NEW APPROACH
TERM/WEEK: THIRD TERM/WEEK 1
DATE: 12th July, 2020
CLASS: JSSS 2
SUBJECT: Phonics
TOPIC: Triphthongs
Reference: Basic Oral English for Junior Secondary Schools. Book 1.
Brief explanation:
Notes for the pupils
A triphthong is a union of three vowel sounds produced in one syllable. E.g. Fire. It is three vowel representing the sound of a single vowel as in beau.
There are generally three (3) triphthongs generally agreed upon in English
- /əʊə/ – (ah-oo-uh)
- /əiə/ – (ah-ih-uh)
- /jʊə/ – (ee-oo-uh)
They always come before the /r/ sound in a word.
- /əʊə/ – (ah-oo-uh)
This sound occurs when the diagraph “ou” is followed by an “r”
Examples:
| Words | Triphthongs | |
| 1. | Our | /əʊər/ |
| 2. | Hour | /əʊər/ (/h/ is silent) |
| 3. | Flour | /fləʊə/ |
| 4. | Sour | /səʊə/ |
- /əiə/ – (ah-ih-uh)
This triphthong is pronounced with the letter combination “IRE”
Examples:
| Words | Triphthongs | |
| 1. | Fire | /fəiər/ |
| 2. | Dire | /dəiər/ |
| 3. | Inspire | /in’spəiər/ |
| 4. | Ireland | /əiər.lənd/ |
In addition to “IRE” words, there are a few other specific instances where this pronunciation may occur. E.g. pure /pəiə/, choir /kwəiə/
- /jʊə/ – (ee-oo-uh)
This triphthong sometimes occurs when the diagraph is “ur” comes after a hard consonant and is followed by an E, Y, I. rather than braking the sound into two syllables like the previous two triphthongs, this one is often rounded to leave out the schwa altogether.
Examples:
| Words | Triphthongs | |
| 1. | Cure | /kjjʊər/ |
| 2. | Pure | /pjʊər/ |
| 3. | Fury | /fjʊər.i/ |
| 4. | Curious | /’kjʊəθr. iəs/ |
Exercises/Assignment
- What letter always appear when forming triphthongs?
- How many vowel sounds occur in a single syllable in a triphthong.
- What is a triphthong?