Diphthongs (Continued) – JSS1 English Lesson Note (Third Term)

A diphthong is a vowel sound made of two sounds said together in one syllable. The voice glides from the first sound to the second. English has eight diphthongs. This note revises all eight and gives practice in transcribing words that contain them.

Behavioural objectives

By the end of the lesson, students should be able to:

1. Define a diphthong.
2. Name the eight English diphthongs.
3. Give example words for each diphthong.
4. Transcribe words that contain diphthongs.

The eight diphthongs

The transcriptions follow British pronunciation.

Two groups of diphthongs

• Closing diphthongs glide towards /ɪ/ or /ʊ/: /eɪ/, /aɪ/, /ɔɪ/, /əʊ/ and /aʊ/.
• Centring diphthongs glide towards /ə/: /ɪə/, /eə/ and /ʊə/.

Evaluation

1. Transcribe the following words: rain, spoke, fight, cow, hear, spare, tour.
2. Name the diphthong in each word.

Assignment

1. Find five more words that contain diphthongs. Write each word with its transcription.

Answer guide for teachers

Some speakers say “tour” with the vowel /ɔː/ instead of /ʊə/. Check which form your school textbook uses.