FULL NAMES:
STUDENT NUMBER:
MODULE CODE: ENG1514
APPLIED ENGLISH LANGUAGE FOR
FOUNDATION PHASE FIRST ADDITIONAL
LANGUAGE
ASSIGNMENT: 01
YEAR MODULE 2025
1
, SECTION A
Knowledge-Based Questions
Phonemic Awareness
1a) Use two words to explain the relationship between English
sounds (phonemes) and alphabets (graphemes) in relation to
spelling.
The two words that capture the connection between the sounds of English and the
written letters are representation and variation. In English, the relationship
between phonemes (the smallest units of sound) and graphemes (the written
symbols or letters) is not always one-to-one or fixed. A single phoneme can be
represented by different graphemes, and one grapheme may also represent various
phonemes depending on its position in a word or its context. This means that there
is no exact or predictable link between how words are pronounced and how they are
spelled. For instance, the /f/ sound can be written as “f” in "fan" or “ph” in "phone,"
which shows that different letters can stand for the same sound (Wyse et al., 2013:
223). This variation in representation often leads to challenges in spelling, especially
for new learners of the English language. At the same time, written English requires
an understanding that the alphabet system, which consists of 26 letters, is used to
represent about 44 sounds in English, making spelling rules more complex. Thus,
spelling becomes a system where variation in the use of graphemes is common, and
learners need to develop a sense of how letters and sounds interact through
exposure and practice (Eng1514 Study Guide, 2025: 96).
1b) Explain how phonemic awareness influences the pronunciation
of words in English.
Phonemic awareness plays a very important role in shaping how a person
pronounces words in English. It refers to the ability to hear, identify and manipulate
the individual sounds in spoken words. This awareness helps learners recognise the
different sounds that make up a word and then blend those sounds together to
produce the correct pronunciation. If someone has a strong sense of phonemic
awareness, they are more likely to pronounce words clearly and accurately, because
2
STUDENT NUMBER:
MODULE CODE: ENG1514
APPLIED ENGLISH LANGUAGE FOR
FOUNDATION PHASE FIRST ADDITIONAL
LANGUAGE
ASSIGNMENT: 01
YEAR MODULE 2025
1
, SECTION A
Knowledge-Based Questions
Phonemic Awareness
1a) Use two words to explain the relationship between English
sounds (phonemes) and alphabets (graphemes) in relation to
spelling.
The two words that capture the connection between the sounds of English and the
written letters are representation and variation. In English, the relationship
between phonemes (the smallest units of sound) and graphemes (the written
symbols or letters) is not always one-to-one or fixed. A single phoneme can be
represented by different graphemes, and one grapheme may also represent various
phonemes depending on its position in a word or its context. This means that there
is no exact or predictable link between how words are pronounced and how they are
spelled. For instance, the /f/ sound can be written as “f” in "fan" or “ph” in "phone,"
which shows that different letters can stand for the same sound (Wyse et al., 2013:
223). This variation in representation often leads to challenges in spelling, especially
for new learners of the English language. At the same time, written English requires
an understanding that the alphabet system, which consists of 26 letters, is used to
represent about 44 sounds in English, making spelling rules more complex. Thus,
spelling becomes a system where variation in the use of graphemes is common, and
learners need to develop a sense of how letters and sounds interact through
exposure and practice (Eng1514 Study Guide, 2025: 96).
1b) Explain how phonemic awareness influences the pronunciation
of words in English.
Phonemic awareness plays a very important role in shaping how a person
pronounces words in English. It refers to the ability to hear, identify and manipulate
the individual sounds in spoken words. This awareness helps learners recognise the
different sounds that make up a word and then blend those sounds together to
produce the correct pronunciation. If someone has a strong sense of phonemic
awareness, they are more likely to pronounce words clearly and accurately, because
2
