Pronounce English Accurately

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Vowel 17: Diphthong /aɪ/

The diphthong /aɪ/ starts with the mouth wide open and the tongue low and back and moves to the high frontal position of /i/.

/aɪ aɪ aɪ/

This entails a lot of movement in the vocal organs – from one extreme to the other in fact, and results in a very wide, very clear diphthong which is common in many languages and for most learners shouldn't be much of a problem.

/aɪ/ is the name of the letter I.

If you asked most native speakers what the most archetypal spelling of the sound /aɪ/ is they would probably come up with quite a strange answer – the 'igh' in the word 'high'.

That's because all the other spellings can be pronounced as something else – only 'igh' is reliably pronounced /aɪ/.

So, examples of /aɪ/ spelt 'igh': 'high, nigh, sigh, thigh'

and with final 't': 'night, light, fight, might, right, slight, plight' and 'tight'.

A very rare spelling is 'eight' pronounced /aɪt/ - only in 'height' and 'sleight of hand'.

ADD IN: In fact much more common, but less reliable, is the letter 'i' plus one consonant, plus the 'magic e', which makes the letter 'i' 'say its name': 'mine, wine, whine, five, bride, wise, file, grime, like, life', and many more.

Native speakers might not count it as the most archetypal spelling because of all the words spelt like this but pronounced /iː/ - machine, police, etc.

Also common is 'ie' as in 'die, pie, tie, vie', 'died, pies, tries, vied'

and final 'y' as in 'try, fly, sky, shy, dry, defy',

all the words ending in '-ify', such as 'codify, electrify, justify' and 'purify'.

There's 'y' followed by a single consonant and then 'e': 'type, hype, style, rhyme' and 'byte'.

Rare is 'i' ending a word – 'hi' and 'pi' π are the only ones which come to mind … and possibly Princess Di.

But a single letter 'i' which LOOKS as though it should be /ɪ/ but is ACTUALLY /aɪ/ is common: 'mind', 'to wind' – compare 'wind' – 'pint, blind, child, wild'

and also a single 'i' in words where it would be expected to be /aɪ/, such as 'final, crisis, climate, pirate, miner' and its homophone 'minor'.

and also a single 'i' followed by an 'a' in 'giant, dial, diary, diamond', and 'liar'.

Rather rare is '-ye' ending a word: 'bye-bye, dye, lye, and the 'Isle of Skye'.

Which brings me neatly to the silent 's' in 'isle' and 'island', and also 'aisle'.

'eye' occurs in the one word 'eye' and 'aye' occurs in the one word 'aye'.

'ir' occurs in the one word 'iron'. There is no /r/ sound in this in British English – it is /ˈaɪ.ən/, and sounds the same as 'ion', although 'ion' without the letter 'r' can be either /ˈaɪ.ən/ or /ˈaɪ.ɒn/.

'ai' occurs in foreign words and place names: Taiwan, Shanghai, Dubai, chai, bonsai, haiku, tai chi, and samurai.

A few words have 'ay' pronounced /aɪ/ - 'kayak, papaya, Uruguay and Paraguay' come to mind.

'Versailles' has the /aɪ/ sound, as does 'naïve'.

With 'ae' we have 'paella, maestro', and 'curriculum vitae'.

And an odd spelling, even though it's so familiar: 'climb, climber and climbing', with /aɪ/ and a silent letter 'b'.

And now some practice sentences.

The bright white kites are flying higher and higher into the sky.

Nine times he climbed the mountains of Skye looking for diamonds.

Mike unkindly reminded me of the time he saved my life.