Diphthongs; /i/, /ai/, /au/, /ei/, /e/, - SS2 English Lesson Note

Diphthong is a combination of two vowel sounds within the same syllable. The first element of a diphthong is called the starting point, and the second element is called the glide. The glide is a gradual movement from the starting point to the second vowel sound.

• English has 8 diphthongs, which are:

  • /ai/ as in light, buy, sigh
  • /eɪ/ as in play, day, they
  • /ɔɪ/ as in boy, oil, toy
  • /eə/ as in pair, air, bear
  • /ɪə/ as in dear, beer, fear
  • /ʊə/ as in sure, cure, pure
  • /aʊ/ as in out, town, house
  • /əʊ/ as in slow, show, no

• Here are some words associated with each diphthong:

  • /ai/ - light, buy, sigh, sight, might, right, fight, bite, kite
  • /eɪ/ - play, day, they, say, way, may, lay, hay, pay
  • /ɔɪ/ - boy, oil, toy, joy, noise, voice, choice, spoil, boil
  • /eə/ - pair, air, bear, pear, hair, fair, there, care, where
  • /ɪə/ - dear, beer, fear, pier, here, near, tear, wear, year
  • /ʊə/ - sure, cure, pure, lure, moor, tour, our, hour, sour
  • /aʊ/ - out, town, house, doubt, shout, cloud, found, round, now
  • /əʊ/ - slow, show, no, go, low, blow, know, grow, throw
    Some sentences that use the diphthongs:
    • The light was on in the room.
    • I play the piano.
    • The boy is playing with his toy.
    • The pair of shoes are new.
    • The dear old lady is sitting on the bench.
    • The sure thing is to do it now.
    • The out of town trip was fun.
    • The slow train is coming.