Do the vowel cluster exercises and practice what you've already learned about diphthong, triphthong and hiatus. Explained answers help clear up doubts.
question 1
Select the alternative that has only words with diphthongs.
a) papa, ox
b) sky, hiatus
c) chair, moon
d) milk, ship
e) soap, lobby
The words papa and boi are diphthongs, because the vowel and semivowel remain together even when separating syllables: pa-pthere and bhey. The word boi is a monosyllable, so it cannot be separated.
Syllable separation of the remaining words:
- sky (sky)
- hiatus (hi-a-to)
- chair (ca-dei-ra)
- moon (lu-a)
- milk (milk)
- ship (na-vi-o)
- soap (soap)
- hall (hall)
question 2
The words madeira, uruguaiano and lua have the following vowels, respectively.
a) hiatus, diphthong and triphthong
b) triphthong, diphthong, hiatus
c) hiatus, triphthong, diphthong
d) diphthong, hiatus and triphthong
e) diphthong, triphthong and hiatus
Madeira is a word with a diphthong, because the vowel and semivowel remain together even when syllables are separated: ma-dHey-frog
Uruguaiano is a word with triphthong, because the semivowel, the vowel and the semivowel stay together even when separating syllables: u-ru-gwow-year.
Lua is a word with a hiatus, because the vowels appear together, but separate when syllables are separated: lu-The.
question 3
Select the alternative that has only words with triphthong.
a) rinse, calm
b) alcohol, dandelion
c) quiet, falls
d) equal, which
e) frequent, sky
Equal and which are words with triphthongs, because the semivowel, the vowel and the semivowel remain together even when separating syllables: i-gwows and qwows. The word which is a monosyllable, so it cannot be separated.
Syllable separation of the remaining words:
- alcohol (alcohol)
- lion (lion)
- quiet (qui-e-to)
- fall fall)
- frequent (often)
- sky (sky)
question 4
What is the only word that has no hiatus?
a) root
b) alcohol
c) father
d) hem
e) poet
Pai is a diphthong word, because the vowel and semivowel are together. The word father is a monosyllable, so it cannot be separated.
Syllable separation of the remaining words:
- root (ra-iz)
- alcohol (alcohol)
- sheath (ba-i-nha)
- poet (po-e-ta)
question 5
Indicate the only FALSE alternative.
a) Diphthong is the vowel encounter in which a vowel and a semivowel are together.
b) In the hiatus, there may be a meeting of vowel with vowel and of vowel with semivowel.
c) Triphthong is the vowel combination in which semivowel + vowel + semivowel are together.
d) Hiato is the vowel encounter in which two vowels are together.
e) The diphthongs and triphthongs do not separate, only the gaps.
In hiatus, there is only meeting of two vowels. When the syllables are separated, each of the vowels is in a different syllable, for example: baú (baú).
question 6
Which alternative presents words with diphthong, triphthong and hiatus, in that order.
a) lion, unicorn, exit
b) lemon, Uruguay, coin
c) Paraguay, flowed out, hall
d) longing, king, fair
e) water, clothes, hi
Limão is a word with a diphthong, because the vowel and the semivowel remain together even when the syllables are separated: li-mto the.
Uruguay is a word with a triphthong, because the semivowel, the vowel and the semivowel stay together even when separating syllables: U-ru-gwow.
Moeda is a word with a hiatus, because the vowels appear together, but they separate when separating syllables: mO-It is-from the.
Syllable separation of the remaining words:
- lion (lion)
- unicorn (u-ni-cor-ni-o)
- exit (exit)
- Paraguay (Paraguay)
- desagou (de-sa-guou)
- hall (hall)
- longing (sau-da-de)
- king (king)
- fair (fair)
- water water)
- clothing (outfit)
- Hi Hi)
question 7
Select the alternative that has only hiatus words.
a) praise, God
b) stroll, eagle
c) genius, gratuitous
d) quiet, night
e) very, hero
There are hiatuses in the words passe and eagle, because in both the vowels appear together, but they separate when the syllables are separated: pas-sIt is-Ther and a-gui-The.
Syllable separation of the remaining words:
- praise (e-lo-gi-o)
- God God)
- genius (gen-ni-o)
- free (free)
- quiet (qui-e-to)
- night night)
- very very)
- hero (he-roy)
question 8
Choose the only TRUE alternative.
a) Vowel clusters may also occur if a consonant appears between vowels or semivowels.
b) In the hiatus, when we separate its syllables, the vowels remain in the same syllable.
c) When vowels or semivowels appear next to each other in a word, a vowel encounter occurs.
d) Gaps can be increasing or decreasing.
e) The gaps do not separate, only the diphthongs and triphthongs.
question 9
Which of the alternatives below presents a rising diphthong and a falling diphthong, in that order?
a) hat, milk
b) my, falls
c) how, lobby
d) judge, root
e) country, hero
The word homeland has an increasing diphthong, because the semivowel (I) comes before the vowel (A).
The word hero has a falling diphthong, because the vowel (O) comes before the semivowel (I).
question 10
Which of the alternatives below presents an oral diphthong and a nasal diphthong, in that order?
a) I know, mother
b) mother, I know
c) bad, see
d) take a lot
It is very bad
The word sei has an oral diphthong, because it is pronounced through the mouth.
The word mother has a nasal diphthong because it is pronounced through both the mouth and the nose.
Read too: Vowel clusters: diphthong, triphthong and hiatus
FERNANDES, Marcia. Vocal encounter exercises (with explained answers).All Matter, [n.d.]. Available in: https://www.todamateria.com.br/exercicios-de-encontros-vocalicos/. Access at:
See too
- Vocal Encounters
- consonant clusters
- Graphic accent exercises
- stressed syllable exercises
- Digraph
- Gap
- spelling exercises
- Syllable Separation
