English Vowels (7 of 8)

 /eɪ/, /aɪ/ - as in ate, eye






The Diphongs

A diphthong combines two vowels to create one sound.  The diphthongs are all long sounds.  The tongue and the mouth move from one postion to another to form a diphthong, as in the following.  Listen:

  /ei/    gauge                   /ou/     dough
  /ai/    height                   /au/     count
 


 /eɪ/

To Produce: Move from the vowel /e/ to the vowel /i/, raising your tongue and retracting your lips slightly.  Practice moving smoothly between the two vowels until you produce diphthong /ei/.
 
 
Listen:

   rate                       raid                         ray
   wait                       wade                      way
 
 
Practice /ei/ as you focus on its length.  Repeat:


        date  -  days  -  day
        gate -  game  -  gay
        mate -  made  -  may
        pace  -  pain  -   pay
 
 
Repeat these phrases:

  /ei, ei/
 
  Day  eight.
  May  wait.
  Same rate.
  Pay late.
  Same day.
  Hate waste.
  They came.
  Way late.
  Main train.
 

Synonyms - Practice /ei/ in synonyms.  After you hear A and B. Repeat B.
 
  A                    B
 
  attack           raid
  docide          tame
  humiliation    shame
  popularity     fame
 
 
This time, after you hear A, you say B.  You will hear a model after.
 
  A                  B
 
  donated      gave
  flavor           taste
  tardy            late
  perhas        maybe
 
 Practice words with both /ei/ and the schwa vowel.  Repeat:

   / , ei/
 
  arrange
  attain
  await
  away
  buffet
  contain
  estate
  obtain
  today
 
 
Contrast:  /e/  - /ei/
 
Can you differentiate between these sounds?  Listen to word pairs.  You will hear one word again.  Which is it?
 
 
  date --  debt --
  main -- men --
  wait --   wet
 
 Answers:  debt    men    wet
 
 Repeat these words and sentences.  Listen again each time.
 
   met - mate       He met his mate there.
   wet  - wait        You'll get wet if you don't wait.
   get -  gate        I will get the gate.
   debt - date      Pay the debt by that date.
   let -  late          Don't let them be late.
 
   
Antonyms - Contras /ei/ with /e/ in antonyms.  After you hear A and its opposite B, repeat B.

  A                  B

  release        press
  condemn     praise
  early             late
  don't allow   let

After you hear A, you say its opposite, B.  Then listen to the model.

  A              B
 
  east         west
  preserve  waste
  dry            wet
  proceed   wait
 
 
Listen carefully to the statements and then answer the questions.  You will hear a model after each response.
 
 
  She opened the gate to get in.
 
           What did she open?                 __ The gate.
           What for?                                   __ To get in.
 
  The debt is due on that date.
 
           What is due?                             __ The debt.
           When?                                        __ On that date.
 
 
Repeat these phrases with both sounds /ei/ and /e/:

           /ei, e/
 
          Day then.
          Eight men.
          Wait there.
          Pay then.
          Say when.
          They said.
 

/ai/
 
To Produce:  Begin with your gongue slightly low in the center, and raise it into the vowel /i/.  As you raise your jaw, retract your lips slightly.
 
If you find this vowel espcially difficult to produce, when it is followed by a consonent, as in time or like, do the following:

  Break the words into parts, (Example: time = /tai + m/).  Repeat the two parts closer and closer together, until you can say them as on word.
 
 
Listen:

  ice           I'm            eye
  bite         buys          buy
 
Practice /ei/ as you focus on its length.  Repeat:

  dice  -  dime  -  die/dye
  light  -  lied   -   lie
  type  -  time  -  tie
  cite/site/sight  -  side/sighted - sigh
 
 
Repeat these phrases:

  /ei, ai/
 
  Fine time.
  Right side.
  Like mine.
  Right kind.
  I might.
  Try mine.
 
Practice words with both /ai/ and the schwa //.  Repeat:

  alike             comply              final
  alive             polite                 rival
 
 
Synonyms - Practice /ai/ in synnyms.  After yo hear A and B, repeat B.
 
  A                     B
 
  bashful           shy
  detect             find
  indication       sign
  pleasant         nice


After you hear A, you say B.  Listen to the model after.
 
  A                    B
 
  purchase       buy
  quiet              silent
  similar           alike
  this evening  tonight

Contrast:  /ai/ - //
 
Repeat these words and sentences:


  mine      Those are mine.                      man  I saw the man.
  fine         I feel fine.                                 fan    We need a fan.
  side        It's on the right side.               sad   The movie was sad.
  light        That is a bright light.               lad    A boy is called a lad.
 
Practice both // and /ai/ in these phrase.  Repeat:

  Add mine.
  Sad time.
  Fine lad.
  Kind man.
    
 
 
 Source: The American Accent Guide (2nd Edition)
http://www.amazon.com/American-Complete-Comprehensive-Pronunciation-Individuals/dp/0963413902/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1304307187&sr=1-1