In this module you learn how English combines vowel sounds into diphthongs and how a few other common sounds behave in real speech. You will connect spelling patterns to the way your mouth moves, so you can predict pronunciation more reliably. The goal is not a single accent, but consistent, understandable pronunciation.

A diphthong is one vowel sound that glides into another within the same syllable. You should feel your tongue and lips move during the vowel, instead of staying steady as in a pure vowel. In English, many stressed vowels in common words are diphthongs, especially in many North American and Southern British accents.

English has several very common diphthongs that appear in everyday words. The same diphthong can be spelled in multiple ways, so it helps to learn the sound first, then map spellings onto it. These diphthongs are usually strongest in stressed syllables and may be shorter or weaker when speech is fast.

Rule	🇨🇳 中文 Rule	Description	🇨🇳 中文 Description	Notation	🇨🇳 中文 Notation	Example	🇨🇳 中文 Example
Common diphthong set	🔤 常见双元音集	Learn these as moving vowels that change quality mid-syllable	🗣️ 将它们视为在音节中段质量变化的移动元音	/aɪ, aʊ, ɔɪ, eɪ, oʊ/	✍️ /aɪ, aʊ, ɔɪ, eɪ, oʊ/	time /taɪm/, now /naʊ/, boy /bɔɪ/, day /deɪ/, go /goʊ/	📌 time /taɪm/, now /naʊ/, boy /bɔɪ/, day /deɪ/, go /goʊ/
The glide matters	🔤 滑音的重要性	The second part is lighter; do not split into two syllables	🗣️ 第二部分更轻；不要把它分成两个音节	single syllable	✍️ single syllable	late is one syllable, not leɪ-it	📌 late is one syllable, not leɪ-it

Diphthongs often have predictable spelling patterns, but English spelling is not fully regular. Use patterns as strong clues, then confirm with a dictionary for new words. Some spellings produce different sounds in different words, so focus on the most frequent mappings first.

Rule	🇨🇳 中文 Rule	Description	🇨🇳 中文 Description	Notation	🇨🇳 中文 Notation	Example	🇨🇳 中文 Example
ai ay	🔤 ai ay	Often /eɪ/ or /aɪ/ depending on the word; learn by word families	🗣️ 常见 /eɪ/ 或 /aɪ/，取决于单词；通过词族学习	/eɪ/ or /aɪ/	✍️ /eɪ/ or /aɪ/	day /deɪ/, rain /reɪn/, but aisle /aɪl/	📌 day /deɪ/, rain /reɪn/, but aisle /aɪl/
ow ou	🔤 ow ou	Often /aʊ/ or /oʊ/; the same spelling can differ across words	🗣️ 通常是 /aʊ/ 或 /oʊ/；同一个拼写在不同单词中可能不同	/aʊ/ or /oʊ/	✍️ /aʊ/ or /oʊ/	now /naʊ/, out /aʊt/, but snow /snoʊ/	📌 now /naʊ/, out /aʊt/, but snow /snoʊ/
oi oy	🔤 oi oy	Very reliably /ɔɪ/	🗣️ 非常稳定地 /ɔɪ/	/ɔɪ/	✍️ /ɔɪ/	coin /kɔɪn/, boy /bɔɪ/	📌 coin /kɔɪn/, boy /bɔɪ/
a plus consonant plus e	🔤 a plus consonant plus e	Often signals /eɪ/ in many common words	🗣️ 常在许多常见词中表示 /eɪ/	/eɪ/	✍️ /eɪ/	make /meɪk/, late /leɪt/	📌 make /meɪk/, late /leɪt/
o plus consonant plus e	🔤 o plus consonant plus e	Often signals /oʊ/ in many common words	🗣️ 常在许多常见词中表示 /oʊ/	/oʊ/	✍️ /oʊ/	home /hoʊm/, rode /roʊd/	📌 home /hoʊm/, rode /roʊd/

The same diphthong can sound stronger or weaker depending on stress, speed, and style. In careful speech, the glide is clearer; in fast speech, the vowel may shorten and the second part may nearly disappear. Keeping the first part accurate usually matters more for clarity than exaggerating the glide.

Rule	🇨🇳 中文 Rule	Description	🇨🇳 中文 Description	Notation	🇨🇳 中文 Notation	Example	🇨🇳 中文 Example
Stress strengthens glides	🔤 重音强化滑音	Stressed syllables keep clearer diphthongs; unstressed syllables reduce	🗣️ 重音音节保持更清晰的双元音；非重音音节减弱	stress mark ˈ	✍️ stress mark ˈ	phoˈto often has a clearer /oʊ/ than the second vowel	📌 phoˈto often has a clearer /oʊ/ than the second vowel
Fast speech shortens	🔤 快速语速缩短	Shorter diphthongs can sound closer to pure vowels but remain one syllable	🗣️ 更短的双元音在日常口语中可能更接近纯元音，但仍然是一个音节	shortening	✍️ shortening	I know can reduce to something like /a nəʊ/ in casual speech	📌 I know can reduce to something like /a nəʊ/ in casual speech

When a vowel is followed by r in the same syllable, English often changes the vowel quality. In many North American accents, the r is pronounced and strongly affects the vowel. In many Southern British accents, r is often silent unless a vowel follows, but the vowel quality still reflects the historical r.

