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Module 2-1

The document covers various aspects of communicative English, including phonetics, pronunciation rules, stress, and intonation patterns. It provides detailed explanations of vowel and consonant sounds, spelling rules, and includes a question bank for assessment. Additionally, it highlights the importance of correct pronunciation and intonation in effective communication.

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g.saranteja2006
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© © All Rights Reserved
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0% found this document useful (0 votes)
10 views

Module 2-1

The document covers various aspects of communicative English, including phonetics, pronunciation rules, stress, and intonation patterns. It provides detailed explanations of vowel and consonant sounds, spelling rules, and includes a question bank for assessment. Additionally, it highlights the importance of correct pronunciation and intonation in effective communication.

Uploaded by

g.saranteja2006
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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57. Functions of communication – (which of the following is not).

A. to share B. to agree or disagree C. to inform D. to argue only


58. Oral communication is different from written communication as it is
A. spoken and structured B. spoken and transitory
C. transmitting medium D. spoken and consuming

Course: Communicative English Notes – Module 2 Code: 22EGH16

Phonetics: The study of actual sounds that make up the words of a language.
- There are 44 sounds in English language.
- A phonemic chart gives different sounds shown with different symbols.
- The sounds are classified as vowels and consonants.
- vowels are classified as monothongs and diphthongs.
- consonants are classified as voiced and unvoiced sounds.

Vowels – The are speech sounds produced by humans when the breath flows out of the mouth without being
blocked by teeth, tongue or lips.

Voiced sounds – They make a vibration in the vocal cords.

Accent: A distinct emphasis given to a syllable or word in speech by stress or pitch.

A distinct way of pronouncing a language, especially one associated with a particular country or area.

1 Pronunciation
Sounds like: pruh-nun-see-AYE-shun

2 Cupboard
Sounds like: cuh-bud

3 Epitome
Sounds like: eh-PIT-oh-mee
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4 Salmon/almond
Sounds like: SAM-un, ARM-und

5 Library/February
Sounds like: lye-bruh-ree, feb-roo-air-ree

6 Definitely
Sounds like: DEF-in-ut-lee

7 Ask
Sounds like: arrsk

8 Wednesday
Sounds like: WENZ-day

9 Stomach
Sounds like: STU-muk

10 Clothes
Sounds like: clohthz

11 Especially/escape/espresso
Sounds like : es-PESH-ul-lee/es-CAYP/es-PRES-so

12 Probably
Sounds like: PROB-ub-blee

13 Yolk
Sounds like: yohk

14 Desert/ dessert
● desert (to leave someone or something and no longer help them) dizz-URT
● dessert (a sweet dish at the end of a meal) dizz-URT

15 Women
Sounds like: WI-min

16 Southern
Sounds like: SUTH-un

17 Iron
Sounds like: EYE-un

18 Specific
Sounds like: speh-SI-fik

19 Sixth
Sounds like: siksth

20 Crowd/cloud
Sounds like: k-Rowd/k-Lowd
Rules for pronouncing vowels

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1) A Vowel is followed by a Consonant at the end of a word is pronounced as a short vowel. It means when
a word or syllable ends with a consonant and there is only one vowel, the sound made is of a short vowel.
Examples: bed, mat, lot, cat, fish

2) When a word ends with the vowel “e”, then it remains silent while pronouncing the word (do not read out
loud), and the vowel that comes before it, is a long vowel.
Examples: fake, bake, file, make, rope

3) When two vowels appear next to each other in a Syllable, the second vowel is generally short and the
first vowel is pronounced as a long vowel.
Examples: boat, beat, leaf, pain, grow, true, beat, train, load

4) If a Vowel is followed by two Consonants at the end of a word, it is pronounced as a short vowel.
Examples – bark, want, hand, wish

5) When a Vowel is a final letter in a Word (comes last), it is pronounced as a Long Vowel.
Examples – pi, go, be, he

Rules for pronouncing consonants

The letter "g" comes close to following a phonics rule similar to the one for the letter "c." For example, it is
always pronounced /g/ unless it is followed by an "e," "i" or "y." Thus, we have game, got, and gum, as well
as glad, grand, and rugby. And, as with the "Rule of c," it's true that the letter "g" makes the /j/ sound only
when followed by "e," "i" or "y,." Unfortunately, however, you can’t be certain that it will be pronounced /j/.
In some such cases "g" still makes the /g/ sound.

