What is the Difference Between Vowels and Diphthongs?

Vowels and diphthongs are both vowel sounds, but they differ in the number of sounds produced in a single syllable and the way they are pronounced. Here are the key differences between vowels and diphthongs:

• Vowels: These are single sounds per syllable. In the English language, there are five vowel letters: a, e, i, o, and u. A vowel produces a single sound in a syllable.
• Diphthongs: These are sounds formed by the combination of two vowel sounds in a single syllable, in which the sound begins as one vowel and moves towards another. Diphthongs produce two vowel sounds in a syllable without breaking the syllable.

In summary, vowels produce a single sound per syllable, while diphthongs produce two vowel sounds in a single syllable without breaking it.

Comparative Table: Vowels vs Diphthongs

Vowels and diphthongs are both vowel sounds, but they differ in the number of sounds produced within a syllable. Here is a table highlighting the differences between vowels and diphthongs:

Vowels are speech sounds represented by letters such as a, e, i, o, and u in the English language. Diphthongs, on the other hand, are single syllables where two different vowel sounds are produced without a syllabic break. Diphthongs are also called gliding vowels, as one vowel sound glides into the next.