Phonology is the study of sound systems in language. It includes units of sound like phonemes, as well as features like word stress, sentence stress, and intonation. Phonemes are the smallest units of sound that make a difference in meaning. Phonology examines the sound patterns and rules in a language. Word stress is when we give greater emphasis to certain syllables within a word. Sentence stress involves emphasizing different parts of a sentence. Intonation refers to the musical qualities and patterns of speech. Together these sound features are studied in phonology and contribute to connected speech.

1. What is phonology?
Phonology
UNIT 3

2. • It includes phonemes, word stress,
sentence stress, and intonation
• It studies the sound features used in a
language
DEFINITION:

3. • The smallest unit of sound.
• It makes a difference in
meaning.
Do you know what these symbols represent?
Phonemes
/dʒ/ /æ/ /ð/
• Vowels /e/
• Diphthongs /eI/
• Consonants /b/
Example:
/s/ - plural

4. Voiced
sound
Unvoiced
sound
*vocal cords vibrate
The vowels are arranged according to:

5. /ˈstjuːdənt/
This sign ˈ is used to
show word stress.
/stjuːdənt/
When we give word stress to a syllable we say it
with greater energy.
Word stress
Important, children, pencil

6. Sentence stress
● Different parts of the sentence
have more or less stress.
Main
stress
Secondary
stress
Example:
She came home late last night
Main stress: late
Secondary stress: came, home, last, night
Unstressed word: she
Contrastive stress
● To put the stress in an unexpected
word in a sentence.

7. • It is when all the words join to make
a connected stream of sounds.
Do you know what is connected
speech?
ANSWER

8. Characteristics

9. Activitites
Minimal pairs
Correct their
pronuntiatio
n
Learn varietes
of accents
Phonology and the language teaching
classroom -Tips
Ship- Sheep
A minimal pair is two
words that vary by
only a single sound.

10. Unit 4
Functions

11. “Education is not a problem.
Education is an opportunity.”
-Lyndon. B Johnson
11

12. What is a function?
12
 It is a reason why we communicate.
 What we say has a purpose and function.
 It describes how we use language.
EXAMPLE:
• Apologising
• Greeting
• Clarifying
• Advising

13. What do you think
an exponent is?

14. Exponent
14
• The language we use to express a function.
Context Exponent Function
A boy wants to
go to the cinema
with his friend
tonight.
He says:
“Let’s go to the
cinema
tonight.”
Suggesting/making
a suggestion about
going to the
cinema

15. 15
Context Function
A boy talking to his mother while he
does his homework.
Requesting (asking) to stop
doing homework.
A patient talking to his doctor. Describing a physical state.
• An exponent can express different functions at the same time:
“I’m so tired”
EXPONENT

16. 16
One function can also be expressed through different exponents:
• Lunch?
• Coming for lunch?
• Come for lunch with us?
• Why don’t you come for luch with us?
• Would you like to come to lunch with us?
• We would be very pleased if you could join us for
lunch?
INFORMAL
FORMAL
NEUTRAL

17. 17
Levels of formality
Informal
language
More socially
casual
Formal
language
More socially
distant
It is
sometimes
colloquial.
Neutral language
Why don’t you come
for luch with us?

18. 18
Appropriacy
People choose to use the level of formality that suits a situation:
Inappropriate
“I’d like to wish you all a very good morning” (too formal)
“Hi, guys” (too informal)
Appropriate
“Good morning everyone”
Register
Informal:
“Hi”
Formal:
“A very good morning”

19.  A focus on functions can lead to
emphasis on communication.
 We find functions taugth together with
the structures.
 Combining functions and grammar helps
to give grammar meaning and context.
19
Functions and the language teaching classroom

20. 20
Bibliography:
Spratt, M., Pulverness, A., & Williams, M. (2011). The TKT course (pp.21-29). Ernst Klett
Sprachen.