Appunti English Language 1

MINIMAL PAIRS DIFFERENT SOUNDS MINIMAL PAIRS DIFFERENT SOUNDS

sit - seat /ɪ/ /i:/ desk - disk /e/ /ɪ/

wet - wait /e/ /eɪ/ bat - but /æ/ /ʌ/

so - saw /əʊ/ /ɔ:/ not - note /ɒ/ /əʊ/

bad - bed /æ/ /e/ fast - first /ɑ:/ /ɜ:/

had - hard /æ/ /ɑ:/ know - now /əʊ/ /aʊ/

got - caught /ɒ/ /ɔ:/ berry - very​ /b/ /v/

buy - pie /b/ /p/ thin - thing /n/ /ŋ/

alive - arrive /l/ /r/ catch - cat /ʧ/ /t/

sea - she /s/ /ʃ/ fan - van​ /f/ /v/

fat - hat /f/ /h/ free - three /f/ /θ/

sink - think /s/ /θ/ with - whizz /ð/ /z/

page - pays /ʤ/ /z/ bad - badge /d/ /ʤ/

coffee - copy /f/ /p/ cheap - jeep​ /tʃ/ /dʒ/

chair - share /tʃ/ /ʃ/ day - they /d/ /ð/

tree - three​ /t/ /θ/ fast - past​ /f/​ /p/

came - game​ /k/ /g/ two - do​ /t/ /d/

vow - wow​ /v/ /w/ gate - weight​ /g/ /w/

hat - rat​ /h/​ /r/ rich - which​ /r/​ /w/

back - bag /k/ /g/ am - an /m/ /n/

hat - had​ /t/ /d/ bus - buzz​ /s/​ /z/ 13

But the real horror among spiders was more likely to be encountered in the lavatory itself. This was the

→

redback. The redback is mainly black with a scarlet stripe where its spine would be if it were a vertebrate.

https://quizlet.com/it/895871732/personal-questions-flash-cards/?i=2aas6&x=1jqt

20.03.25- Lezione 10

Further Practice in Recognising and Reading Phonetic Transcriptions

1) Write the following texts out in General English:

1.​ haʊ wəd jʊ laɪk tə nəʊ mɔːr əˈbaʊt fəˈnɛtɪks?

2.​ pəˈhæps ði aɪˈdɪəˈtɛrɪfaɪz jʊ pəˈhæps jʊ əˈfæsɪneɪtɪd baɪ ðɪs wɜːld əv saʊndz.

ɔː

3.​ keɪs, jʊ ər ə jʊ wɪl suːn siː haʊ haʊ tə saʊndz ənd ðə weɪ ðeɪ

ɪnˈɛni ɪf ˈlæŋgwɪʤ ˈlɜːnə ˈnəʊɪŋ ˈrɛkəgnaɪz

wɪð iːʧˈʌðə meɪ hɛlp jʊ wɛn jʊ həv tə prəˈnaʊns

ˈkɒmbaɪn ˈɪŋglɪʃ.

4.​ jʊ meɪ faɪnd aʊt ðət kən bi fʌn!

ˈiːvən ɪt

1) How would you like to know more about phonetics?

2) Perhaps the idea terrifies you or perhaps you are fascinated by this world of sounds.

3) In any case, if you are a language learner you will soon see how knowing how to recognize sounds and the way

they combine with each other may help you when you have to pronounce English.

4) You may even find out that it can be fun!

2) Write the transcription of this letter/email out in General English.

dɪə fəˈnɛtɪk trænsˈkrɪpʃən tiːm,

ˈsɒftweə

aɪd bi ə wi tɔːkt əˈbaʊt

ˈvɛri ˈɪntrɪstɪd ɪn ˈpɜːʧəsɪŋ ˈsɒftweə ɪn ˈaʊə ˈriːsnt ˈiːmeɪl

eksˈʧeɪnʤ, wɪð fə maɪ əʊn juːz ənd fə ðə juːz əv maɪ

ˈmʌltɪpl ˈlaɪsənsɪz ˈstjuːdənts

dɪˈpɑːtmənt ət vəˈrəʊnə

ɪn ˈaʊə ˌjuːnɪˈvɜːsɪti.

aɪ həv ðə ənd aɪd bi jʊ kəd sɛnd mi ðə

ˌdaʊnˈləʊdɪd ˈwɪndəʊz ˈvɜːʃən ˈgreɪtfʊl ɪf ˈfɜː

əz suːn əz

ˈdiːteɪlz ˈpɒsəbl.

jʊ ədˈvɑːns fə jə hɛlp

ˈθæŋkɪŋ ɪn

ðə bɛst,

ɔːl smɪθ

ˈsuːz(ə)n

Dear Phonetic Transcription Software team,

I'd be very interested in purchasing the software we talked about in our recent email exchange, with multiple

licenses for my own use and for the use of my students in our department at Verona University.

