Definition.

[p, b] are occlusive, plosive, bilabial; [p] is strong and voiceless, [b] is weak and voiced, in final
position it is partly devoiced.
Articulation.
1. The lips are firmly kept together.
2. The soft palate is raised and the air coming into the mouth stops for some time and then breaks
the obstruction with a slight explosion.
3. The vocal cords do not vibrate when [p] is produced. For [b] they are tense kept together and
vibrate when [b] occurs before vowels or in intervocalic positions, eg begin, rubber.
4. The breath effort is very strong for [p], for [b] it is weak.
Recommendations.
1. Press your lips together and push the air through the mouth breaking the obstruction made by
the lips.
2. Make the sound [p] strong and aspirated. It means there is a little puff of breath, i.e. slight [h]
sound just after the explosion.
Comparative principle. The English [p], [b] differ from the corresponding Ukrainian
consonants. In pronouncing the English phonemes [p], [b] the lips are more tense and spread. In
forming the Ukrainian [П], [Б] the lips are not so tense and slightly protruded. The English [p] is
aspirated, especially before stressed vowels, while the Ukrainian [П] is not. In forming the English
[p], [b] the tongue occupies a more forward position; the tip of the tongue is nearer to the lower
teeth.
Ex.1 Read the following words, spell and translate them into Ukrainian.
[p] pıp, paı, peı, pa:k, pık, ´peıpə, pep, pen, ´speʃ(ə)l, pı:p, prɒmıs, pı: , pʌmp, pɔ: , kɒpı, pul,
´æp(ə)l, prə´vaıd, pa:, teıp, pa:k, ´resıpı, praıs, help, sprıŋ, pɒsıblı, ʤʌmp, pıt, pıtı, plı:z, pə´teıtəu, rı
´pı:t, rı´sı:t, ´ɔup(ə)n, spɒt, prə´nauns, prı´fɜ:, kəm´plı:t, ´pluər(ə)l, lıp, lı:p, step, klæp, ha:p, hıp,
stu:p, ʧз:p, ´wɒləp, ´pæbjuləm;
[b] bet, bed, bıg, bızı, rıb, baı, bı:, bı:m, kʌb, beı, bɛə, ´kju:kʌmbə, beıbı, læb, beɡ, bænʤəu,
ba:m, kəm´baın, bʌmp, ´fæbjuləs, ba:, baı, rʌbə, ʤɔb, bɜ:d, eıbl, ɡlɔub, bred, web, ə´baut, ´leıb(ə)l,
´nəutbuk, rı:´bıld, belt, bæŋ, blɔu, ´bænıʃ, ´feıb(ə)l, ´stʌbən, ´rıb(ə)n, eb, ɡrı:b, nıb, ɡa:b,
´hʌbʌb(hubbub), ım´baıb(imbibe), ɡlɔub, ba:m (balm), sɒb, ´bıtə, ´baıb(ə)l(Bible), blaıt (blight).

Ex. 2. Read the word-contrasts. Pay attention to the presence of aspiration in [p] and its absence in
[b] rather than to voiceless fortis voiced lenis distinction.
pet – bet port – bought pin – bin
pig – big rope – robe pen – Ben
puts – boots lap – lab pear – bear
pass – bus happy – shabby cap – cab
pack – back capable – cable pup – pub
Ex. 3. Transcribe the following words and read them. Observe the aspiration of the initial
[p].People, purpose, possible, put, pence, poor, pieces, penny, pin, pole, pine, permanent, pages,
picture, period, pink, Peter, pattern, passenger, parts, pause, pumped, plan, plain, platform,
palatalization, percent, pet, pat, palm, pun, purr, poach, peer, pore, press, pewter, people,
Pueblo, padlock, palatal, palette, palpate, palpitate, pantry, papaw, papyrus, parapet,
paratrooper, passé-partout, patchy, pattern, pauper, pin-pong, Paris, postcard, passport,
pepper-pot, plastic plate.

Ex. 4. Focus on [p] and [b]. Match the words on the left with the words on the right to describe
what you can see in the pictures.

Ex.5. Transcribe and intone these phrases. Be sure to pronounce stops in word initial position
correctly. Pronounce each sentence as one breath group, without pauses. Practice reading them
at normal conversational speed.
[p]
 A piece of pork pie, …

 Pretty Polly Perkins has a pair of pretty plaits.

 Pin-pong is a popular sport and is played in many places.

 Picky people pick Peter Pan Peanut-Butter, 'tis the peanut-butter picky people pick.

 Put the pens and pencils in their proper places.

 If Pickford's packers packed a packet of crisps would the packet of crisps that Pickford's
packers packed survive for two and a half years?
 Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers. A peck of pickled peppers Peter Piper picked.
If Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers. Where's the peck of pickled peppers Peter
Piper picked?
[b]
 Barbara is a beautiful blonde with bright blue eyes.

 The batter with the butter is the batter that is better!

 A big black bug bit a big black dog on his big black nose!

 Bake big batches of brown blueberry bread.

 Busy brown bees are buzzing in the bluebells.

 One black beetle bled only black blood, the other black beetle bled blue.

 A black bloke's back brake-block broke.

 The big black bug bit the big black bear, but the big black bear bit the big black bug back!

 Hassock hassock, black spotted hassock. Black spot on a black back of a black spotted
hassock.
 I bought a bit of baking powder and baked a batch of biscuits. I brought a big basket of
biscuits back to the bakery and baked a basket of big biscuits. Then I took the big basket of
biscuits and the basket of big biscuits and mixed the big biscuits with the basket of biscuits
that was next to the big basket and put a bunch of biscuits from the basket into a biscuit
mixer and brought the basket of biscuits and the box of mixed biscuits and the biscuit mixer
to the bakery and opened a tin of sardines.
 Betty Botter bought some butter but she said the butter's bitter. If I put it in my batter it will
make my batter bitter. But a bit of better butter will make my bitter batter better. So, she
bought some better butter, better than the bitter butter and she put it in her bitter batter,
made her bitter batter better. So 'twas better Betty Botter bought some better butter.
 Bobby Bippy bought a bat. Bobby Bippy bought a ball. With his bat Bob banged the ball.
Banged it bump against the wall, but so boldly Bobby banged it that he burst his rubber ball.
"Boo!" cried Bobby. Bad luck ball. Bad luck Bobby, bad luck ball now to drown his many
troubles Bobby Bippy's blowing bubbles.