PRONUNCIATION

HANDOUT

CONSONANTS

By Élcio Souza, M.A.

 GLOSSARY
I. THE MOUTH

The illustration at the right shows the inside of

the mouth. The labeled parts are the ones that
English uses to make most of its consonants.

A. ORAL TRACT:
Velum or
1. Lips / lɪps / When you press your lips Soft Palate
together or round them, you are able to produce
labial sounds. In English the labial sounds are
/p, b, m, w/.

2. Teeth / tiθ / Spread your tongue in your

mouth so that it covers all lower teeth. Now
Adapted from Focus on Pronunciation, by Linda Lane
gently press it with all you upper teeth.
If you blow some air now, you can say the th as in think.
The "th" sounds are called "interdental" (between the teeth) or simply dental.

3. Alveolar ridge ælviələrɪƷ The alveolar ridge is the flat part of the mouth just
behind the top teeth, before the inside of your mouth starts to curve up. It is the location of many
consonants in English (/ t s n / etc). Touch the alveolar ridge with your tongue with the tip of
your tongue. / d / is an alveolar sound.

4. Palate æə The palate is just behind the alveolar ridge. It rises toward the top of
your mouth and has a hard bone under it. / ∫ Ʒ / are sounds produced there. Feel your palate with
the tip of your tongue. / ∫ / is a palatal sound.

5. Velum viləm  The velum is the back top part of your mouth, too far back to touch with
the tip of your tongue. When you make a / k /, the back part of the tongue touches the velum. Put
your mouth in position to say "k" but don't say it. Hold that position and feel where the back part
of your tongue is touching. / k / is a velar sound.

6. Vocal folds (Glottis, also former vocal cords) voʊkəlfoʊldz / When the vocal folds
vibrate, "voiced" sounds are produced. Put your fingertips against your throat, just under your
chin. Make a long /vvvvvv/ and feel the vibration on your fingers. / v / is a voiced sound. Try the
same with /fffffffffff/. / f / is a voiceless sound. Now alternate continuously between / v / and / f /
and feel the voicing turn on and off: / vvvfffvvvfffvvvfffvvv /. / h / is a glottal sound.

B. NASAL TRACT
1. Nose.
2. Nasal cavity.

C. LARYNX.

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 INTRODUCTION
I. GRAPHEME AND PHONEME
A. Graphemes = letters
B. Phonemes = sound representations

E.g. Work = 4 graphemes: w-o-r-k and 4 phonemes: / w ɜ r k /

Box = 3 graphemes: b-o-x but 4 phonemes: / b ɑ k s /
Chalk = 5 graphemes: c-h-a-l-k but 3 phonemes: / t∫  k /

C. Count the number of graphemes and phonemes of the following words:

WORD GRAPHEMES PHONEMES TRANSCRIPTION*

1 Blades
2 Book
3 Dictionary
4 Fix
5 Insisted
6 Learned
7 Muscle
8 Paper
9 Passes
10 Think
11 Watch
12 Worked

II. PLACE OF ARTICULATION (see glossary)

a) Bilabial / p b m w* /
b) Labiodental /fv/
c) Dental /θð/
d) Alveolar /tdszlrn/
e) Alveolopalatal / t dƷ /
f) Palatal /Ʒj/
g) Velar / k g  w* /
h) Glottal /h/

III. MANNER OF ARTICULATION

a) Plosive /p b t d k g/ = Make the air explode.
b) Fricative /f v θ ð w j h/ = Make the air flow continuously.
c) Sibilant / s z t dƷ  Ʒ / = “Snake, rain, train” sounds
d) Nasal /m n / = Make the air flow through the nose.
e) Lateral /l/ = Air flows through the sides.
f) Retroflex /r/ = Just like the “caipira” R.

