Home English Phonetics Academy American English Sounds - /ɑɪ/ diphthong

The sound /ɑɪ/ diphthong

How to pronounce the sound /ɑɪ/ diphthong

  • Lower your jaw and tongue and make your lips very open and wide (as for /ɑ/). Your tongue should be low, tight, and pulled backwards.
  • Breathe out and let your vocal cords vibrate.
  • As you breathe out, quickly raise your tongue and spread your lips widely (as for /ɪ/).

This means your mouth should move from one position to another.

Spelling:

  • "i"(e) - line, mile
  • "igh" - light, high
  • "ie" - pie, died
  • "y" - my, type
  • "uy" (not common) - guy, buy
  • "ei" (not common) - feisty, heist
  • "eigh" (not common) - height


Grammar Tip:
The sound /ɑɪ/ is part of the common suffixes “-ify/-efy,” and "-ize", which are used to form some verbs. These suffixes are usually unstressed.

 

LISTEN
 
Download english phonetics exercises audio
listen_to_-ai-.mp3
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/ɑɪ/.../ɑɪ/.../ɑɪ/.../ɑɪ/...

light...pie...sign...mile
 
 
 
Download english phonetics exercises audio
stressed_-ai-.mp3
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This vowel is usually stressed, as in these words.
  • lightly
  • highway
  • decide
 
 
 
Download english phonetics exercises audio
unstressed_-ai-.mp3
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However, /ɑɪ/ can also be unstressed, as in these words:
  • flashlight
  • satisfy
  • idea


 
Download english phonetics exercises audio
grammar_with_-ai-_1.mp3
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  • qualify
  • satisfy
  • liquefy

 

 

 
Download english phonetics exercises audio
grammar_with_-ai-_2.mp3
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  • realize
  • criticize
  • magnetize
 
 
 
COMPARE
Compare /ɑɪ/ with /ɑ/:
 
Download english phonetics exercises audio
compare_ai-a_1.mp3
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/ɑɪ/.../ɑ/.../ɑɪ/.../ɑ/.../ɑɪ/.../ɑ/...

The sound /ɑ/ is a low, central vowel. The sound /ɑɪ/ starts as /ɑ/, but it moves quickly into a high, front vowel.
 

You can hear the difference between /ɑɪ/ and /ɑ/ in these words.
Download english phonetics exercises audio
compare_ai-a_words.mp3
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1. A. light, B. lot
2. A. ride, B. rod
3. A. swipe, B. swap
4. A. like, B. lock
5. A. fire, B. far
6. A. blind, B. blond
 
 

Now, compare /ɑɪ/ and /iy/:
 
Download english phonetics exercises audio
compare_ai-iy_1.mp3
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/ɑɪ/.../iy/.../ɑɪ/.../iy/.../ɑɪ/.../iy/...

The sound /ɪ/ is a high, front, tense vowel. The sound /ɑɪ/ starts as a low, central, tense vowel, but it moves quickly to a high, front, lax vowel.
 

You can hear the difference between /ɑɪ/ and /iy/ in these words.
Download english phonetics exercises audio
compare_ai-iy_words.mp3
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1. A. fight, B. feet
2. A. lice, B. lease
3. A. bike, B. beak
4. A. died, B. deed
5. A. tire, B. tear
6. A. style, B. steal
Next
/ɑʊ/- Central Diphthongs Vowel