Lesson 12: PHON
The Root
PHON comes from Greek and means "sound" or "voice."
When you see this root, think about noises, speaking, or devices that carry sound.
Word List
| Word | Parts | Definition |
|---|---|---|
| telephone | TELE- (far) / MICRO- (small) / MEGA- (big) + PHONE (sound) | a system for transmitting voices over a distance using wire or radio signals |
| microphone | TELE- (far) / MICRO- (small) / MEGA- (big) + PHONE (sound) | an instrument for converting sound waves into electrical energy signals so they can be amplified |
| symphony | SYM- (together) + PHONY (sound) | an elaborate musical composition for full orchestra (literally "sounds together") |
| phonics | PHON (sound) + -ICS/-ETIC (science/method) | a method of teaching people to read by correlating sounds with letters |
| cacophony | KACO- (bad) / EU- (good) + PHONY (sound) | a harsh, discordant mixture of sounds |
| euphony | KACO- (bad) / EU- (good) + PHONY (sound) | the quality of being pleasing to the ear, especially through a harmonious combination of words |
| homophone | HOMO- (same) + PHONE (sound) | each of two or more words having the same pronunciation but different meanings (e.g., new and knew) |
| megaphone | TELE- (far) / MICRO- (small) / MEGA- (big) + PHONE (sound) | a large funnel-shaped device for amplifying and directing the voice |
| saxophone | Named after Adolphe SAX + PHONE (sound) | a metal wind instrument with a reed and a curved conical tube |
| phonograph | PHONO (sound) + GRAPH (write/record) | an early sound-reproducing machine that used cylinders or discs (record player) |
| phonetic | PHON (sound) + -ICS/-ETIC (science/method) | relating to speech sounds |
| xylophone | XYLO- (wood) + PHONE (sound) | a musical instrument played by striking a row of wooden bars of graduated length |
Practice 1: Multiple Choice
Choose the word that best completes each sentence.
- The construction site was a __________ of drilling and shouting.
a) telephone
b) cacophony
c) symphony
d) euphony
- She used a __________ to cheer for her team so everyone could hear her.
a) megaphone
b) xylophone
c) telephone
d) microphone
- In kindergarten, we learned __________ to help us read words.
a) physics
b) homophones
c) phonics
d) symphonies
- The words "sea" and "see" are __________ because they sound the same.
a) homophones
b) antonyms
c) synonyms
d) homonyms
- The singer held the __________ close to her mouth while performing.
a) telephone
b) megaphone
c) microphone
d) microscope
- The orchestra played a beautiful __________ by Beethoven.
a) cacophony
b) phonics
c) symphony
d) telephone
- The poetry had a lovely __________, flowing smoothly off the tongue.
a) homophone
b) cacophony
c) microphone
d) euphony
- Alexander Graham Bell invented the __________.
a) xylophone
b) telephone
c) saxophone
d) megaphone
- He played the __________ in the jazz band.
a) xylophone
b) microphone
c) phonograph
d) saxophone
- The antique __________ played old music from a vinyl record.
a) phonograph
b) telephone
c) telegraph
d) autograph
- The alphabet is a __________ system, representing sounds with symbols.
a) phonetic
b) pathetic
c) magnetic
d) sympathetic
- She hit the wooden bars of the __________ with the mallets.
a) megaphone
b) telephone
c) xylophone
d) saxophone
Practice 2: Fill in the Blank
Use each word from the word bank exactly once.
Word Bank: telephone, microphone, symphony, phonics, cacophony, euphony, homophone, megaphone, saxophone, phonograph, phonetic, xylophone
The coach yelled instructions through a __________ during practice.
I called my grandmother on the __________ to wish her a happy birthday.
"Flower" and "flour" is an example of a __________.
The band created a terrible __________ when they all played the wrong notes at once.
We learned __________ rules like "silent e" in first grade.
The jazz musician played a soulful solo on his __________.
The __________ used symbols to show exactly how to pronounce the word.
The composer wrote a grand __________ for 100 musicians.
The poet chose words for their __________, making the poem sound musical.
Before MP3s, people listened to music on a __________.
She tapped out a tune on the colorful __________ in music class.
The speaker tapped the __________ to check if it was working.
Practice 3: Reading Passage
The Concert
The conductor raised his baton. The symphony began. It started with a soft, sweet melody—pure euphony. The violins and cellos played together in perfect harmony.
Then, the drums crashed. The music became chaotic, almost a cacophony of noise, representing a storm. Finally, the storm passed, and the saxophone played a lonely, beautiful solo. The audience (from the last lesson!) cheered wildly.
Reading PassageQuestions
- A "symphony" is:
a) A solo singer
b) A large musical composition for an orchestra
c) A rock band
d) A type of poem
- "Euphony" refers to:
a) Loud noise
b) Pleasing, harmonious sound
c) Silence
d) Jazz music
- The "cacophony" represented:
a) A storm
b) A sleeping baby
c) A telephone ringing
d) A xylophone
- Which instrument played a solo?
a) The violin
b) The saxophone
c) The megaphone
d) The phonograph
- The opposite of "euphony" is:
a) Symphony
b) Harmony
c) Cacophony
d) Melody
Answer Key
Practice 1: Multiple Choice
- b
- a
- c
- a
- c
- c
- d
- b
- d
- a
- a
- c
Practice 2: Fill in the Blank
- megaphone
- telephone
- homophone
- cacophony
- phonics
- saxophone
- phonetic
- symphony
- euphony
- phonograph
- xylophone
- microphone
Reading Passage Questions
- b
- b
- a
- b
- c