Oral Language deals with spoken English and how speech sounds are produced, organized, and used to communicate meaning. In the Ghana Teacher Licensure Examination (GTLE), this unit tests candidates’ understanding of speech sounds, stress, intonation, and communicative functions in real-life contexts.

A teacher of English at the SHS level must understand not only what sounds are produced, but how and why they are used in communication.

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MODULE 1.1: ENGLISH SPEECH SOUNDS

(Phonetics and Phonology)

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1. Definition of Speech Sounds

Speech sounds are the sounds produced by human speech organs (lungs, vocal cords, tongue, lips, teeth, etc.) during communication.
In English, these sounds are studied under phonetics and phonology.

• Phonetics: the study of how speech sounds are produced, transmitted, and received.

• Phonology: the study of how speech sounds function within a language to create meaning.

 Example:
The words bat and pat differ in meaning because of a difference in sound (/b/ and /p/).

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2. Classification of English Sounds

English speech sounds are broadly classified into:

1. Vowels

2. Consonants

This classification is based on:

• Whether air passes freely through the mouth

• Whether there is obstruction in the vocal tract

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3. Vowels

Vowels are speech sounds produced without any significant obstruction of airflow in the mouth.

Characteristics of Vowels

• Air flows freely

• Usually voiced (vocal cords vibrate)

• Can stand alone as a syllable

Types of Vowels

(a) Monophthongs

These are pure vowel sounds produced with a steady mouth position.

Examples:

• /iː/ as in see

• /ɪ/ as in sit

• /e/ as in bed

• /æ/ as in cat

• /ʌ/ as in cup

• /uː/ as in food

(b) Diphthongs

These are vowels that involve a glide from one vowel sound to another within the same syllable.

Examples:

• /eɪ/ as in day

• /aɪ/ as in time

• /ɔɪ/ as in boy

• /aʊ/ as in now

• /əʊ/ as in go

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4. Consonants

Consonants are speech sounds produced with partial or complete obstruction of airflow.

Classification of Consonants

Consonants are classified using two main criteria:

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(a) Place of Articulation

This refers to where in the mouth the sound is produced.

Examples:

• Bilabial: /p, b, m/ (both lips)

• Labiodental: /f, v/ (lower lip and upper teeth)

• Dental: /θ, ð/ (tongue and teeth)

• Alveolar: /t, d, s, z, n/ (alveolar ridge)

• Palatal: /ʃ, ʒ, tʃ, dʒ/

• Velar: /k, g, ŋ/

• Glottal: /h/

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(b) Manner of Articulation

This refers to how the sound is produced.

Examples:

• Plosives: /p, b, t, d, k, g/

• Fricatives: /f, v, s, z, θ, ð/

• Affricates: /tʃ, dʒ/

• Nasals: /m, n, ŋ/

• Liquids: /l, r/

• Glides: /w, j/

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5. Phonetic Symbols (IPA – Basic)

The International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) provides symbols to represent speech sounds accurately.

Examples:

• /p/ → pen

• /θ/ → think

• /ð/ → this

• /ʃ/ → ship

GTLE candidates must be able to match sounds with symbols and words.

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6. Description of Sounds in Context

Describing sounds in context means explaining:

• The type of sound

• Its place and manner of articulation

• How it functions in a word or sentence

 Example:
“The sound /p/ in pen is a voiceless bilabial plosive.”

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MODULE 1.2: MINIMAL PAIRS

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1. Definition of Minimal Pairs

Minimal pairs are pairs of words that differ in only one sound and have different meanings.

Examples:

• ship /ʃɪp/ and sheep /ʃiːp/

• bat /bæt/ and pat /pæt/

• fan /fæn/ and van /væn/

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2. Importance of Minimal Pairs in Communication

Minimal pairs show that:

• A small change in sound can change meaning

• Clear pronunciation is essential for understanding

• Learners must distinguish sounds accurately

In Ghanaian classrooms, minimal pairs help address mother-tongue interference.

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3. Common English Minimal Pairs

• /ɪ/ vs /iː/ → sit / seat

• /p/ vs /b/ → pat / bat

• /f/ vs /v/ → fan / van

• /θ/ vs /t/ → thin / tin

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4. Identifying Minimal Pairs in Sentences

Candidates must identify minimal pairs within context, not just in isolation.

 Example:
“He sat on the seat.”
“He sat on the chair.”

The difference in meaning depends on vowel length.

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MODULE 1.3: STRESS AND INTONATION

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1. Word Stress

Word stress is the emphasis placed on one syllable in a word.

Examples:

• REcord (noun)

• reCORD (verb)

Incorrect stress can lead to misunderstanding.

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2. Sentence Stress

Sentence stress highlights important words (content words) in a sentence.

 Example:
“I bought a new phone.”
(Emphasis shows the action)

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3. Stress Patterns in Nouns, Verbs, and Compounds

• Two-syllable nouns: stress on first syllable (TAble)

• Two-syllable verbs: stress on second syllable (reLAX)

• Compound nouns: stress on first part (BLACKboard)

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4. Intonation Patterns

Intonation refers to the rise and fall of pitch in speech.

• Falling intonation → statements

• Rising intonation → yes/no questions

• Falling-rising → uncertainty or politeness

 Example:
“You are coming?” (rising = question)

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MODULE 1.4: CONVERSATION AND COMMUNICATIVE FUNCTIONS

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1. Meaning of Conversation

A conversation is an interactive exchange of ideas between two or more people, guided by context, purpose, and social norms.

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2. Communicative Functions

Communicative functions explain what a speaker intends to do with an utterance.

Common Functions

• Requesting: “Can you help me?”

• Apologizing: “I’m sorry for being late.”

• Advising: “You should study harder.”

• Complaining: “The room is too noisy.”

• Greeting: “Good morning.”

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3. Context and Meaning in Spoken Interaction

The same sentence can perform different functions depending on context.

 Example:
“It’s cold here.”

• Complaint

• Request to close a window

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SUMMARY (GTLE KEY POINTS)

• Speech sounds are divided into vowels and consonants

• Minimal pairs test sound distinction

• Stress and intonation affect meaning

• Communicative functions depend on context