I MA English - Diphthongs - Descriptions and Matching

During the articulation of the diphthong /ei/ of the RP, the ​ (a)   of the tongue starts from a position ​ (b)   and moves towards the pure vowel /i/ of the RP. The lips are ​ ​ (c)   throughout the articulation.

• front
• just below half-close
• unrounded
• back
• just above half-close
• rounded

During the articulation of the diphthong /ai/ of the RP, the ​ (a)   of the tongue starts from a position ​ (b)   and moves towards the pure vowel /i/ of the RP. The lips are ​ ​ (c)   throughout the articulation.

• front
• open
• unrounded
• back
• just above half-close
• rounded

During the articulation of the diphthong /ɔi/ of the RP, the ​ ​ (a)   of the tongue starts from a position ​ ​ (b)   and moves towards the pure vowel /i/ of the RP. The lips are ​ ​ (c)   at the beginning and ​ (d)   towards the end during the articulation.

• unrounded
• back
• just above half-close
• rounded
• between half-open and open
• front
• just above open

During the articulation of the diphthong /əu/ of the RP, the ​ ​ ​ (a)   of the tongue starts from a position ​ ​ (b)   and moves towards the pure vowel /u/ of the RP. The lips are ​ ​ (c)   at the beginning and ​ (d)   towards the end during the articulation.

• unrounded
• just above half-close
• rounded
• between half-close and half-open
• front
• just above open
• centre

During the articulation of the diphthong /au/ of the RP, the ​ ​ ​ (a)   of the tongue starts from a position ​ ​ (b)   and moves towards the pure vowel /u/ of the RP. The lips are ​ ​ (c)   at the beginning and ​ (d)   towards the end during the articulation.

• unrounded
• just above half-close
• rounded
• open
• front
• just above open
• back

During the articulation of the non-final diphthong /iə/ of the RP, the ​ ​ ​ (a)   of the tongue starts from a position ​ ​ ​ (b)   and moves towards the pure vowel /ə/ of the RP. The lips are ​ ​ (c)   throughtout the articulation.

• unrounded
• just above half-close
• front
• just above open
• back
• rounded

During the articulation of the non-final diphthong /eə/ of the RP, the ​ ​ ​ (a)   of the tongue starts from a position ​ ​ ​ (b)   and moves towards the pure vowel /ə/ of the RP. The lips are ​ ​ (c)   throughtout the articulation.

• unrounded
• just above half-open
• front
• just above open
• back
• rounded

During the articulation of the non-final diphthong /uə/ of the RP, the ​ ​ ​ ​ (a)   of the tongue starts from a position ​ ​ ​ (b)   and moves towards the pure vowel /ə/ of the RP. The lips are ​ ​ (c)   at the beginning and ​ (d)   towards the end during the articulation.

• unrounded
• just above half-close
• just above open
• back
• rounded
• front

/uə/ - in the non-final position
The glide is from a back, just above half-close, rounded vowel to a ​ (a)   ​ (b)   unrounded vowel.


/uə/ - in the final position
The glide is from a ​ back, just above half-close, rounded vowel to a ​ ​ (c)   ​ (d)   ​ (e)   vowel.

• just above open
• front
• central,
• just below half-open,
• unrounded
• rounded
• between half-close and half-open

/iə/ - in the non-final position
The glide is from a front, just above half-close, unrounded vowel to a ​ (a)   ​ (b)   unrounded vowel.


/iə/ - in the final position
The glide is from a ​ front, just above half-close, unrounded vowel to a ​ ​ (c)   ​ (d)   ​ (e)   vowel.

• just above open
• front
• central,
• just below half-open,
• unrounded
• rounded
• between half-close and half-open