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IV. VOICING
A. Voiceless Sound = no vibration of vocal folds. E.g.: / f /
B. Voiced Sound = vibration of vocal folds. E.g.: / v /

** Separate the sounds in # II into two groups: voiced sounds and voiceless sounds.

Voiceless
Sounds
Voiced * *
Sounds

ARTICULATION AND SPELLING

/f/
Underline all letters that represent the sound / f /.
fat after quiff Place of Articulation:
foot different laugh Manner of Articulation:
fame graphic enough Voicing:

/v/
Underline all letters that represent the sound / v /.
van event arrive above Place of Articulation:
vault every leave of Manner of Articulation:
visit marvelous drive love Voicing:

//
Underline all letters that represent the sound / ∫ /.
shout anxious mash Place of Art.:
shoe motion wash Manner of Art.:
shell physician bush Voicing:

/Ʒ/
Underline all letters that represent the sound / Ʒ /.
jabot pleasure garage Place of Art.:
Jean Paul* measure beige Manner of Art.:
genre leisure prestige* Voicing:

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/ t /
Underline all letters that represent the sound / t∫ /.
Chalk teacher match Place of Art.:
cheese nature watch Manner of Art.:
check bachelor latch Voicing:

/ dƷ /
Underline all letters that represent the sound / dƷ /.
jar agent large Place of Art.:
general engineer badge Manner of Art.:
giant manager language Voicing:

/h/
Underline all letters that represent the sound / h /.
hat behind -x- Place of Art.:
home unhappy -x- Manner of Art.:
house ahead -x- Voicing:

/b/
Underline all letters that represent the sound / b /.
baby library bulb Place of Art.:
boy symbolic absorb Manner of Art.:
bark alphabet babe Voicing:

/d/
Underline all letters that represent the sound / d /.
day leader* said ride P. A.:
deer medical* bad decide M. A.:
dancer lady* mood divide Voicing:

/g/
Underline all letters that represent the sound / g /.
girl argument leg P. A.:
guess angry dog M. A.:
go forgive bag Voicing:
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 **ASPIRATION**

/p/
Underline all letters that represent the sound / p /.
pen pie apt lap P. A.:
pick pork champagne top M. A.:
pour pure report pipe Voicing:

/k/
Underline all letters that represent the sound / k /.
kind car occur back P. A.:
cat kit acquire stomach M. A.:
course kid parking book Voicing:

/t/
Underline all letters that represent the sound / t /.
time tackle attain adjective¹ butter² matter² but P. A.:
tooth tremble contribute interesting¹ legislative² letter² pet M. A.:
table try mysterious laughter¹ attitude² later² shut Voicing:

**PRONUNCIATION TO GRAMMAR 1**

WHAT DO THESE WORDS HAVE IN COMMON?

GROUP 01
PLANT RELATE LAND DIVIDE
RETORT STATE DEPEND INVADE
SUPPORT RECITE AFFORD DECIDE

GROUP 02
STOP LAUGH PASS WATCH MASH COOK
ESCAPE SURF CROSS MATCH WASH PICK

GROUP 03
ABSORB ARRIVE BUZZ CALL MERGE BEG
SLAM BREATHE LEARN REPAIR MASSAGE BANG
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SIMPLE PAST TENSE OF REGULAR VERBS (=> -d / -ed)
- The past tense suffix pronunciation is influenced by the previous SOUND.
- If the previous sound is either / t / or / d /, there will be an extra syllable: / ɪd /.
- If the previous sound is voiceless / p f s t∫ ∫ k /, the suffix is pronounced / t /.
- If the previous sound is voiced, the suffix is pronounced / d /.

SIMPLE PAST PRONUNCIATION

E.G. /t/ /d/ / Id /

barked stopped danced cleaned used arrived acted landed invited

EXERCISE: Write these verbs under the appropriate pronunciation:

Assist – Bang – Beg – Bluff – Borrow – Call – Decide – Depend – Discover – Erode – Finish –
Hope – Insist – Land – Laugh – Listen – Manage – Massage – Match – Mix – Pass – Play –
Relate – Relieve – Scythe – Seem – Sneeze – Sound – Stab – Talk – Taste – Wait – Wash –
Watch – Work – Wrap.