I have downloaded the Windows version and I'd be grateful if you could send me

further details as soon as possible.

Thanking you in advance for your help

All the best,

Susan Smith

3) Now transcribe the following questions into phonetic script:

1.​ What time are you thinking of leaving tomorrow?

2.​ When does the train get in?

3.​ Why didn’t you answer my mail. Yesterday? 14

4.​ How long did it take you to get to the university this morning?

5.​ Did you stop and have breakfast along the way?

6.​ Have you seen the news this morning?

7.​ Where are you staying at the moment, in Verona?

8.​ What would you like to do this weekend?

9.​ What kind of job would you like to do in the future when you finish your studies?

10.​ What would you have done if you hadn’t decided to come to university?

1) wɒt taɪm ə jʊ əv təˈmɒrəʊ?

ˈθɪŋkɪŋ ˈliːvɪŋ

2) wɛn dəz ðə treɪn gɛt ɪn?

3) waɪ dɪdnt jʊ maɪ meɪl.

ˈɑːnsə ˈjɛstədeɪ?

4) haʊ lɒŋ dɪd teɪk jʊ tə gɛt tə ðə ðɪs

ɪt ˌjuːnɪˈvɜːsɪti ˈmɔːnɪŋ?

5) dɪd jʊ stɒp ənd həv əˈlɒŋ ðə weɪ?

ˈbrɛkfəst

6) həv jʊ siːn ðə njuːz ðɪs ˈmɔːnɪŋ?

7) weər ə jʊ ət ðə vəˈrəʊnə?

ˈsteɪɪŋ ˈməʊmənt, ɪn

8) wɒt wəd jʊ laɪk tə dʊ ðɪs ˈwiːkˈɛnd?

9) wɒt kaɪnd əv wəd jʊ laɪk tə dʊ ðə wɛn jʊ jə

ʤɒb ɪn ˈfjuːʧə ˈfɪnɪʃ ˈstʌdiz?

10) wɒt wəd jʊ həv dʌn jʊ dɪˈsaɪdɪd tə kʌm tə

ɪf ˈhædnt ˌjuːnɪˈvɜːsɪti?

24.03.25- Lezione 11

1)​ Classify each word according to its vowel sound:

start, clock, bath, rock, park, caught, more, car, love, draw, bus, pot, fun, dog, law, door, luck, cup, hot, father

/ɒ/ (on) /ɔː/ (door) /ɑː/ (far) /ʌ/ (up)

clock caught start love

rock more park bus

pot draw bath fun

dog law car luck

hot door father cup

2)​ Identify the schwa (ə) in the following sentences:

1.​ Can you afford a new phone? →/kən jʊ ə'fɔːd ə njuː fəʊn?/

​ ​ ​

2.​ That's an amazing idea!​ →/ðæts ən 'meɪzɪŋ aɪ'dɪə/

​ ​ ​

3.​ I need a banana for my smoothie​ →/aɪ niːd ə bə'nænə fə maɪ 'smuːði/

​ ​

4.​ The teacher gave us an assignment today​​ →/ðə 'tiːtʃə geiv əs ə'saɪnmənt tə'deɪ/

5.​ He's an official representative​ →/hiːz ən ə'fɪʃəl rɛprɪ'zɛntətɪv/

​ ​

6.​ We should meet at the cinema around seven​ →/wi ʃəd mi:t ət ðə 'sɪnəmə ə'raʊnd 'svən/

7.​ I saw an elephant at the zoo​ →/aɪ sɔ: ən 'ɛləfənt æt ðə zu:/

​ ​

8.​ The computer is on the table​ ​ ​ →/ðə kəmˈpjuːtə ɪz ɒn ðə ˈteɪbəl/

9.​ She's got an exam next week​ →/ʃiːz ɡɒt ən ɪɡˈzæm nɛkst wiːk//

​ ​

10.​ I'll bring an umbrella if it rains​ ​ ​ →/aɪl brɪŋ ən ʌmˈbrɛlə ɪf ɪt reɪnz/

! The schwa comes in unstressed syllables(?), and when looking at sentences the preposition and articles are

usually pronounced with the schwa.

