Which of the following words contains two phonemes?

Rationale

Eight contains two phonemes.

The word "eight" is comprised of two distinct phonemes: /eɪ/ and /t/. Phonemes are the smallest units of sound in a language that can distinguish meaning, and in this case, the combination of these sounds forms the word "eight."

A (Eight) CORRECT

As mentioned, "eight" consists of the phonemes /eɪ/ (the vowel sound) and /t/ (the final consonant sound). The presence of both of these sounds qualifies "eight" as a word with two phonemes.

B (House) YOUR ANSWER

The word "house" has three phonemes: /h/, /aʊ/, and /s/. The initial sound /h/ corresponds to the 'h', /aʊ/ corresponds to the vowel sound, and /s/ corresponds to the ending 's'. Therefore, "house" does not meet the criteria for containing only two phonemes.

C (Soap) YOUR ANSWER

"Soap" is composed of three phonemes: /s/, /oʊ/, and /p/. The initial /s/, the vowel sound /oʊ/, and the final /p/ each contribute to the total phoneme count. Thus, "soap" also exceeds the limit of two phonemes.

D (Little) YOUR ANSWER

The word "little" contains four phonemes: /l/, /ɪ/, /t/, and /əl/. The initial /l/, the vowel /ɪ/, the /t/ sound, and the final /əl/ each represent individual phonemes. This makes "little" unsuitable for the criterion of having only two phonemes.

Conclusion

The word "eight" is the only option that consists of exactly two phonemes, making it the correct answer. In contrast, the other choices contain three or more phonemes, which disqualifies them from meeting the specified criteria of the question. Understanding phoneme structures aids in phonological awareness and language development.

Which of the following words contains two phonemes?

Eight contains two phonemes.

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