Final answer:
Phonemes are the basic sound units of a language, while morphemes are the smallest meaningful units. Phonemes are combined to form morphemes, which can be individual words or word parts that convey meaning.
Step-by-step explanation:
Phonemes and morphemes are both fundamental units of language, but they differ in their functions. Phonemes are the basic sound units of a language, while morphemes are the smallest meaningful units. Phonemes are combined to form morphemes, which can be individual words or word parts that convey meaning. For example, in the word 'cats', there are three phonemes (/k/ /æ/ /t/) and two morphemes ('cat' and 's').
Understanding phonemes and morphemes is essential for language acquisition and comprehension. Phonemes help distinguish between different sounds in a language, while morphemes help convey meaning. By analyzing the sounds and meaning of phonemes and morphemes, we can better understand how language is constructed and how words are formed.