Diphthongs
A diphthong is a combination of two vowel sounds, also known as a gliding vowel.
In the table below, a list of words containing a diphthong is articulated for your reference.
The IPA vowel chart shows the movement of gliding from the first vowel to the second vowel.
Diphthongs - closing with /ɪ/
IPA Vowel Chart (Purple Grid → Orange Grid)
eɪ
Play
Slay
Day
Take
Make
Cake
Chain
Plane
Game
IPA Vowel Chart (Purple Grid → Orange Grid)
aɪ
Sigh
Size
My
Mine
Rhine
Pry
Ply
Cry
Eye
Try
Tie
IPA Vowel Chart (Purple Grid → Orange Grid)
ɔɪ
Toy
Troy
Soy
Noise
Join
Point
Boil
Oil
Coil
Soil
Foil
Diphthongs - closing with /ʊ/
IPA Vowel Chart (Purple Grid → Orange Grid)
ɑʊ
Out
Aloud
Allow
Sound
Pound
Round
Count
House
Mouse
Mount
South
IPA Vowel Chart (Purple Grid → Orange Grid)
əʊ
Code
Home
Joke
Note
Phone
Vote
Ago
No
Over
Control
Old
Boat
Below
Throw
Diphthongs - closing with /ə/ (i.e. centering)
IPA Vowel Chart (Purple Grid → Orange Grid)
ɪə
Fear
Hear
Near
Shere
Mere
Clear
Tear
Dear
Ear
IPA Vowel Chart (Purple Grid → Orange Grid)
eə
Air
Hair
Heir
Pair
Dare
Bare
Rare
Care
Fair
Mayor
Chair
Square
IPA Vowel Chart (Purple Grid → Orange Grid)
ʊə
Tour
Pure/pjʊə/
Poor
Sure
Cure/kjʊə/
Endure
/ɪnˈdjʊə/
The words ‘pure’ , ‘cure’ , and ‘endure’ sound slightly differently from the rest of the words due to the consonant /j/ requiring a jaw dropping movement.