Which term describes the smallest unit of sound in a language?

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Prepare for the MTLE Special Education Core Skills Test. Study with targeted flashcards and multiple choice questions. Each question includes hints and detailed explanations to help you succeed.

Multiple Choice

Which term describes the smallest unit of sound in a language?

Explanation:
The smallest unit of sound in a language is a phoneme. Phonemes are the distinct sounds that can change meaning, such as the difference between /p/ and /b/ in pat vs. bat. They are sounds, not letters or written symbols—the written symbols are graphemes that represent those sounds. A syllable is a larger unit of pronunciation that centers around a vowel and may include surrounding consonants. Metacognition relates to thinking about thinking, not to sounds. Knowing phonemes helps with decoding and spelling because it trains you to hear and manipulate the individual sounds that make up words.

The smallest unit of sound in a language is a phoneme. Phonemes are the distinct sounds that can change meaning, such as the difference between /p/ and /b/ in pat vs. bat. They are sounds, not letters or written symbols—the written symbols are graphemes that represent those sounds. A syllable is a larger unit of pronunciation that centers around a vowel and may include surrounding consonants. Metacognition relates to thinking about thinking, not to sounds. Knowing phonemes helps with decoding and spelling because it trains you to hear and manipulate the individual sounds that make up words.

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