English Phonetics and Phonology – Vowels, Consonants and Diphthongs MCQ Quiz

English Phonetics and Phonology – Vowels, Consonants and Diphthongs – Exam-Based MCQs

1. Phonetics is primarily concerned with: (UGC NET 2016)

A) Meaning of words in context

B) Sound system and articulation of speech sounds

C) Word formation

D) Sentence structure

Ans: B) Sound system and articulation of speech sounds

2. Phonology is the study of: (PGTRB 2018)

A) Actual physical sounds

B) Grammar rules

C) Systematic organization and patterning of sounds in a language

D) Handwriting

Ans: C) Systematic organization and patterning of sounds in a language

3. A phoneme is best defined as: (SET 2019)

A) The smallest unit of grammar

B) The smallest distinctive unit of sound

C) The smallest meaning-bearing unit

D) The smallest unit of writing

Ans: B) The smallest distinctive unit of sound

4. In Received Pronunciation (RP), how many vowel phonemes are usually recognized? (UGC NET 2017)

A) 12

B) 20

C) 44

D) 24

Ans: B) 20

5. How many consonant phonemes are there in standard British English? (PGTRB 2019)

A) 20

B) 24

C) 12

D) 14

Ans: B) 24

6. The total number of phonemes (vowels + consonants) in RP is usually given as: (SET 2018)

A) 20

B) 24

C) 44

D) 52

Ans: C) 44

7. A vowel is produced: (UGC NET 2015)

A) With complete closure in the vocal tract

B) With some obstruction of the airstream

C) Without any significant obstruction of the airstream

D) Only through the nose

Ans: C) Without any significant obstruction of the airstream

8. A consonant is typically produced: (PGTRB 2020)

A) With no obstruction to airflow

B) With partial or complete obstruction in the vocal tract

C) Only by the vocal cords

D) Only with nasal airflow

Ans: B) With partial or complete obstruction in the vocal tract

9. Which of the following is a front close vowel in RP? (SET 2017)

A) /ɑː/

B) /iː/

C) /ɒ/

D) /uː/

Ans: B) /iː/

10. Which of the following is a back open vowel? (UGC NET 2018)

A) /iː/

B) /e/

C) /ɑː/

D) /ɪ/

Ans: C) /ɑː/

11. Which of the following is a central vowel? (PGTRB 2021)

A) /iː/

B) /uː/

C) /ə/

D) /ɒ/

Ans: C) /ə/

12. The “schwa” /ə/ in English is: (SET 2016)

A) A long front vowel

B) A short central mid vowel

C) A diphthong

D) A back rounded vowel

Ans: B) A short central mid vowel

13. The sound /ɪ/ as in “sit” is classified as: (UGC NET 2019)

A) Front close vowel

B) Front close-mid vowel

C) Front close-lax vowel

D) Back open vowel

Ans: C) Front close-lax vowel

14. The sound /e/ as in “get” is a: (PGTRB 2018)

A) Front mid vowel

B) Back open vowel

C) Central vowel

D) Back mid vowel

Ans: A) Front mid vowel

15. The sound /uː/ as in “food” is a: (SET 2018)

A) Front close vowel

B) Central vowel

C) Back close rounded vowel

D) Back open vowel

Ans: C) Back close rounded vowel

16. How many pure vowels (monophthongs) are generally recognized in RP? (UGC NET 2016)

A) 5

B) 7

C) 12

D) 8

Ans: C) 12

17. How many diphthongs are recognized in RP? (PGTRB 2019)

A) 5

B) 8

C) 12

D) 10

Ans: B) 8

18. A diphthong is: (SET 2017)

A) Two syllables

B) A glide from one vowel quality to another within the same syllable

C) A consonant cluster

D) A voiceless sound

Ans: B) A glide from one vowel quality to another within the same syllable

19. Which of the following is a closing diphthong ending in /ɪ/? (UGC NET 2018)

A) /eɪ/

B) /aʊ/

C) /ɔɪ/

D) /əʊ/

Ans: A) /eɪ/

20. The diphthong in the word “boy” is: (PGTRB 2020)

A) /eɪ/

B) /aɪ/

C) /ɔɪ/

D) /əʊ/

Ans: C) /ɔɪ/

21. The diphthong /aɪ/ occurs in which word? (SET 2020)

A) Boy

B) Day

C) High

D) No

Ans: C) High

22. The diphthong /aʊ/ can be heard in: (UGC NET 2017)

A) Late

B) Boy

C) Low

D) House

Ans: D) House

23. The diphthong /əʊ/ appears in: (PGTRB 2018)

A) Make

B) Boat

C) High

D) Clear

Ans: B) Boat

24. The “centring diphthongs” characteristically end in: (SET 2018)

A) /ɪ/

B) /ʊ/

C) /ə/

D) /e/

Ans: C) /ə/

25. Which of the following is a centring diphthong? (UGC NET 2019)

A) /ɪə/

B) /eɪ/

C) /aɪ/

D) /əʊ/

Ans: A) /ɪə/

26. The word “fear” in RP often contains which diphthong? (PGTRB 2021)

A) /eə/

B) /ʊə/

C) /ɪə/

D) /ɔɪ/

Ans: C) /ɪə/

27. In the IPA, consonants are described in terms of: (SET 2016)

A) Height and backness

B) Place, manner of articulation and voicing