The letter c represents /s/ before the letters e, i or y; otherwise it represents /c/.

At the beginning of words, 'th' is nearly always unvoiced: thick, theory. Exceptions the very common
'function words': the, this/that, these/those, then, there (and therefore), they/them/their and the older
thou/thee/thy/thine, thence, thenceforth.

At the end of words, 'th' is also unvoiced, except when it's followed by a silent -e. Bath (unvoiced); bathe
(voiced).

Between two vowels, 'th' is normally voiced: feather, rather. Exceptions: inflected forms of words ending in
unvoiced 'th'. So bathing < bath has unvoiced 'th'; bathing < bathe has voiced 'th'.

Spelling Rules

1. "i before e except after c" rule


believe - receive

2. Changing -y to -ies or -s
When the word ends in a vowel + y just add ‘s’
key → keys
delay → delays
trolley → trolleys

If the word has a consonant before the ‘y’:


take off the ‘y’ and add ‘ies’
baby → babies

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company → companies
difficulty → difficulties

3. Adding -es to words ending in -s, -ss, -z -ch -sh -x


This was added centuries ago to stop the plural 's' clashing with these letters and it softens the 's' sound to a
'z' sound
bus → buses business → watch → watches quiz → quizzes
businesses box → boxes

4. 1:1:1 doubling up rule


put - putting, big-bigger, quiz - quizzes, swim - swimming...

When a word has one syllable + 1 vowel next to 1 consonant we double up the final consonant with a vowel
suffix:
sit - sitter, big - biggest, tap - tapping, shop - shopper/shopping, fat - fatten, fattening, fatter, fattest...

This happens in longer words when the stress is on the final syllable:
begin (beGIN) - beginner, beginning
refer (reFER) - referring, referred
occur (ocCUR) - occurring, occurred, occurrence

5. Drop the ‘e’ rule


We usually drop the final silent "e" when we add vowel suffix endings, for example:

write + ing → writing

We keep the 'e' if the word ends in –CE or –GE to keep a soft sound, with able/ous
courage + ous = courageous
notice + able = noticeable

6. Changing the -y to -i when adding suffix endings.

beauty + ful → beauti+ful = beautiful, beautify, beautician


happy + ness = - happiness, happily, happier, happiest

7. -f to -ves or -s

Most words ending in "-f" or "-fe" change their plurals to "-ves"

calf - calves leaf - leaves wife - wives yourself - yourselves


half - halves loaf - loaves shelf - shelves
knife - knives life - lives thief - thieves

Words ending in -ff you just add -s to make the plural.


cliff - cliffs toff - toffs scuff - scuffs sniff - sniffs

Some words ending in -f add -s:


Nouns which end in two vowels plus -f usually form plurals in the normal way, with just an -s
chief - chiefs roof - roofs oaf - oafs
spoof - spoofs chief - chiefs
EXCEPTIONS: thief - thieves, leaf - leaves

8. Words ending in -ful

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The suffix –ful is always spelt with one L, for example:

grate + ful = grateful faith + ful = faithful


beautiful (notice the -y becomes -i)
9. Adding -ly

When we add -ly to words ending in -ful then we have double letters
gratefully faithfully hopefully

10. When we add "all" to the beginning of words we drop the l


all + so = also although almighty
all + most = almost always already

Stress Shift

While pronunciation is important, sometimes it’s just as important to get the word stress correct . English
words always have one part (syllable) that is stressed more strongly than others, this is called the primary
stress. Correct primary stress helps the listener to understand your speech.

If you slightly mispronounce a word, but the primary stress is correct, you can often communicate it’s
meaning. So, stress is important, especially for words you use often.

Intonation

Intonation is primarily a matter of variation in the pitch of the voice. In such languages as English, it is often
accompanied by stress and rhythm to produce meaning.

Purpose of intonation

It allows the speaker to convey emotions and attitudes in speech, such as finality, joy, sadness, etc.
Intonation also allows the speaker to stress certain words. In addition, intonation can help the speaker
convey the grammar of the spoken words by pausing at certain points, for example, or by raising the voice to
ask a question. In addition, intonation can help the speaker convey what he or she expects of the listener(s)
in discourse by, for example, seeming to ask a question or by conveying when something is new information
in contrast to information the listener already knows.

