Vowels Flashcards, test questions and answers

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What is Vowels?

Vowels are one of the most important and basic elements of a language. They are sounds which are produced without any obstruction to the air flow when it passes through our vocal tract. Vowels make up about fifty percent of all speech sounds in English, and they can be divided into two main groups: long vowels and short vowels. Long vowels are created by holding the tongue further back in the mouth than for short vowels, resulting in a longer sound that lasts longer. Short vowels on the other hand, involve very little movement of the tongue and therefore produce shorter sounds. The five vowel letters (a, e, i, o and u) each have both long and short versions which help differentiate between words – for example; ‘bait’ (short ai) versus ‘bate’ (long ay). It is also possible to combine more than one vowel letter together to create a diphthong this is where two or three distinct vowel sounds appear within one syllable such as ‘pie’. Different combinations of these consonants can bring out certain meanings from words for instance changing ‘mat’ from having an ‘a’ sound to having an ‘e’ sound changes its meaning from being something you put your feet on to being something you use your hands for. In addition to helping us distinguish between different types of words with similar spellings, using various vowel combinations can also affect how we pronounce them depending on whether they contain diphthongs or not – so learning how to correctly say these sequences is essential in order for us to communicate accurately with others. Furthermore, understanding how our mouths form different shapes when producing particular vowel-sounds helps us determine what language we’re speaking. Overall then it’s clear that mastering our knowledge of vowels is crucial if we want to effectively understand spoken languages as well as expressing ourselves clearly when communicating orally with others.