/a:/ — Choose the word that contains the sound represented by the given phonetic symbol

Analyze the question: You are asked to find the word that contains the long vowel sound /ɑ:/ (the sound in "car" or "father").

Explain the concept: /ɑ:/ is a long, open back vowel. It is often spelled "ar" (car, farm), "a" (father, past), or "ear" (heart, hearth). The "ear" spelling is unusual, so it often shows up in exams.

Solution: Let's transcribe each option.

• A. pack is /pæk/. It has the short vowel /æ/, so it is not correct.
• B. heart is /hɑ:t/. It has the long /ɑ:/, so it is correct.
• C. player is /ˈpleɪə/. It has the diphthong /eɪ/ and the schwa /ə/, so it is not correct.
• D. alone is /əˈləʊn/. It has the schwa /ə/ and the diphthong /əʊ/, so it is not correct.

Answer: B. heart.

Tip: Do not trust the spelling. "Heart" looks like it should rhyme with "hear" or "earth", but it is pronounced /hɑ:t/, like "hart" or "part". Remember that "heart" and "hearth" both use the /ɑ:/ sound. For vowel questions, say each word aloud and compare it with a known /ɑ:/ word such as "car".