?
A. v B. z C. b. D. p
3. Which of the following words has more than one long vowel sound?
A. speaking B. confide C. betray D. differ
4. The [u] in "mood" sounds most like the vowel sound in which word?
A. good B. should C. woman D. grew
5. Which of the following words has [ᴐ] sound?
A. broad B. oboe C. modal D. farm
6. Which of the following has the [ə] sound?
A. command B. camera C. caution D. coma
7. Which of the following word has the [æ] sound?
A. lake B. cabinet C. ache D. breath
8. Which of the following words has the same vowel sound as the word heel?
A. evict B. skied C. been D. benefit
9. Which is the correct translation of the IPA spelling kIŋ?
A. kin B. king C. keen D. kine
10. Which of the following words has a different vowel sound?
A. owe B. howl C. hole D. whole
11. Which word is pronounced with your lips rounded?
A. beat B. nurse C. ooze D. again
12. Which word is the correct translation of the IPA spelling klæm?
A. claim B. clam C. climb D. clean
13. The following words have /eI/ sound EXCEPT:
A. fade B. maid C. gauge D. feisty
14. The following words have voiced th sound EXCEPT:
A. bath B. bathe C. clothes D. breathe
15. Which of the following pairs has the same underlined sound?
A. bushes-catches B. cages-coughs C. arrives – sits D. jumps- sings

B. Write the letter of the word with a different underlined sound from the group.
16. A. measure B. pressure C. leisure D. closure
17. A. chapter B. charade C. cheap D. chuckle
18. A. thigh B. thaw C. though D. theme
19. A. guess B. goal C. original D. magnet
20. A. judged B. signed C. called D. matched
21. A. cars B. boats C. fees D. pays
22. A. ostrich B. cliché C. chef D. champagne
 23. A. panther B. rather C. gather D. leather
24. A. browse B. rose C. please D. pulse
25. A. genre B. sabotage C. charge D. entourage

Answer key:

1. A
2. d
3. C
4. D
5. A
6. A.
7. B.
8. B.
9. B.
10. B.
11. C.
12. B.
13. D.
14. A.
15. A.

16. B.
17. B.
18. C.
19. C.
20. D.
21. B.
22. A.
23. A.
24. D.
25. C.