English Language 1 Exam Simulation 1 (50 possible points)

Part One

Section A) Write the following words in phonetic script. Sometimes two pronunciation patterns are

possible (1 point for each):

a) Salmon​ /sɑː’mɒn/ (sbagliato)→/’sæmən/

​ ​

b) Chocolate ​ ​ ​ /ʧɔ:kɒleɪt/​ ​ /ˈʧɒkəlɪt/ or /ˈʧɒkələt/

c) Cupboard /Kʌpb?/​ ​ /ˈkʌbəd/ or /ˈkʌbʌd/

​ ​ ​

d) Economical /ɪkɒnəmi:cəl/​ ​ /ekəˈnɒmɪkəl/ or /ˌiːkəˈnɒmɪkəl/

​ ​ 15

e) February /Febrʊʌrɪ/​ ​ /ˈfɛbrʊəri/ or /ˈfɛbjʊəri/

​ ​ ​

f) Woman /Wɒmɑ:n/​ ​ /ˈwʊmən/

​ ​ ​

g) Leave​ /Li:v/​

​ ​ ​

h) Peace​ /Pi:s/

​ ​

Now write these two questions in phonetic script (4 points for each one):

-Where do you come from?

/weə duː juː kʌm frɒm/ or /weə djuː kʌm frɒm/

-What did you do yesterday after class?

/wɒt dɪʤu:duː klɑːs/

ˈjɛstədeɪ ˈɑːftə

-What would you like to have for dinner?

/wɒt wʊd juː laɪk tə hæv fə ˈdɪnə/

-Where have you been all day?

/weə həv juː biːn deɪ/

ɔːl

Section B) Write out the following text (2 points for each one) :

A. / aɪ lɪv ən əˈpɑːtmənt/

ɪn

I live in an apartment

B. /aɪ hæd fɔː lʌnʧ təˈdeɪ/

ˈpiːtsə

I had pizza for lunch today

C. /wɒt taɪm dɪd juː weɪk ðɪs

ʌp, ˈmɔːnɪŋ/

What time did you wake up this morning

D. /aɪ sɔː ən fɪlm lɑːst naɪt/

ˈɪntrɪstɪŋ ɒn ˌtiːˈviː

I saw an interesting film on TV last night

E. /ðeə wɜː bʌt nəʊ

θriː ʃɒps ˈəʊpən ˈrɛstrɒnts/

There were three shops open but no restaurants

F. /hiː lʌvz ˈʧɒkəlɪt ˈaɪsˈkriːm/

He loves chocolate ice cream

G. /ɪt wɒz ə greɪt deɪ/

It was a great day

H. /ðə leɪk ə pleɪstuːrɪˈlæks/

ɪz ˈwʌndəfʊl

The lake is a wonderful ?? to relax

→place

Part Two

Section A) Identify the orthographical anomalies in the following words (1 point each):

Listen​ t

→silent

​

Cute​ /j/ sound

→extra

​

Pneumonia​ initial P

→silent

Sign​ mid position G

→silent

​

Bomb​ final B

→silent

​

Section B) Identify the word in each group which is different from the others because of one sound (1

point each): 16

go, throw, cow, low →cow

​ ​ ​ ​

through, ought, brought, bought​ →through

​

seat, scream, heavy, sea​ →heavy

​ ​

hard, warm, garden, dark​ →warm

​ ​

soon, flood, cool, moon​ →flood

​ ​

27.03.25- Lezione 12

Esercizio

: write in phonetics these questions

1.​ How old are you?

x /Hə? ju:/ /haʊ əʊld ju:?/

→

ɒld ɑ:r ɑ:

american accent

or /haʊ əʊld ə ju:?/

or /həʊ əʊld ə jə?/

2.​ Do you have siblings?

x /Dʊ ju: hev sɪblɪngs?/ /Du: ju: hæv ‘sɪbliɪŋz?/

→

x /Dʊʤu: həv sɪblɪngs?/

or /dju: hæv ‘sɪbliɪŋz?/

or /də jʊ hæv …/

or /də jə … …/

or /ʤə həv … …/

3.​ What’s your favourite food?

/wɒts jɔ: fəvʊərɪt fu:d?/ /wɒts jɔ: feɪvərɪt fu:d?/

→

/wɒts jɒʊ feɪvɒ​

r /

ɪt

or /wɒts jə …/

or /w/

4.​ What do you do in your free time?

/wɒt dʊ ju: du: jɔ: fri: taɪm?/

ɪn

/wɒt du: …/

ʤu:

or /wɒt du: ju …/

or /wɒt də jə du: …/

or /wɒʧə du: …/

ARTICULATING SOUNDS

Speech production

Articulatory phonetics: study of how we produce speech sounds.

Speech production involves 3 processes:

1.​ Initiation→ creation of a pulmonic egressive airstream in the vocal tract(initiated by the lungs)

2.​ Phonation→ vibration of the vocal chords (voicing)

3.​ Articulation→ obstruction of the airstream by the articulators

Voiceless/voiced consonants

Consonants are sounds in which the air is partly

blocked by the lips, tongue, teeth etc.

p → voiceless

b → voiced 17

Organs of speech

-​ Lips - Nasal Cavity

​ ​ ​