SIMPLE PAST PRONUNCIATION

Group 01 Group 02 Group 03
Extra Syllable Voiceless Voiced
-d /-ed => / ɪd / -d /-ed => / t / -d /-ed => / d /

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/r/
Underline all letters that represent the sound / r /.
rat apartment car P. A.:
room large bar M. A.:
really orange pair Voicing:

/l/
Underline all letters that represent the sound / l /.
learn melt tell P. A.:
lipstick filter girl M. A.:
lamp milk pencil Voicing:

/θ/
Underline all letters that represent the sound / θ /.
think through method arithmetic mouth P. A.:
thigh thorough author athlete month M. A.:
thought thick lethal Catholic bath Voicing:

/ð/
Underline all letters that represent the sound / ð /.

they there other southern smooth P. A.:

this these brother northern soothe M. A.:
that those mother although breathe Voicing:

**MINIMAL PAIRS:

- Minimal pairs are pairs of words equally pronounced except for one single sound.

/s/ /θ/ /t/ /θ/ /f/ /θ/

1. sin thin 1. tin thin 1. first thirst
2. sigh thigh 2. ties thighs 2. fought thought
3. sink think 3. tanks thanks 3. fret threat
4. seem theme 4. tree three 4. free three

/d/ /ð/ /z/ /ð/

1. dough though 1. Zen then
2. doze those 2. close clothe
3. dare their 3. breeze breathe
4. Dan than 4. size scythe

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/s/
Underline all letters that represent the sound / s /.

smell based disagree dress P. A.:

small basic disapprove kiss M. A.:
sky basement disorder jealous Voicing:
spare mislead disobey face
state misunderstand disregard case

/z/
Underline all letters that represent the sound / z /.

zoo possession does P. A.:

xerox measles blues M. A.:
zodiac chosen news Voicing:

SAME OR DIFFERENT?

GROUP 01 Execute Oxygen Maximize Lexical Axiom

GROUP 02 Executive Examine Exert Auxiliary Anxiety

**PRONUNCIATION TO GRAMMAR 2**

WHAT DO THESE WORDS HAVE IN COMMON?

GROUP 01
BOX LIZ WATCH JUDGE MARSH VERNISSAGE
PLACE PHASE BLEACH DODGE WASH MASSAGE

GROUP 02
TAPE JEFF BETH STATE MAKE
STOP COUGH FIFTH RETORT ACHE

GROUP 03
BOB MUG BREATHE PENCIL PEN PLAY
RIDE ARRIVE DOOR SLAM SING BORROW

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SIMPLE PRESENT (3rd person), PLURAL FORM and GENITIVE CASE
- The pronunciation of these suffixes (-s/-es) is influenced by the previous SOUND.
- If the previous sound is sibilant / s z t∫ dƷ ∫ Ʒ /, there will be an extra syllable: / ɪz /.
- If the previous sound is voiceless / p f θ t k /, the suffix is pronounced / s /.
- If the previous sound is voiced, the suffix is pronounced / z /.

E.G. /s/ /z/ / Iz /

Makes Tapes Jeff’s Drives Beds Pam’s Washes Boxes Jorge’s

EXERCISE: Write these words in the appropriate places:

Alec – Andrew – Badge – Bart – Bathe – Beg – Ben – Book – Boot – Car – Dave – Enjoy –
Garage – George – Hope – Jennifer – King – Lab – Lamp – Latch – Laugh – Match – Mate –
Maze – Mitch – Moth – Pass – Rod – Sam – School – Splash – Store – Stroll – Thomas.

Present, plural, possessive Present, plural, possessive Present, plural, possessive

Group 01 Group 02 Group 03
Extra Syllable Voiceless Voiced
-s /-es => / ɪz / -s /-es => / s / -s /-es => / z /

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 **NASALS**

/m/
Underline all letters that represent the sound / m /.
make Cambridge room P. A.:
mute computer ma’am M. A.:
meet comfortable seem Voicing:

/n/
Underline all letters that represent the sound / n /.
name aunt reduction P. A.:
knee pencil vision M. A.:
nose answer pen Voicing:

//
Underline all letters that represent the sound /  /.
-x- singer drink sing P. A.:
-x- singing blink king M. A.:
-x- hanger bank going Voicing:

Minimal pairs: ** Glottal Stop: ** Elision:

/m/ /n/ // /ʔ/ nt/nd = / n /
Kim kin king written ridden intersection
hum Hun hung beaten student center
ram ran rang frighten confident planted
Tom ton tongue forgotten warden understand
Sam San sang forbidden dependent fundamental

