Language analysis course: vowels

Multiple-choice exercise

ELT Concourse home
Choose the correct answer for each question.

  1. Which of these is not a minimal pair: then - than, sure - far, bought - boat?
    1.   sure - far
    2.   bought - boat
    3.   then - than
  2. How many vowel sounds are there in English?
    1.   26
    2.   24
    3.   21
    4.   20
  3. The vowel in the middle of fish 'n' chips is ...
    1.   /ɪ/
    2.   /ə/
    3.   /iː/
  4. You make a vowel by ...
    1.   ... letting the air flow freely
    2.   ... constricting the air flow
    3.   ... interrupting the air flow
  5. The difference between the vowel at the end of marry and the vowel at the end of free is ...
    1.   ... lip rounding
    2.   ... length
    3.   ... non-existent
  6. How many vowels are there in this word: cowering?
    1.   three
    2.   two
    3.   four
    4.   five