C) Length and tone

D) Stress and rhythm

Ans: B) Place, manner of articulation and voicing

28. Which of the following is a bilabial plosive? (UGC NET 2015)

A) /t/

B) /d/

C) /p/

D) /k/

Ans: C) /p/

29. The consonant /f/ is: (PGTRB 2019)

A) Voiced labio-dental fricative

B) Voiceless labio-dental fricative

C) Voiced dental fricative

D) Voiceless dental plosive

Ans: B) Voiceless labio-dental fricative

30. The consonant /v/ is classified as: (SET 2020)

A) Voiced labio-dental fricative

B) Voiceless labio-dental fricative

C) Voiced bilabial plosive

D) Voiceless bilabial plosive

Ans: A) Voiced labio-dental fricative

31. Which of the following is a dental fricative in English? (UGC NET 2018)

A) /s/

B) /z/

C) /θ/

D) /ʃ/

Ans: C) /θ/

32. The sound /ð/ as in “this” is: (PGTRB 2018)

A) Voiceless dental fricative

B) Voiced dental fricative

C) Voiceless alveolar plosive

D) Voiced alveolar fricative

Ans: B) Voiced dental fricative

33. The consonant /ʃ/ as in “she” is: (SET 2019)

A) Voiceless palato-alveolar fricative

B) Voiced palato-alveolar fricative

C) Voiceless dental fricative

D) Voiced velar plosive

Ans: A) Voiceless palato-alveolar fricative

34. The sound /ʒ/ as in “measure” is: (UGC NET 2017)

A) Voiceless palato-alveolar fricative

B) Voiced palato-alveolar fricative

C) Voiced velar fricative

D) Voiceless palatal plosive

Ans: B) Voiced palato-alveolar fricative

35. The English sounds /tʃ/ and /dʒ/ are: (PGTRB 2020)

A) Plosives

B) Affricates

C) Nasals

D) Laterals

Ans: B) Affricates

36. The consonant /ŋ/ is found in which word? (SET 2018)

A) Thin

B) Thing

C) Think

D) Than

Ans: B) Thing

37. The sound /ŋ/ is described as: (UGC NET 2019)

A) Voiceless alveolar nasal

B) Voiced bilabial nasal

C) Voiced velar nasal

D) Voiceless velar nasal

Ans: C) Voiced velar nasal

38. The consonant /l/ is a: (PGTRB 2021)

A) Lateral approximant

B) Trill

C) Fricative

D) Plosive

Ans: A) Lateral approximant

39. The consonant /r/ in RP is generally a: (SET 2017)

A) Trill

B) Tap

C) Postalveolar approximant

D) Uvular fricative

Ans: C) Postalveolar approximant

40. The consonant /j/ as in “yes” is a: (UGC NET 2018)

A) Palatal plosive

B) Palatal approximant

C) Velar approximant

D) Labial fricative

Ans: B) Palatal approximant

41. The consonant /w/ as in “we” is: (PGTRB 2018)

A) Bilabial nasal

B) Labio-velar approximant

C) Dental plosive

D) Palatal fricative

Ans: B) Labio-velar approximant

42. Voicing in phonetics refers to: (SET 2019)

A) Position of the tongue

B) Vibration of the vocal cords

C) Movement of the lips

D) Nasal airflow

Ans: B) Vibration of the vocal cords

43. Which of the following is a voiceless sound? (UGC NET 2016)

A) /b/

B) /d/

C) /g/

D) /k/

Ans: D) /k/

44. Which pair correctly contrasts voicing? (PGTRB 2019)

A) /p/ – /m/

B) /t/ – /d/

C) /s/ – /ʃ/

D) /f/ – /v/ (both voiceless)

Ans: B) /t/ – /d/

45. The term “minimal pair” refers to: (SET 2018)

A) Two words with similar spelling

B) Two words differing by only one phoneme

C) Two words of minimal length

D) Two stressed syllables

Ans: B) Two words differing by only one phoneme

46. “Ship” and “sheep” form a minimal pair based on: (UGC NET 2017)

A) Consonant contrast

B) Vowel length and quality /ɪ/ vs /iː/

C) Stress pattern

D) Syllable number

Ans: B) Vowel length and quality /ɪ/ vs /iː/

47. In English phonology, “allophones” are: (PGTRB 2020)

A) Different phonemes with same meaning

B) Contextual variants of the same phoneme

C) Different morphemes

D) Different syllables

Ans: B) Contextual variants of the same phoneme

48. “Aspiration” in English stops like /pʰ/ refers to: (SET 2016)

A) Nasalization

B) Extra puff of breath after release

C) Lengthening of vowel

D) Change in voicing

Ans: B) Extra puff of breath after release

49. The IPA stands for: (UGC NET 2015)

A) International Phonetic Alphabet

B) International Phonology Association

C) Integrated Phonetic Analysis

D) Interlingua Phonetic Alphabet

Ans: A) International Phonetic Alphabet

50. The main aim of studying English phonetics and phonology is to: (PGTRB 2022)

A) Improve spelling only

B) Understand sound production and patterns for accurate pronunciation

C) Learn historical change alone

D) Replace grammar study

Ans: B) Understand sound production and patterns for accurate pronunciation