Reading Instruction Competence Assessment (RICA) Practice Test

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What distinguishes a diphthong from a digraph?

Diphthongs are sounds while digraphs are letters
Digraphs are sounds while diphthongs are spelled
Diphthongs can only contain vowels
Digraphs only contain consonants

The correct answer is: Diphthongs are sounds while digraphs are letters

Diphthongs are defined as complex vowel sounds that begin with one vowel sound and glide into another within the same syllable, such as the sounds found in words like "coin" or "loud." These sounds are important in phonetics and phonology because they contribute to the way words are pronounced and can affect meaning. On the other hand, digraphs consist of two letters that together represent a single sound. These can include a combination of vowels (like "ai" in "rain") or consonants (like "ch" in "chair"). Digraphs do not represent the complex sound change that defines diphthongs; instead, they provide a way to spell single sounds with multiple letters. The distinction highlighted in the chosen response emphasizes that diphthongs are about sound, while digraphs are about the written representation of those sounds. This differentiation is crucial in understanding how different aspects of language representation works, both in spoken and written forms.