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How many diphthongs are in English?

A12

B8

C20

D24

Answer:

B. 8

Read Explanation:

In Received Pronunciation (RP) English (British standard accent), there are:

👉 8 diphthongs

These are traditionally divided into three groups:


🌟 1️⃣ Closing diphthongs (ending in /ɪ/ or /ʊ/):

  • /eɪ/ as in face

  • /aɪ/ as in price

  • /ɔɪ/ as in choice

  • /əʊ/ as in goat

  • /aʊ/ as in mouth


🌟 2️⃣ Centring diphthongs (ending in /ə/):

  • /ɪə/ as in near

  • /eə/ as in square

  • /ʊə/ as in cure (Note: /ʊə/ is becoming less common in modern RP)



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