Question

The letter x is the only letter that stands for two phonemes, /k/ and /s/, and occasionally /g/ and /z/.

A) True
B) False

Answer 1

The claim that 'x' is the only letter representing multiple phonemes is false, as English has other letters like 'c', 'g', 'w', and 'y' that also represent multiple sounds depending on context.

Step-by-step explanation:

The statement that the letter x is the only letter that stands for two phonemes, /k/ and /s/, and occasionally /g/ and /z/ is false. While it is true that x often represents the sounds [ks], as in box, or [gz], as in exist, these are not the only instances where a single letter represents multiple phonemes. For example, the letter c can spell the sound [s] when followed by e, i, or y and is referred to as a soft c. On the other hand, when the letter c is followed by other letters, it typically represents the sound [k], which is referred to as a hard c. Similarly, the letter g can represent the [j] sound in certain conditions, and the letters w and y can sometimes function as vowels in English.

True. The letter x can represent the phonemes /k/ and /s/. For example, in the word 'box' it represents the /ks/ sound, and in the word 'exist' it represents the /gz/ sound. However, it's important to note that the /g/ and /z/ sounds are only occasionally represented by the letter x, specifically in words with the prefix 'ex-' and a vowel following it.

Answer 2

The statement that 'x' is the only letter representing multiple phonemes is False. Other letters, such as 'g' and 'c', can also represent different sounds, while 'x' commonly represents [ks] or [gz].

Step-by-step explanation:

The statement that the letter x is the only letter that stands for two phonemes, /k/ and /s/, and occasionally /g/ and /z/ is False. While it is true that the letter x often represents the phonemes [ks] as in example or [gz] as in exist (especially when used in the prefix ex- and followed by a vowel), it is not the only letter that can represent multiple phonemes. For instance, the letter g can spell the [j] sound as in gem, the letter c spells the [s] sound when it follows with e, i, or y, and is referred to as soft c. Both y and w can also act as vowels or consonants depending on their usage in words. Therefore, the letter x is not unique in representing more than one phoneme, and other letters also have the capability to represent different sounds based on context.1