Answers should draw on the following ideas: Refer to the differences between letters and phonemes. (3 marks) Define vowels showing how they differ from consonants. (4 marks) State how we describe vowels and use examples to support your answer (10 marks)

I’m studying for my English class and need an explanation.

EL 120: English Phonetics and Linguistics

TMA: Summer Semester 2019-2020

TMA: 50 Points

Cut-off date: Week 5

Prepared by Course Chair: Dr. Manar Shalaby

This TMA has two parts. You should answer them in two separate essays each in about 400 words. Each essay will be marked out of 25 marks.

Question 1:

Vowels and diphthongs are important components of the English phonetic system.

Write an essay on the vowels and diphthongs of English. Support your answer with specific examples of vowel phonemes and their description.

Refer mainly to Unit 4. You may also refer to Units 2 and 3.

Answers should draw on the following ideas:

1. Refer to the differences between letters and phonemes. (3 marks)
2. Define vowels showing how they differ from consonants. (4 marks)
3. State how we describe vowels and use examples to support your answer (10 marks)
4. Describe English diphthongs and show how they differ from vowels. (3 marks)
5. Explain how English diphthongs are classified and described? (5 marks)

Question 2:

Learners of a second language find problems in the pronunciation of some sounds that do not occur in their native language or dialect.

Write an essay about some of the problem sounds in English that speakers of your native language or dialect find difficult to produce. State these sounds and state your reasons of why they are difficult. Refer to Unit 1, 2, 3 & 4.

Answers should draw on the following points:

1. Refer to language universals and the elements that languages have in common. (5 marks)
2. State at least five English sounds that exist in (are similar to sounds in) your language, e.g. Arabic. (5 marks)
3. Mention at least two English sounds that do not exist in your language, e.g. Arabic. (5 marks)
4. Think of at least two Arabic sounds that do not exist in English. (5 marks)
5. Provide suggestions and some learning practices for improving your pronunciation especially of these problem sounds. (5 marks)

• Use at least two sources; the Internet, news articles, interviews, etc. to help you in providing facts, definitions, examples, statistics, etc. that support your essay.

Instructions to the students

1. Essay form

The two questions of this TMA should be written in academic essay form with introduction, body and conclusion. Please pay particular attention to grammar and spelling as marks will be deducted for that.

2. Using the e-library on campus:

Students are requested to visit the e-library on campus and use it to do their TMAs properly. They are also requested to show their tutor that they used the e-library in doing the TMA and to mention their sources in the reference list.

3. Plagiarism.

Please do not copy/paste: from any source this is plagiarism. The following are guidelines on plagiarism:

If you submit an assignment that contains work other than yours without acknowledging your sources, you are committing plagiarism. This might occur when:

• Using a sentence or phrase that you have come across
• Copying word-for-word directly from a text
• Paraphrasing the words from the text very closely
• Using text downloaded from the Internet
• Borrowing statistics or assembled fact from another person or source
• Copying or downloading figures, photographs, pictures or diagrams without acknowledging your sources
• Copying from the notes or essays of a fellow student

(Slightly adapted from OU document on quoting versus plagiarism)

It is important to remember that plagiarism is strictly barred and would be subject to punitive action by the Arab Open University.