LISTEN
listen_to_-oi-.mp3
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/ɔɪ/...​/ɔɪ/...​/ɔɪ/...​/ɔɪ/...

boy...voice...coin...destroy​

WHAT IS IT?
Pronunciation:
The sound /ɔɪ/ is a diphthong. This means your mouth should move from one position to another.
  • Form a circle with your lips (as for /ɔ/), and pull your tongue backwards.
  • Breathe out and let your vocal cords vibrate.
  • As you do this, quickly pull your tongue forward and spread your lips widely (as for /ɪ/).
​
stressed_-oi-.mp3
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This vowel is usually stressed, as in these words:
  • noisy
  • oy​ster
  • enjoy
​
unstressed_-oi-.mp3
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However, /ɔɪ/ can be unstressed. In an unstressed syllable,  /ɔɪ/ is pronounced quickly and softly.
  • alloy
  • viewpoint
  • turmoil​​

​Spelling
  • "oi" - noise, point
  • "oy" - employ, oyster

COMPARE
Compare /ɔɪ/ with /ɑɪ/:
compare_oi-ai_1.mp3
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/ɔɪ/.../ɑɪ/.../ɔɪ/.../ɑɪ/.../ɔɪ/.../ɑɪ/...

These are both diphthong vowels. However, /ɔɪ/ starts with your tongue pulled backwards with your lips forming a circle, and /ɑɪ/ starts with your tongue pulled downwards with your lips widened.
.
You can hear the difference between /ɔɪ/ and /ɑɪ/ in these words.
compare_oi-ai_words.mp3
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1. A. boy, B. by​
2. A. voice, B. vice
3. A. toys, B. ties
4. A. foil, B. file
​5. A. point, B. pint
6. A. alloy, B, ally

​​Practice recognizing words with /ɔɪ/ and /ɑɪ/ by taking the quiz below.

Now compare /ɔɪ/ and /ɔ/:
compare_oi-o_1.mp3
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/ɔɪ/.../ɔ/.../ɔɪ/.../ɔ/.../ɔɪ/.../ɔ/...

The sound /ɔ/ is a mid, back vowel. The sound /ɔɪ/ starts as /ɔ/ but it moves quickly into a high, front vowel.

You can hear the difference between /ɔɪ/ and /ɔ/ in these words.
compare_oi-o_words2.mp3
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1. ​A. joy, B. jaw
2. A. poise, B. pause
3. A. oil, B. all
4. A. loin, B. lawn
5. A. cloying, B. clawing
6. A. boiling, B. bawling

​​Practice recognizing words with /ɔɪ/ and /ɔ/ by taking the quiz below.

PRACTICE
Listen and repeat these words:
words_with_-oi-.mp3
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1. boy
2. voice
3. soil
4. coin
5. point
6. annoy
7. noisy
8. avoid
9. oyster
10. poison 
11.  exploit
12. enjoying
13. employee
14. boiler
15. alloy
16. viewpoint
17. moisture
18. toiletries 
19. voyage
20. loyal

​Now, practice /ɔɪ/ in sentences. Say the words first, then the sentences:
sentences_with_-oi-.mp3
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1. boy - toys
​The boy didn't put away all his toys.
2. annoyed - noisy
I'm annoyed by our noisy neighbors.
3. enjoys - coins
My uncle enjoys collecting old coins.
4. employees - joined
The new employees joined us for lunch.
5. pointed - oysters
My friend pointed out the shop that sells oysters.
6. avoid - oil
Please avoid putting too much oil in the food.

To practice with different varieties of English, choose another native English speaker by clicking one of the links below:

USE IT!
​​Practice the task below. Then, record yourself completing that task. Give your recording to a teacher or an English-speaking friend for feedback.

Prepare:
Look at the list of situations. Which situations annoy you the most?
  • Being unemployed
  • Going on a long voyage
  • Dropping a coin
  • Losing your voice
  • Being in a noisy place
  • Eating oysters
  • Realizing that you made a bad choice​
  • Being late for an appointment
  • ​Being late for an appointment
  • Finding spoiled food in your refrigerator
  • Losing points on an assignment because of a mistake
  • Needing to change the oil in your car
  • Reading tabloids
  • Finding spoiled food in your refrigerator
  • Realizing that you disappointed someone else
Record:​
In your recording, describe 3 situations that annoy you. Explain how you can avoid these situations.

©2018-2021, Christine Wingate