Question 102

Boy, Buy, and Coin contain diphthongs.

The words "Boy," "Buy," and "Coin" each feature diphthongs, which are complex vowel sounds that begin with one vowel sound and glide into another within the same syllable.

A) Boy

"Boy" contains the diphthong /ɔɪ/, where the vowel sound begins with /ɔ/ and glides to /ɪ/. This characteristic qualifies it as a word with a diphthong.

B) Mother

"Mother" does not contain a diphthong; it has a single, stable vowel sound /ʌ/ in the first syllable. This makes it incorrect in the context of the question, as it does not exhibit the gliding vowel behavior that defines diphthongs.

C) Buy

"Buy" features the diphthong /aɪ/, which begins with the sound /a/ and transitions to /ɪ/. This characteristic confirms it as one of the words containing a diphthong.

D) Apple

"Apple" does not contain a diphthong; it features a simple vowel sound /æ/ in the first syllable and does not exhibit any gliding vowel characteristics. Therefore, it is not a correct choice.

E) Coin

"Coin" contains the diphthong /ɔɪ/, starting with /ɔ/ and gliding to /ɪ/. This makes it another correct example of a word with a diphthong.

Conclusion

The words "Boy," "Buy," and "Coin" are correctly identified as containing diphthongs due to their gliding vowel sounds. In contrast, "Mother" and "Apple" are disqualified as they lack the complex vowel sounds characteristic of diphthongs, emphasizing the specific phonetic feature being tested.