Secondary School Enugu

A project of Ikota Educational Foundation.

First Term 2024/2025 ACADEMIC SESSION
SUBJECT: ENGLISH PHONICS
CLASS: JSS 3
EXPECTATIONS
1. COPY YOUR NOTE OR PRINT AND SPIRAL BIND
2. THREE GRADED ASSESSMENT OF 20 MARKS BEFORE CAT = 60%
3. CAT 40%
4. NON-GRADED ASSESSMENT
5. PROJECT TO BE SUBMITTED IN WEEK 6 …………
6. THREE GRADED ASSESSMENT OF 20 MARKS BEFORE EXAM= 60%

Teacher: Eze Gertrude Email: [email protected]

WEEK 1:Plosives /p, b, t, d, k and g/

Objectives
1. Define plosives
2. Pronounce them
3. Use them in words

Plosives, also known as stops, are consonant sounds produced by completely blocking the
airflow in the vocal tract and then releasing it suddenly.

Characteristics of Plosives:
1. Complete Closure: The vocal tract is fully blocked at some point.
2. Build-up of Air Pressure: Air pressure builds behind the closure.
3. Release: The closure is released, creating an explosive sound.

a. /p/ - Voiceless Bilabial Plosive

Articulation: Both lips come together, then release.

Voicing: Voiceless (vocal cords do not vibrate).
Examples: "pat," "cap"
Words with silent /p/: Coup, Cupboard, Psychology, Pneumonia, Pseudo,
Psychiatrist, Psychiatry, Psychotherapy, Psychotic, Receipt

b. /b/ - Voiced Bilabial Plosive

Articulation: Both lips come together, then release.
Voicing: Voiced (vocal cords vibrate).
Examples: "bat," "cab"
Silent /b/: Aplomb, Bomb, Climb, Comb, Crumb, Debt, Doubt, Dumb, Jamb, Lamb, Limb,
Numb, Plumb, Subtle, Succumb, Thumb, Tomb, Womb

c. /t/ - Voiceless Alveolar Plosive

Articulation: The tongue touches the alveolar ridge, then releases.
Voicing: Voiceless.
Examples: "tap," "cat"
Words with silent /t/: Apostle, Bristle, Bustle, Castle, Fasten, Glisten, Hustle, Listen, Moisten,
Often

d. /d/ - Voiced Alveolar Plosive

Articulation: The tongue touches the alveolar ridge, then releases.
Voicing: Voiced.
Examples: "dog," "lad"
Words with silent /d/: Handkerchief, Handsome, Handful, Grandson, Ledger, Sandwich
Wednesday
 e. /k/ - Voiceless Velar Plosive
Articulation: The back of the tongue touches the soft palate (velum), then releases.
Voicing: Voiceless.
Examples: "kite," "back"
Words with silent /k/: Knickers, Knife, Knight, Knit, Knob, Knock

f. /g/ - Voiced Velar Plosive

Articulation: The back of the tongue touches the soft palate (velum), then releases.
Voicing: Voiced.
Examples: "go," "bag"

WEEK 2: Vowels /i:, ɪ, ɑ:, ӕ, e/

Objectives:

1. Pronounce the sounds

2. Compare the vowel sounds
3. Contrast the vowel sounds
4. Articulate them correctly in connected speech

Sound Contrast
/ɪ/ /i:/ /ӕ/ /ɑ:/
1. Gin, gene, bad, bard
2. grid, greed, cad card
3. Kip, keep, ban, barn
4. Knit, neat ham harm
5. lick leak match March
6. lip leap pack park
7. mill meal gab garb
8. pick peek badge barge

Activity 1. sort the words according to their sounds and pairs

bead, chick, did, well, itch, set, fill, peck, hill, letter, wheel, hell, litter, fell, seat, etch, pick,
dead, sit, deed, will, each, check, bid, feel, liter, heal, bed, peak, cheek
Activity2: In your group, develop ten minimal pairs of /ɑ: and ӕ/
 Pronunciation Exercise
Read the following sentences loud
1. I grin when I find green beans in the sale bin.
2. This chip is delicious and cheap, eat it.
aɪ ɡrɪn wɛn aɪ faɪnd ɡriːn biːnz ɪn ðə seɪl bɪn.
ðɪs ʧɪp ɪz dɪˈlɪʃəs ænd ʧiːp, iːt ɪt.
My father owns a car and a fat cat
hey lay on the mat along the path that parts the dark town
1. maɪ ˈfɑːðər əʊnz ə kɑːr ænd ə fæt kæt
2. ðeɪ leɪ ɒn ðə mæt əˈlɒŋ ðə pɑːθ ðæt pɑːts ðə dɑːk taʊn

Week 3: Vowels /ɒ, ɔ:, ʌ, ʊ and u:/

Objectives:
1. Pronounce the sounds
2. Compare the vowel sounds
3. Contrast the vowel sounds
4. Articulate them correctly in connected speech

Contrast
/ɒ/ and /ɔ:/ /ʊ/ and /uː/
1. Bod bored pull pool
2. cot caught bull Boole
3. fox forks could cooed
4. stock stalk full fool
5. wand warned look Luke
Activity: supply the other pair of the following
/ɒ/ and /ʌ/
Bod bud
Cot
Hot
Song
mod
Pronunciation practice: rewrite the following sentences
maɪ ɡlɑːs ɪz hɑːf fʊl.
dəʊnt biː ˈstjuːpɪd. ˈɛni fuːl kæn siː ðæt.

