The articulation of /ai/ starts with a sound which has the quality of /a/ but the quality changes with the gradual glide towards /I/. If you pronounce the word ‘high’, the opening of the mouth gets smaller with the closing movement of the jaw following the glide towards /i/. In writing, the /ai/ is represented with the following spelling symbols:
‘I’ e.g. time
‘ie’ e.g. lie
‘ye’ e.g. dye
‘igh’ e.g. high
‘eigh’ e.g. height
‘uy’ e.g. buy
The following pairs of words are used to show the contrast between /ai/ and /i/ on the one hand and between /ai/ and /a/ on the other:
/i/ /ai/
Sit site
Kit kite
Fin fine
Bit bite
Rid ride
Strip stripe
/a/ /ai/
Cram crime
Fat fight
Sat sight
Jab jibe
Rap ripe
Had hide
EVALUATION: Indicate the vowel used in each of the following words. Enclose the vowel symbols in slanting lines.
- Eye ii. Spy iii. Mine iv. Bite v. write
vi. Cat vii. Kite viii. Kit ix. Might x. may
ASSIGNMENT: Look at the words listed below and identify those that contain vowel/ai/.
- Tyrant ii. Libel iii. Tie iv. Cite v. site
vi. raise vii. Split viii. Lice ix. Price x. liver VOWEL/ai/
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