Phonetics: Describing Vowels with Features 1.2

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This exercise will give you more practice at describing vowels in Standard English based on the features [high, mid, low], [front, central, back], and [tense/lax].

Note that this vowel chart is introductory and does not include essential information about vowel space necessary at a more advanced level.

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Question 1

Select the best description for the vowel [æ].

A	mid, central, lax Hint: [ʌ] is mid, central, lax. [æ] is low, front, lax.
B	low, front, lax
C	low, back, lax Hint: [a] is low, back, lax. [æ] is low, front, lax.

Question 2

Select the best description for the vowel [ʌ].

A	mid, central, lax
B	high, back, lax Hint: [ʊ] is back, high, lax. [ʌ] is mid, central, lax.
C	mid, back, tense Hint: [o] is mid, back, tense. [ʌ] is mid, central, lax.

Question 3

Select the best description for the vowel [u].

A	mid, back, tense Hint: [o] is mid, back, tense. [u] is high, back, tense.
B	high, back, lax Hint: [ʊ] is back, high, lax. [u] is high, back, tense.
C	high, back, tense

Question 4

Select the best description for the vowel [i].

A	front, high, lax Hint: [ɪ] is front, high, lax. [i] is front, high, tense.
B	front, mid, tense Hint: [e] is front, mid, tense. [i] is front, high, tense.
C	front, high, tense

Question 5

Select the best description for the vowel [ɔ].

A	mid, back, lax
B	mid, front, lax Hint: [ε] is mid, front, lax. [ɔ] is mid, back, lax.
C	mid, back, tense Hint: [o] is mid, back, tense. [ɔ] is mid, back, lax.

Question 6

Select the best description for the vowel [ɪ].

A	high, front, tense Hint: [i] is high, front, tense. [ɪ] is high, front, lax.
B	high, front, lax
C	mid, front, lax Hint: [ε] is mid, front lax. [ɪ] is high, front, lax.

Question 7

Select the best description for the vowel [ε].

A	mid, front, tense Hint: [e] is mid, front, tense. [ε] is mid, front, lax.
B	mid, back, tense Hint: [o] is mid, back, tense. [ε] is mid, front, lax.
C	mid, front, lax

Question 8

Select the best description for the vowel [ʊ].

A	high, front, tense Hint: [i] is high, front, tense. [ʊ] is high, back, lax.
B	high, back, tense Hint: [u] is high, back, tense. [ʊ] is high, back, lax.
C	high, back, lax

Question 9

Select the best description for the vowel [a].

A	mid, front, lax Hint: [ɛ] is mid, front, lax. [a] is low, back, lax.
B	low, front, lax Hint: [æ] is low, front, lax. [a] is low, back, lax.
C	low, back, lax

Question 10

Select the best description for the vowel [o].

A	mid, back, tense
B	high, back, lax Hint: [ʊ] is high, high, lax. [o] is mid, back, tense.
C	mid, back, lax Hint: [ɔ] is mid, back, lax. [o] is mid, back, tense.

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Phonetics: Describing Vowels with Features 1.2

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