Which symbol corresponds to the close back rounded vowel?

• A. /u:/
• B. /v/
• C. /ɑ:/
• D. /f/

Answer: (A)

A close back rounded vowel is produced with the tongue high at the back of the mouth and lips rounded. In transcription, this high back rounded vowel is represented as /uː/ and is often written as /u:/ to indicate length. Among the options, /u:/ is the one that matches these features, so it’s the correct symbol. The other symbols map to sounds that are not a high back rounded vowel: /v/ and /f/ are consonants (fricatives), and /ɑ:/ is a low back vowel, which is not close.