3. Degree of Tenseness and the Character of the End of the Vowel

The distinctive oppositions here are:

• tense vs. lax

• checked vs. free

3. Length

There are long and short vowels in English. But length is not the only distinctive feature of minimal pairs like Pete-pit, Bart-but. In other words, the difference between /i: - I/ etc. is not only quantitative but also qualitative, which is conditioned by different positions of the bulk of the tongue.

Qualitative difference is the main relevant feature that differentiates long and short vowel phoneme, because quantitative characteristics of long vowels depend on the position they occupy in a word:

1. they are the longest in the terminal position

2. they are shorter before voiced consonants

3. they are the shortest voiceless consonants

3. Stability of Articulation

This principle provides the basis for the following distinctive oppositions:

1. Monophthongs vs. diphthongs

2. Diphthongs vs. diphthongoids