Every English word must contain at least one vowel sound.
Vowels are sounds we make when air flows freely through the mouth, without being blocked by the tongue, teeth, or lips.
The vowel letters are: A, E, I, O, U (and sometimes Y).
These letters can produce different sounds depending on their position and the letters around them.
Types of Vowels:
Short Vowel Sounds:
These are quick, simple sounds that often appear in short words.
| Letter | Sound | Example Words |
|---|---|---|
| A | /æ/ | cat, map |
| E | /e/ | bed, pen |
| I | /ɪ/ | sit, fish |
| O | /ɒ/ | hot, top |
| U | /ʌ/ | cup, sun |
Long Vowel Sounds:
These sound like the name of the letter itself. They often appear when there is a silent “e” at the end or when two vowels work together (like ai, ee, oa).
| Letter | Sound | Example Words |
|---|---|---|
| A | /eɪ/ | cake, rain |
| E | /iː/ | tree, green |
| I | /aɪ/ | time, five |
| O | /oʊ/ | nose, rope |
| U | /juː/ | cube, music |
How Many Vowel Sounds Are There in English?
Even though there are only 5 vowel letters, English has about 20 vowel sounds in total:
- 12 pure vowels (monophthongs) — one steady sound
- 8 diphthongs — two vowel sounds blended together, like boy /ɔɪ/ or house /aʊ/
Quiz Guide:
The quiz will test your understanding of:
- Vowel letters and sounds
- Short and long vowels
- Monophthongs and diphthongs
- Examples of words containing each sound
Time ⏰: 1 minute 40 seconds to answer 12 questions.
Don’t forget to keep an eye on the clock.
Click on the “Start Quiz” button to begin
Once you are done, click on the “Submit Quiz” button to get your result
For the correct answers, click on the “Check Answers” button
🏆 Leaderboard for: Introduction to Vowel Sounds I
| Pos. | Name | Entered on | Points | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Obi Philips | 03 Nov 2025, 10:23 AM | 10 | 100% |
| 2 | ABISOLA OLUWASAANU | 26 Oct 2025, 05:40 PM | 9 | 90% |
| 3 | Moses David | 19 Oct 2025, 02:53 PM | 9 | 90% |
| 4 | Obi Michelle | 03 Nov 2025, 10:30 AM | 5 | 50% |
| 5 | Ayobami Princess | 24 Oct 2025, 09:45 PM | 5 | 50% |
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