You are already familiar with the single vowels, such as a, e, i , o, u. When they are used separately (one at a time) then they are referred to as monophthong, but when they make two different sound then they are called a diphthong. If you are spelling some words which have only one vowel-like “Hop”, then it is called monophthong and it will make only one sound.
What are Diphthongs?
Diphthong is a sound formed by the conjunction of two vowels in a single syllable, in which the sound begins as one vowel and moves towards another (as in rain, slow, and chair). Therefore diphthongs are also called gliding vowels.
There are 8 diphtongs sounds in common english pronounciation namely – /a?/ , /e?/ , /??/ ,/a?/ ,/e?/ ,/??/ ,/??/, /??/.
The word “Diphthong” is basically derived from the Greek word Diphthongs. This word literally means “having two different sounds”. If you consider the diphthongs then every vowel has two sounds of its own – short vowel sound and long vowel sound. Therefore the diphthongs play a vital role in the pronunciation of various words.
They are used whenever the vowel makes a new or different sound. This happens because it is working with conjunctions and with another vowel. For example, The word “oil” has two different pronunciations. When you pronounce the word oil then you can notice two different vowels working side by side which creates different sounds. The vowel ‘i’ and ‘o’ produce sound that is different than anything ‘o’ and ‘i’ alone can produce. Now, this was just the basic example so that it helps you in understanding the sounds made by other vowels.
Note: Diphthongs will vary between dialects, languages and also continents.
Examples of Diphthongs with Words
Let’s have a look at all the symbols of diphthong sounds with their examples in a quick tabular form.
| Vowel diphthongs | Examples |
| /a?/ | Cry, My, Like, Bright, Lime |
| /e?/ | Bake, rain, lay, eight, break |
| /??/ | Go, oh, slow, loan, though |
| /a?/ | Bound, house |
| /e?/ | Pair, lair, chair |
| /??/ | Career, fear |
| /??/ | Boy, coy, toy |
| /??/ | Fur, sure |
In this list, you would find some diphthong have just one vowel. You would keep wondering as to why single vowels are listed in the diphthong list. This happens whenever there is a movement in your mouth while pronouncing the letters. It will help in making the long vowel sound and mimicking two vowels. Hence you would notice the “di” remains even if there is only one vowel. Let’s look at each diphthong in detail:
1. /a?/
/a?/ diphthong uses letters and letter combinations like /i/, /igh/, and /y/ to form sounds similar to “eye.” Let’s have a look at some of the examples
- Cry – What made you cry yesterday?
- My – I have kept my pen on the table.
- Like – You would like to listen to some good music.
- Bright – Today seems to be a bright, sunny day.
- Lime – Would you like to have some lime soda?
2. /e?/
/e?/ diphthong uses letters and letter combinations like /ey/, /ay/, /ai/ and /a/ to form sounds similar to “great.” Here are a few more examples:
- Bake – Can you bake a cake for me?
- Rain – I guess it will rain today.
- Lay – You must lay down on your back and rest.
- Eight – There were eight chocolates in the basket.
- Break – You must take regular breaks while working.
Related Blogs: ai and ay sound words
3. /??/
/??/ diphthong uses letters and letter combinations like /ow/, /oa/ and /o/ to form sounds similar to “boat.” Here are a few more examples:
- Go: You must not go inside the hidden cave.
- Oh: Oh! It is such great news.
- Slow: You should slow down while driving on the bumpers.
- Loan: Did you take an education loan to support your studies?
- Though: Though it was tasty but was very expensive.
You can study some more words with diphthong /??/ – Oa Sound Words
4. /a?/
/a?/ diphthong uses letters and letter combinations like /ou/ and /ow/ to form sounds similar to “ow!” Here are a few more examples:
- Bound – You are bound to pay the money.
- House – The house looks really beautiful.
Learn more words with diphthong /a?/ – Ou and Ow Sound Words
5. /e?/
/e?/ diphthong uses letters and letter combinations like /ai/, /a/, and /ea/ to form sounds similar to “air.” Here are a few more examples:
- Pair – These are a nice pair of shoes.
- Lair – He is a liar.
- Chair – This is my new chair.
6. /??/
/??/ diphthong uses letters and letter combinations like /ee/, /ie/ and /ea/ to form sounds similar to “ear.” Here are a few more examples:
- Career – What have you thought about your career?
- Fear – Fear is more greater than danger.
7. /??/
/??/ diphthong uses letters and letter combinations like /oy/ and /oi/ to form sounds similar to “oil.” Here are a few more examples:
- Boy – The boy is very active.
- Coy – It seemed to be coy on the farm.
- Toy – I want to play with my toy.
8. /??/
/??/ diphthong uses letters and letter combinations like /oo/, /ou/, /u/, and /ue/ to form sounds similar to “cure.” Here are a few more examples:
- Fur – The teddy bear has got good fur on the body.
- Sure – Yes, for sure. You would get all the things done.
We hope this guide on diphthongs gave you a good insight on how to use them. Stay tuned for more awesome content like this one.
Keep Learning with EnglishBix!
Quick Links