WAEC 2023 English Language · Question 91

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

Question

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

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

A.port
B.coney
C.son
D.bottle

Answer: C. son

Explanation written with AI and checked against the answer key

Analyze the question We need the word whose vowel sound matches the first vowel sound in "money". The underlined part isn't shown, but in "money" the stressed vowel is the "o", pronounced /ʌ/ (as in "run").

Explain the concept In English, the letter "o" can represent several sounds:

/ɒ/ as in hot, bottle
/ɔ:/ as in port, born
/əʊ/ as in go, coney (the "o" in "coney" is usually /əʊ/)
/ʌ/ as in son, money, come, love

Words like money, son, some, month, monkey, love share the short /ʌ/ sound.

Solution

Money: /ˈmʌni/ has /ʌ/
A. port: /pɔ:t/ has /ɔ:/ (no)
B. coney: /ˈkəʊni/ has /əʊ/ (no)
C. son: /sʌn/ has /ʌ/ (yes)
D. bottle: /ˈbɒtl/ has /ɒ/ (no)

Only "son" matches the vowel sound in "money."

Answer: C. son

Tip: Remember the "o = /ʌ/" family: son, ton, done, come, some, month, money, monkey, love, glove, other, mother, brother. These are common in WASSCE and JAMB oral English, and they are easy marks once you memorize them. Also watch out for "coney," which looks similar to "money" but has a different vowel sound because it rhymes with "phony."

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