1.6.12

Front vowels: /i:/ vs /I/




/i:/ and /I/ are two front vowel sounds.  

A) DESCRIPTION: 
/i:/ is a long sound. The front of the tongue is raised to the highest possible point: the lips are spread; the tongue is tense, with the rims making a firm contact with the upper molars.
This is the sound which makes English people smile: when they are taking a photo at people they usually say "CHEESE" so that they appear smiling in the picture.
/I/ is a short sound. The tongue is nearer to centre than to front, raised just above the half-close position; the lips are loosely spread; the tongue is lax, with the side rims making a light contact with the upper molars.

B) COMPARING BOTH SOUNDS
Phonologically, /i:/ and /I/ are distinguished by length, but this is not related to real time duration. Before a voiceless consonant /i:/ can be shortened, in fact as short as /I/: beat-bid. The real difference is that /i:/ is a tense vowel whereas /I/ is a lax vowel. 

C) SPELLING:
/i:/: "ee, ea, e, ie, ei, ey, i". For example: see, meat, even, brief, seize, key, machine.
Exceptions: the vowels in these words are also pronounced with /i:/: quay, people, Caesar, phoenix
/I/: "i, y, e, ie, a". For example: sit, crystal, except, sieve, courage.
There are also exceptions. The bold letters in these words are pronounced with /I/: build, busy, women, minute, Sunday, Disney.

D) IDENTIFY THE SOUNDS:
Watch this video:



E) PRACTICE: 
E.1) Tongue twister: decide when to use /i:/ or /I/. Then practice the words individually. Finally, repeat the whole tongue twister:
a) I slit a sheet, a sheet I slit. And on a slitted sheet I sit. I slit a sheet, a sheet I slit. The sheet I slit, that sheet was it.
b) If Freaky Fred Found Fifty Feet of Fruit and Fed Forty Feet to his Friend Frank how many Feet of Fruit did Freaky Fred Find?
E.2) Recognize /i:/ and /I/ in this game. Play games 4 and 5. Good luck!

F) TRANSCRIPTION PRACTICE
Do this quizz. Mind the spelling of the words provided and choose /i:/ or /I/.
Hope you enjoy it!
PS: don't forget to write a comment on this post telling us if you find these exercises helpful.

29 comments:

  1. Sergio y Adrian1 June 2012 at 12:18

    Hi We are Sergio Garcia and Adrian Ramirez and we saw this video and did the exercises and we think that it's very difficult to say correctly these different sounds.

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  2. hello!!jenifer and daniel.
    the video is the good option for learn more about the pronunciation
    bye!!:)

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  3. Hello, we are Alba and Sara, we have done the Tongue twister and is very easy. Besides is good for pronuntiation

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  4. Hi We are Jose and Eduardo and we saw this video and did the exercises and we think that it's very easy.

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  5. Hi we´re Ainhoa and Marien and we have watched the video, an it´s very funny and likely.

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  6. This is very helpful blogs.........Thanks for sharing.

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  7. This is a good lesson because the video is very enjoy and i can practise my english pronunciation. It also seems that the game is funny and we can listend and improve our english.


    Aimee Martin B1ºC

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  8. Hi. I´m Irene Jiménez 1ºBach. A.
    In my opinion the game and the video is good as we learn to distinguish words spoken with /i:/ and with /I/.

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  9. Hi, I´m Pablo Fernandez. In mi opinion its a very useful and interesting video and game to learn the /i/ and/I/ sounds

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  10. I'm Irene Hormigos and I think this game is funny and good to learn pronunciation.

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  11. Hi. I´m Leticia León B-1ºA
    I think this game is very interesting and educational. It´s incredible.

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  12. hi! I think that this exercise is very difficult for spanish people because is difficult to difference the long with the short

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  13. Hello ! I´m Laura

    I think that this exercise is a good form to learnt to have got good pronunciation.

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  14. Hi, i'm Lucia
    I think this game/exercise is entertaining and good to practice.

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  15. Hi, I'm Angela
    I think this game/exercise is good for the pronunciation and for the memory.

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  16. In my opinion this lesson is very good for practice it´s explain very well when you said i or I and i think that you know whit this how you need used the mouth and teeth.
    Is a good help.

    Debora Barrera 1ºBach C

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  17. In my opinion is very important for practice my pronuntiation
    Elsa Sánchez 1 BACH C

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  18. in mi opinion is a very good exercise beacause is practical for use in class

    jonathan herrero b1ºc

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  19. this exercise is very practical because is good have a good pronuntiation!!

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  20. for me is a good video because it teach you very good how to have a good pronutiation

    Ivan Torres B1A

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  21. Hi, I´m Aida from 1ºBach A. I think that this video are very useful and interesting to learn the pronunciation. ^_^

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  22. in my opinion it is very interesting to know how to pronounce these words
    AYSHA SAGNIA

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  23. Hi ! I´m Noelia Rupakohó
    I find this exercise very useful to learn about the differnts of the soun /I/ and /:I/

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  24. In my opinion, this video is interesting to know the pronunciation for these words, because if we know the pronuonce, we'll can speak better


    Carlos Rupakohó

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  25. This quiz is very easy because if you know the two sounds you would know how to do the exercise

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  26. this exercise about these sounds is easy to pronounce!!

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  27. That quiz is very good because it is interesting and easy

    Ivan Torres B1A

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  28. the exercise is very good but very easy

    jonathan herrero b1ºc

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  29. This quiz which I've already done I found it very interesting, because I had some mistakes

    Carlos Rupakohó

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