Introduction to Diphthongs – JSS1 English Lesson Note (Second Term)

A diphthong is a vowel that contains two sounds, with a glide from the first vowel to the second. The word ‘diphthong’ comes from a Greek word meaning ‘double sound’. A pure vowel contains only one sound. The diphthongs in this lesson are /eɪ/, /əʊ/, /aɪ/, /aʊ/, /ɔɪ/, /ɪə/, /eə/ and /ʊə/.

Behavioural objectives

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

• explain what a diphthong is;
• say what the word ‘diphthong’ means and where it comes from;
• state the difference between a pure vowel and a diphthong;
• give an example word for each of the eight diphthongs listed.

What is a diphthong?

The word ‘diphthong’ is from a Greek word, which means double sound. Diphthongs are also vowels. The difference is that while a pure vowel contains only one sound, a diphthong contains two sounds with a glide from the first vowel to the second.

What are the diphthongs and their examples?

Evaluation

Diphthongs can be divided into two groups, namely centring diphthongs and closing diphthongs. Classify the diphthongs above into these two groups.