WAEC 2018 English Language · Question 44

league — choose the word that has the same vowel sound as the one represented by the letter(s) underlined

Question

From the words lettered A to D, choose the word that has the same vowel sound as the one represented by the letter(s) underlined. league

In the original paper part of this question is underlined. The underline isn't shown here: see the explanation below.

A.lick
B.pleasure
C.people
D.learn

Answer: C. people

Explanation written with AI and checked against the answer key

Analyze the question: The underlined part of "league" isn't shown, but in "league" the vowel sound is /iː/ (as in "leeg"). The vowel letters "ea" give the long /iː/ sound. So we need the option with the long /iː/ sound.

Explain the concept: In vowel-sound questions, ignore spelling and listen to the sound. The long /iː/ is the sound in "see," "meat," and "key." The short /ɪ/ is a different sound, as in "sit" or "lick."

Check each option:

A. lick: /lɪk/. The vowel is short /ɪ/. This is not a match.
B. pleasure: /ˈpleʒə/. The "ea" is pronounced /e/, as in "bed". This is not a match.
C. people: /ˈpiːpl/. The "eo" is pronounced /iː/. This matches "league" /liːɡ/.
D. learn: /lɜːn/. The vowel is /ɜː/, as in "bird". This is not a match.

Answer: The vowel sound in "league" is /iː/, and only "people" has this same sound.

Tip: Tricky spellings like "eo" in "people" often appear in these questions. Always say the word aloud and focus on the sound, not the letters. Remember that "ea" can be pronounced in several ways: /iː/ (league, meat), /e/ (pleasure, bread), /ɜː/ (learn), and /eɪ/ (break).

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