For the question, choose the option that has the same vowel sound as the ones represented by the letter(s) underlined. wound

Answer Details

The word "wound" (meaning an injury) is pronounced /wuːnd/. The underlined vowel combination "ou" produces the long vowel /uː/, the same sound found in "boot", "moon", and "food".

Examining each option:

• foot is pronounced /fʊt/, with the short vowel /ʊ/. Although close in quality, /ʊ/ is shorter and more lax than /uː/ - not a match.
• book is pronounced /bʊk/, also with /ʊ/ - not a match for the same reason.
• blood is pronounced /blʌd/, with the vowel /ʌ/ (as in "cup") - a completely different sound.
• moon is pronounced /muːn/, with /uː/ - an exact match for the vowel in "wound".

The correct answer is moon, because its vowel /uː/ is identical to that in "wound".

Exam tip: The spelling "oo" and "ou" can represent different vowel sounds depending on the word. "Foot" and "book" have /ʊ/, while "moon" and "wound" have /uː/. "Blood" and "flood" use yet another sound, /ʌ/. These irregular spelling-to-sound correspondences must be memorised.