week4: Consonants /f, v, s, z, Ɵ and ð/

1. Pronounce the sounds
2. Compare the consonant sounds
3. Contrast the consonant sounds
4. Articulate them correctly in connected speech

Minimal Pair
/f/ and /v/
1. Fan van
2. Leaf leave
3. Off of
4. Foul vowel
5. Belief believe
6. Proof prove
7. Safe save
8. Fender vendor
9. Staff starve
10. Feign vain

/s/ and /z/

1. Once ones
2. pence pens
3. place plays
 4. price prize
5. advice (n) advise (v)
6. base bays
7. Course cause
8. loose lose
9. mace maize
10. Hearse hers
11. worse whirrs

/f/ and /θ/ /ð/ and /z/

1. Deaf death clothe close
2. fought thought lithe lies
3. four thaw loathe lows
4. fin thin tithe ties
5. First thirst soothe sues
6. firm Therm bathe bays
7. fort thought lathe laze
8. Fore thaw with whizz
9. fret threat teethe teas
10. Frieze threes teething teasing

WEEK6: Diphthongs
Objectives:
1. Articulate the diphthongs
2. Use them in words
There are eight diphthongs. They are;
1. /aɪ/ (as in "eye")
Examples: "kite," "buy," "my," "flight"
2. /eɪ/ (as in "say")
Examples: "day," "rain," "play," "eight"
3. /ɔɪ/ (as in "boy")
Examples: "toy," "coin," "voice," "enjoy"
4. /aʊ/ (as in "how")
Examples: "now," "loud," "house," "about"
 5. /əʊ/ (as in "go")
Examples: "go," "boat," "slow," "snow"
6. /ɪə/ (as in "ear")
Examples: "here," "fear," "near," "clear"
7. /eə/ (as in "air")
Examples: "hair," "care," "bear," "share"
8. /ʊə/ (as in "cure")
Examples: "pure," "tour," "secure," "sure"

Week 7: Revising Affricatives

Objectives:
1. Pronounce the Affricatives
2. Use them in words
Common English Affricatives

1. /tʃ/ (as in "ch")

Examples: "chair," "watch," "cheese," "catch"

Produced by starting with a /t/ sound and quickly transitioning to a /ʃ/ sound.

2. /dʒ/ (as in "j")

Examples: "judge," "bridge," "gem," "joy"

Produced by starting with a /d/ sound and quickly transitioning to a /ʒ/ sound.

Minimal Pairs for /tʃ/ and /dʒ/

1. choke /tʃoʊk/ vs. joke /dʒoʊk/

2. chill /tʃɪl/ vs. jill /dʒɪl/
3. choose /tʃuːz/ vs. Jews /dʒuːz/
4. cherry /ˈtʃɛri/ vs. Jerry /ˈdʒɛri/
5. cheer /tʃɪr/ vs. jeer /dʒɪr/
 6. chain /tʃeɪn/ vs. Jane /dʒeɪn/
7. chip /tʃɪp/ vs. gyp /dʒɪp/
8. chest /tʃɛst/ vs. jest /dʒɛst/
9. cheap /tʃiːp/ vs. jeep /dʒiːp/
10. chart /tʃɑːrt/ vs. jart /dʒɑːrt/

WEEK8: - Revising Semi vowels and dental

Objectives:
1. identify and distinguish between the semi-vowel sounds /w/ and /j/ in spoken
words.

2. differentiate between the dental sounds /θ/ and /ð/

3. pronounce words containing semi-vowels and dental sounds, focusing on the
correct placement of the tongue and lips.

4. recognize and practice minimal pairs that highlight the differences between semi-
vowels and dental sounds to improve their listening and speaking skills.

Semi-Vowels:
Semi-vowels, also known as glides, are sounds that function like vowels but have
consonantal properties in terms of their articulation.
Common Semi-Vowels in English
1. /w/
Description: The lips are rounded, and the back of the tongue approaches the soft
palate. The sound is produced with the vocal cords vibrating.
Examples: "water," "win," "queen," "away."
2. /j/
Description: The tongue is raised towards the hard palate, and the sound is voiced,
meaning the vocal cords vibrate.
Examples: "yes," "yard," "few," "beyond."

Dental Sounds:
Dental sounds are produced with the tongue against the teeth. In English, these are often
referred to as the "th" sounds.
Common Dental Sounds in English
1. /θ/
Description: This is a voiceless dental fricative. The sound is produced by placing
the tongue between the teeth and forcing air through the gap.
Examples: "think," "bath," "both," "path."
2. /ð/
 Description: This is a voiced dental fricative. The tongue is in the same position
as /θ/, but the vocal cords vibrate.
Examples: "this," "that," "weather," "breathe."
Minimal Pairs for Practice
1. /w/ vs. /v/: "wine" /waɪn/ vs. "vine" /vaɪn/
2. /j/ vs. /ʒ/: "you" /juː/ vs. "azure" /ˈæʒər/
3. /θ/ vs. /s/: "think" /θɪŋk/ vs. "sink" /sɪŋk/
4. /ð/ vs. /z/: "these" /ðiːz/ vs. "zees" /ziːz/

WEEK 9: Revision of all Sounds Taught in the Term