Microsoft Word Glossary March 2011 doc

 
Vocabulary: see lexis. 
 
Voiced sound 
To produce a voiced sound, the voice is used, e.g. /b/ in bad, /d/ in dentist. Movement or vibration can be felt in the 
throat. Vowels in English are voiced. See unvoiced sound. 
 
Volunteer
noun + verb 
A learner who offers to help the teacher in class, for example by answering a question, handing out books or cleaning 
the board. 
 
Vowel 
A sound in which the air is not blocked by the tongue, lips, teeth etc. Movement or vibration is felt in the throat 
because the voice is used. The letters a, e, i, o, u and sometimes y are used to represent these sounds.
See consonant and diphthong. 
 
Wait time
The time that teachers wait in order to give learners time to respond to questions rather than expecting an immediate 
response.
 
Warmer 
noun, 
warm up 
verb 
An activity that a teacher uses at the beginning of a lesson to give the class more energy. See energy levels.  
 
Weak form 
If a word is unstressed, the weak form of vowels may be used, e.g. I can (/ kWn /) speak Italian, French, English and 
Spanish. The sound / W / is called schwa. See strong form.
 
Wh- question 
Wh- questions start with a wh- word. Wh- questions expect information in reply; not just yes or no, e.g. Where do you 
live? I live in France. 
 
Wh- word
Wh- words introduce wh- questions and indirect questions. Wh- words include who, whom, what, which, whose, how, 
why, where, when. 
 
Whole class: see open class.