Patterns of intonation

1) Falling intonation is the most common intonation pattern in English.


It is commonly found in statements, commands, wh-questions (information questions),
confirmatory question tags and exclamations.

Statements
Nice to meet ➘ you. I’ll be back in a ➘ minute.

Commands
Write your name ➘ here. Show me what you’ve ➘ written.

Wh- questions (requesting information.)


What country do you come ➘ from? Which of them do you ➘ prefer?

Exclamations
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How nice of ➘ you! That's just what I ➘ need!

2) Rising Intonation (➚)


(The pitch of the voice rises at the end of a sentence.)
Rising intonation invites the speaker to continue talking.
It is normally used with yes/no questions, and question tags that are real questions.

Yes/no Questions
Have you finished ➚ already? May I borrow your ➚ dictionary?

Questions tags that show uncertainty and require an answer (real questions).
We've met already, ➚ haven't we? You like fish, ➚ don't you?

3) Rise-Fall Intonation (➚➘)


(The intonation rises and then falls.)
We use rise-fall intonation for choices, lists, unfinished thoughts and conditional sentences.

Choices (alternative questions.)


Are you having ➚ soup or ➘ salad?
Is John leaving on ➚ Thursday or ➘ Friday?

Lists (rising, rising, rising, falling)


Intonation falls on the last item to show that the list is finished.
We've got ➚ apples, pears, bananas and ➘ oranges

The speaker hesitates to fully express his/her thoughts.


Do you like my new handbag? Well the ➚ leather is ➘ nice... ( but I don't like it.)

Question Bank for module 2

1. Transcription of the word “knight”


A. /nait/ B. /naith/ C. /knight/ D. /nat/
2. There are 12 _________ sounds in English.
A. vowels B. pure vowels C. consonants D. sounds
3. How many sounds are there in English?
A. 26 B. 12 C. 44 D. 21
4. Chest and cheese - “ch” is pronounced as ________
A. /k/ B. /ch/ C. /che/ D. / t ʃ/
5. Silent letter in “Fasten” is
A. s B. t C. a D. n
6. Division of the syllable of “sudden”.
A. sudden B. sudde-n C. su-dden D. sud-den
7. How many Diphthong sounds are there in English?
A. 5 B. 8 C. 21 D. 24
8. Transcription of the word “Tomb”.
A. /tom/ B. /tob/ C. /tum/ D. /tu:m/
9. Silent letter in the word “Plumber”
A. r B. m C. b D. e
10. How many consonant sounds are there in English?
A. 21 B. 5 C. 24 D. 26
11. Which of the following is called an aspiration?
A. actual song B. forceful release of air C. writing D. speaking

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12. According to phonetics method, the unit of a word is _______
A. sentence B. word C. sound D. letters
13. Which of the following has /:i/ sound_______
A. car B. seat C. fit D. books
14. The word “Doctor” has _______ syllable.
A. two syllable with one stress B. two syllable with stress on both
C. two syllable with stress on first D. two syllable with stress on second
15. I ______ now London very well. (Find out the missing letter)
A. now B. know C. knew D. known
16. People read ________salms and sing hymns in church.
A. phsalms B. psalms C. sslams D. pisalms
17. Which of the following spellings is correct?
A. acknowlegment B. acknowledgement C. acknowlegment D. acknowledgement
Find the correctly spelt word:
A. schedule B. skhedule C. schedeule D. schdule
Find the correctly spelt word:
A. Accommodetion B. Accommodation C. Acommodation D. Akcomodation
Find the correctly spelt word:
A. vetarinary B. veterniarry C. vetranary D. veterinary
Find the correctly spelt word:
A. Occasion B. Occassion C. Ocasion D. Ocassion
18. Diphthong is a
A. pure vowel sound B. pure consonant sound
C. vowel glides or mixes vowel sound D. none of the above
19. Phonetics deals with the study of _______
A. grammar B. literature C. speech sounds D. writing skills
20. How many speech sounds do we have in English language?
A. 26 B. 36 C. 24 D. 44
21. Which of the following has a / θ / sound?
A. The B. This C. Think D. That
22. The word “eye” has how many speech sounds?
A. one B. two C. three D. four
23. The word “Mingle” has ______ syllables.
A. one B. two C. three D. four
24. Select the silent letter in “yatch”
A. t B. ch C. a D. ht
25. Select the silent letter in “thought”
A. ou B. gh C. t D. ugh
26. Select the silent letter in “fasten”
A. t B. s C. te D. st
27. Select the silent letter in “Honest”
A. o B. H C. on D. e
28. Select the silent letter in “parliament”
A. ia B. i C. nt D. lia
29. Which of the following has /ei/ sound?
A. about B. date C. boy D. cow
30. Which of the following has /dʒ/ sound?
A. choose B. horse C. just D. bush
31. Which of the following has / t ʃ/ sound?
A. choose B. chemistry C. character D. cat
32. Select the correctly spelt / stressed word: Computer
A. compuT´er B. comP´uter C. ´Computer D. com´PUter
33. Select the correctly spelt / stressed word: Behave

