Choose from the options lettered A - E the one that contains the sound segment represented by the given phonetic symbol /ts/

Analyze the question

The question asks which word contains the sound represented by the symbol given. Written literally, /ts/ is not a normal English phonetic symbol. In this kind of question it almost certainly stands for the affricate /tʃ/, the "ch" sound as in church. The printed symbol has probably lost its "ʃ" character. Whichever way you read it, only one option fits, as the working below shows.

Explain the concept

• /tʃ/ is a voiceless palato-alveolar affricate. It is a "t" sound released straight into "sh", as in chair and match.
• /ʃ/ is a fricative with no "t" at the start, as in shoe and ship.

The common trap is that the spelling "ch" does not always give /tʃ/. In words borrowed from French, "ch" is pronounced /ʃ/.

Solve step by step

| Option | Word | Transcription | Starts with | |---|---|---|---| | A | chauffeur | /ˈʃəʊfə/ | /ʃ/ | | B | cheap | /tʃiːp/ | /tʃ/ | | C | chef | /ʃef/ | /ʃ/ | | D | sheep | /ʃiːp/ | /ʃ/ | | E | ship | /ʃɪp/ | /ʃ/ |

Only cheap begins with the "t + sh" affricate.

Answer: B. cheap

Tip: French loanwords such as chauffeur, chef, machine and chandelier use "ch" as /ʃ/. Native English words like cheap, chair and church use /tʃ/. Say the word slowly: if you feel a small "t" before the "sh", it is /tʃ/.