/i:/ — choose the word that contains the sound represented by the given phonetic symbol

Analyze the question: You are asked to find the word containing the long vowel sound /i:/, the sound in "see" or "sheep".

Explain the concept: /i:/ is a long vowel. It is produced with the tongue high and forward and the lips spread. Do not confuse it with the short /ɪ/ as in "sit" or "tip".

Solution: Let's transcribe each word.

• A. eve is /i:v/. The "e" here is long, as in "Christmas Eve". This has /i:/.
• B. busy is /ˈbɪzi/. The first vowel is the short /ɪ/. The final "y" is a weak /i/ (not the long /i:/ in most standard transcriptions).
• C. tip is /tɪp/. This has the short /ɪ/.
• D. shaded is /ˈʃeɪdɪd/. It contains the diphthong /eɪ/ and the short /ɪ/.

Only "eve" has the long /i:/ sound.

Answer: A. eve

Tip: For /i:/ questions, look for spellings like "ee", "ea", "ie", and "e...e" (as in "eve", "scene", "theme"). Be careful with "busy". Its spelling is unusual, but it is pronounced with the short /ɪ/. Say each word aloud and ask yourself whether the vowel is long and stretched (/i:/) or short and quick (/ɪ/).