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A. beha´Ve B. ´Behave C. Be´HAVe D. be´HAve
34. Select the correctly spelt / stressed word: Address
A. ´Address B. Ad´Dress C. Add´Ress D. Addre´ss

35. Select the correctly spelt / stressed word: Electrician


A. ´Electrician B. Ele´Ctrician C. Elec´Trician D. ´Electri´cian
36. Select the correct or preferred spelling:
A. acknowledgment B. acknowledgmnt C. acknowledgement D. aknowledgement
37. Select the correct spelling.
A. Surveillance B. Sarveillance C. Servellance D. Survaillance
38. Select the correct spelling.
A. athenticity B. authensity C. authentisity D. authenticity
39. Select the correct spelling
A. soldjar B. soldier C. soldger D. soldear
40 IPA stands for ______.
A. International Phoneme Association B. International Phonetic Alphabet
C. International Phonemic Assembly D. International Phonetical Association
41. RP is called ________
A. Received Pronunciation B. Retotaled Pronunciation
C. Received Pages D. Received Products
42. Which of the following has / eɪ/ sound?
A. nice B. spoil C. mail D. chair
43. Select the missing letter: Reading is easier than ______riting.
A. ing B. r C. w D. ng
44. Select the missing letter: I always ___rap up warm in winter.
A. a B. s C. g D. w
45. Select the missing letter: Did you see the mangled ____reck?
A. wr B. ek C. s D. n
46. Which of the following has / ə / sound?
A. but B. am C. about D. aunt
47. Select the correctly spelt / stressed word: I want to be a photographer.
A. PHO-to-graPH-er B. PHO-to-graph-er C. pho-TO-graph-er D. pho-TO-Graph-er
48. How do you pronounce this word?
A. PRO-nOUnce B. pro-NOUnce C. pro-NOUNCE D. PRO-nounce
49. Select the correctly spelt / stressed word: We had a really interesting conversation.
A. con-ver-SA-tion B. con-VER-SA-tion C. con-VER-sa-tion D. con-VeR-sa-tion
50. Select the correctly spelt / stressed word: It is easy to understand.
A. un-der-STAND B. UN-der-stand C. un-DER-stand D. UN-der-STAND
51. Select the correctly spelt / stressed word: It is very important.
A. IM-por-tant B. im-POR-tant C. im-por-TANT D. im-POR-tant
52. Select the correctly spelt / stressed word: Send a photograph to the company.
A. pho-TO-graph B. pho-to-GRAPH C. PHO-to-graph D. PHO-to-GRAPH
53. Select the correctly spelt / stressed word: Say ‘no’ to plastic.
A. PLAS-tic B. plAS-tic C. plas-TIC D. none of the above
54. Select the correctly spelt / stressed word: Sometimes we need to decide carefully.
A. DE-cide B. DE-CIDE C. de-CIDE D. de-cide
55. The silent letter in the word COM__.
A. D B. F C. E D. B
56. The silent letter in the word __NEUMONIA.
A. P B. CH C. GH D. PH
57. The federal government sometime doesn’t investigate the conduct of the __histle blower.
A. whistle B. hastle C. castle D. dazzle
58. Tagore returned the __nighthood which was conferred on him.

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