Rule	🇨🇳 中文 Rule	Description	🇨🇳 中文 Description	Notation	🇨🇳 中文 Notation	Example	🇨🇳 中文 Example
Vowel plus r changes quality	🔤 Vowel plus r changes quality	Do not pronounce the vowel as a plain diphthong plus a separate r	🗣️ 不要把元音读成一个普通的双元音再加一个独立的 r	r controlled	✍️ r controlled	car is not like ka plus r	📌 car is not like ka plus r
Rhotic vs non rhotic	🔤 Rhotic vs non rhotic	Some accents pronounce r in car, others do not; both can be correct	🗣️ Some accents pronounce r in car, others do not; both can be correct	rhotic r, silent r	✍️ rhotic r, silent r	car pronounced with r in many US accents, without r in many UK accents	📌 car pronounced with r in many US accents, without r in many UK accents

English uses the consonant like glides /j/ and /w/ that can feel similar to diphthongs because the mouth moves quickly into a vowel. These are consonant sounds at the start of a syllable, not part of the vowel itself. Clear glides help listeners distinguish words like yes and east or wet and et.

Rule	🇨🇳 中文 Rule	Description	🇨🇳 中文 Description	Notation	🇨🇳 中文 Notation	Example	🇨🇳 中文 Example
Y at syllable start	🔤 Y at syllable start	Usually the glide /j/ before a vowel	🗣️ 通常在元音前的滑音为 /j/	/j/	✍️ /j/	yes /jɛs/, use /juːz/ or /juz/ depending on accent	📌 yes /jɛs/, use /juːz/ or /juz/ depending on accent
W at syllable start	🔤 W at syllable start	Usually the glide /w/ before a vowel	🗣️ 通常在元音前的滑音为 /w/	/w/	✍️ /w/	we /wiː/, wait /weɪt/	📌 we /wiː/, wait /weɪt/
Glide vs vowel	🔤 Glide vs vowel	Keep /j/ and /w/ brief; the vowel carries the syllable	🗣️ 保持 /j/ 与 /w/ 简短；元音承载音节	consonant plus vowel	✍️ consonant plus vowel	yawn begins with /j/ then /ɔ/	📌 yawn begins with /j/ then /ɔ/

Schwa /ə/ is the most common unstressed vowel sound in English. It appears when a syllable is weak, even if the spelling shows a, e, i, o, or u. Learning schwa helps you sound natural and helps you hear stress patterns, because English rhythm depends heavily on reducing unstressed syllables.

Rule	🇨🇳 中文 Rule	Description	🇨🇳 中文 Description	Notation	🇨🇳 中文 Notation	Example	🇨🇳 中文 Example
Unstressed vowels reduce	🔤 非重读元音弱化	Many written vowels become /ə/ in weak syllables	🗣️ 许多书写元音在弱音节中变成 /ə/	/ə/	✍️ /ə/	about /əˈbaʊt/, sofa /ˈsoʊfə/	📌 about /əˈbaʊt/, sofa /ˈsoʊfə/
Stress carries meaning	🔤 重音承载意义	Reduced vowels make stressed syllables stand out, improving clarity	🗣️ 经历弱化的元音使重音音节更突出，提高清晰度	ˈ primary stress	✍️ ˈ 主要重音	PREsent noun vs preSENT verb differ in stress pattern	📌 PREsent 名词 vs preSENT 动词在重音模式上不同

Nearby consonants can slightly change how long a vowel or diphthong sounds. Before a voiced consonant, vowels tend to be longer; before a voiceless consonant, they tend to be shorter. This timing difference is subtle but important for sounding natural and for distinguishing pairs like bid and bit.

Rule	🇨🇳 中文 Rule	Description	🇨🇳 中文 Description	Notation	🇨🇳 中文 Notation	Example	🇨🇳 中文 Example
Vowels lengthen before voiced sounds	🔤 Vowels lengthen before voiced sounds	Keep the vowel a little longer before b d g v z ð ʒ	🗣️ 在有声辅音前，元音保持稍长，例如 b d g v z ð ʒ	voiced	✍️ voiced	ride has a longer /aɪ/ than right	📌 ride has a longer /aɪ/ than right
Vowels shorten before voiceless sounds	🔤 Vowels shorten before voiceless sounds	Keep the vowel shorter before p t k f s θ ʃ	🗣️ 在无声辅音前，元音更短，如 p t k f s θ ʃ	voiceless	✍️ voiceless	bit has a shorter vowel than bid	📌 bit has a shorter vowel than bid

In connected speech, sounds influence each other across word boundaries. This can change how diphthongs and nearby consonants feel, especially around r and y or w glides. Understanding linking helps you recognize spoken English and speak more smoothly without adding extra syllables.

Rule	🇨🇳 中文 Rule	Description	🇨🇳 中文 Description	Notation	🇨🇳 中文 Notation	Example	🇨🇳 中文 Example
Linking r in some accents	🔤 Linking r in some accents	In non rhotic accents, r may appear when the next word starts with a vowel	🗣️ 在非 rhotic 的口音中，当下一个词以元音开头时，r 可能出现	linking r	✍️ linking r	far away can sound like far-raway	📌 far away can sound like far-raway
Glide insertion	🔤 Glide insertion	A brief /j/ or /w/ may appear between vowels to make transitions easier	🗣️ 为了使过渡更容易，在元音之间可能出现一个短的 /j/ 或 /w/	/j/ /w/	✍️ /j/ /w/	go out may sound like go-wout, she is may sound like she-yis	📌 go out may sound like go-wout, she is may sound like she-yis

You can now identify English diphthongs as moving vowel sounds, connect common spellings to those sounds, and adjust glide strength based on stress and speed. You also learned other key sound patterns that affect diphthongs in real speech: r control, y and w glides, schwa reduction, voicing length, and linking. Use these ideas to predict pronunciation, then refine with listening and dictionary checking for new words.