**SEMIVOWELS**

- Semivowels are letters (‘w’ and ‘y’) that represent vowel sounds at syllable-end position
(bay, cow, etc) and consonant sounds (/ w / and / j /) at the beginning or in the middle of
a syllable. Other letters can also represent these consonant sounds, as shown below.
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/w/
Underline all letters that represent the sound / w /.
one water swim -x- P. A.:
once what quiet -x- M. A.:
walk when sandwiches -x- Voicing:

/j/
Underline all letters that represent the sound / j /.
yellow regular -x- P. A.:
young million -x- M. A.:
years onion -x- Voicing:

/ j + u / (Extra Practice)
Underline all letters that represent the sound / ju /.
universe computer view
use human few
youth huge review

**REVIEW EXERCISES**
1 - Write the phonetic symbol for the underlined letters.

A. please / / E. weather / /

B. laugh / / F. nation / /

C. mouse / / G. architect / /

D. song / / H. psychology / /

2 - Circle the words that begin with a bilabial sound:

mat gnat sat bat rat pat

3 - Circle the words that begin with a velar sound:

knot got lot cot hot pot

4 - Circle the words that begin with a labiodental sound:

fat cat that mat chat vat
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5 - Circle the words that begin with an alveolar sound:
zip nip lip sip tip dip

6 - Circle the words that begin with a dental sound:

pie guy shy thigh thy high

7 - Circle the words that begin with a palatal sound:

sigh shy tie thigh thy lie

8 - Circle the words that end with a fricative sound:

race wreath bush bring rave
rate rose rough breathe bang

9 - Circle the words that end with a nasal sound:

rain rang dumb deaf

10 - Circle the words that end with a plosive sound:

pill lip lit graph crab
back dog hide laugh lamb

11 - Circle the words that begin with a lateral sound:

nut lull bar rob one

12 - Circle the words that begin with a semi-vowel working as a consonant sound:
we you one run

13 - Circle the words that end with a sibilant sound:

much back edge ooze

14 - Circle the words in which the consonant sound in the middle is voiced:
tracking mother robber leisure massive stomach

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15. Define the consonant sounds of each of the following bold-faced letters. See example:
Voiced or voiceless Place of articulation Manner of
articulation
Adder Voiced Alveolar Plosive
1 Father

2 Singing

3 Etching

4 Robber

5 Ether

6 Pleasure

7 Hopper

8 Selling

9 Sunny

10 Lodger

REFERENCES:

AVERY, P. & EHRLICH, S. Teaching American English Pronunciation. H.K.: O.U.P.,1994.

BAKER, A. & GOLDSTEIN, S. Pronunciation Pairs. N.Y.: C.U.P., 1996.
CELCE-MURCIA, M.; BRINTON, D.M. & GOODWIN, J.M. Teaching Pronunciation. N.Y.:
C.U.P., 1996.
DALTON, C. & SEIDLHOFER, B. Pronunciation. N.Y. O.U.P.,1994.
DAUER, R.M. Accurate English. N.J.: P.H.R., 1993.
GILBERT, J.B. Clear Speech from the Start. N.Y.: C.U.P.,2001.
GILBERT, J.B. Clear Speech. N.Y.: C.U.P.,1993.
GRANT, L. Well Said. Boston: H.&H., 1993.
GREGORICH, B. ET AL Phonics Workbook.Grand Haven: School Zone, 1996.
HAGEN, S.A. & GROGAN, P.E. Sound Advantage. N.J.: Prentice Hall Regents, 1993.
HANCOCK, M. Pronunciation Games. N.Y.: Cambridge University Press, 1995.
KENWORTHY, J. Teaching English Pronunciation. N.Y.: Longman, 1994.
LADEFOGED, P. A Course in Phonetics. Fort Worth: Harcourt Brace, 1993.
LADO, R. & FRIES, C.C. English Pronunciation. Ann Arbor: U.of Michigan, 1996.
LANE, L. Focus on Pronunciation. Reading: Addison-Wesley, 1993.
ORION, G.F. Pronouncing American English. Boston: H.&H.,1997.
STEINBERG, M. Pronúncia do Inglês Norte-Americano. S.P.: Ática, 1986.
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