Diphthongs in English – Worksheet & video lesson

What is the meaning of the term diphthong, I hear you ask? Put simply, a diphthong is produced when you combine two vowel sounds within a syllable. For example the vowel sound in the word ‘boat’.

Have you noticed you have trouble pronouncing diphthong vowel sounds..? Often people who come from language backgrounds distinctly different from English, unknowingly substitute them for short vowel sounds.

How do you know if you need to work on your diphthong vowel sounds? Well, if your mother tongue is on a different ‘branch’ to English on the language tree above – you probably pronounce your diphthong vowel sounds differently to Australian English. Vowel sound errors are often the cause of communication breakdown for example, for example if you simplify the vowel sound in the word ‘coat’ it becomes ‘cot’!

If you want to improve your accent or simply learn the aussie accent, you need to learn the diphthong vowel sounds. In this video lesson, I explain the pronunciation of 1 category of the three ‘types’ of Aussie vowels – diphthong vowels, using the international phonetic alphabet.

Download my free diphthong vowel sounds worksheet below.

Check out my other free lessons on short vowels and long vowels.

If you would like to learn more about accent reduction coaching check out our article here. If you would like to access our free online lessons, check out our video lessons tab. If you would prefer a more personalised touch, contact me for a free online consultation and I can give you my professional opinion on your pronunciation. Alternatively, send me a video on facebook messenger to analyse. As always, feel free to email me with your suggestions and feedback if you have any requests for particular lessons.