Diphthong
A vowel combining two different vowel qualities transitioning within one syllable.
Real World
The Great Vowel Shift changed Chaucer's pronunciation of 'time' from /tiːmə/ with a monophthong to the modern diphthong /taɪm/, which is why Middle English spelling no longer matches current pronunciation.
Exam Focus
Identify whether an accent uses a full diphthong or a monophthong variant — this distinction earns credit in phonological analysis.
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