Which term describes a single vowel sound?

• A. Diphthong
• B. Monophthong
• C. Schwa
• D. Utterance

Answer: (B)

A single vowel sound is described by the term monophthong. A monophthong has a steady, unchanging vowel quality throughout the syllable, meaning there’s no glide to another vowel. In English, many vowels are monophthongs, such as the /iː/ in “see” or the /æ/ in “cat.” By contrast, a diphthong describes a vowel that moves from one sound to another within the same syllable, like /eɪ/ in “say” or /aɪ/ in “my.” A schwa is a specific reduced vowel sound in unstressed syllables, not all single vowel sounds. Utterance refers to spoken language in general, not a particular vowel type. So monophthong is the best fit for describing a single vowel sound.