Classify English phonemes/consonants according to their places of articulation.
Consonant sounds are produced when the flow of air is stopped or narrowed in some way. We can understand and classify consonant sounds by their place of articulation. Place of articulation means where the sound is produced in the mouth. Different parts of the mouth work together to produce different consonant sounds. Here we will classify English consonant sounds according to their place of articulation.
Place of Articulation
Place of articulation means the point in the mouth where the air is blocked or touched to produce a sound. It tells us which speech organs are used. These organs include lips, teeth, tongue, and the roof of the mouth. We can see the places of articulation in this diagram.
Bilabial Consonants: Bilabial sounds are produced when both lips come together. The air is stopped or released by the lips. English has four bilabial consonant sounds. These sounds are /p/, /b/, /m/, and /w/.
For example, in the words pen, bat, and man, the lips are used. These sounds are easy to notice because the lips clearly touch each other.
Labio-Dental Consonants: Labio-dental sounds are produced when the lower lip touches the upper teeth. English has two labio-dental sounds. These are /f/ and /v/.
For example, in the words fan and van, the lower lip touches the upper teeth. Air passes through a small gap and creates these sounds.
Dental Consonants: Dental sounds are produced when the tip of the tongue touches the upper teeth. English has two dental consonant sounds. These are /θ/ and /ð/.
For example, think and this. These sounds are common in English but difficult for many learners because they do not exist in many languages.
Alveolar Consonants: Alveolar sounds are produced when the tip of the tongue touches the alveolar ridge. The alveolar ridge is the hard part just behind the upper teeth. English has many alveolar sounds. These are /t/, /d/, /s/, /z/, /n/, /l/, and /r/.
Words like top, dog, sun, and nose use alveolar sounds. These are very common sounds in English.
Palato-Alveolar Consonants: Palato-alveolar sounds are produced when the front of the tongue touches the area between the alveolar ridge and the hard palate. English has four palato-alveolar sounds. These are /ʃ/, /ʒ/, /tʃ/, and /dʒ/.
Examples are ship, measure, chair, and judge. These sounds are softer and longer than alveolar sounds.
Palatal Consonants: Palatal sounds are produced when the front of the tongue touches the hard palate. English has one main palatal consonant sound. This is /j/.
For example, the word yes. The tongue moves close to the hard palate to produce this sound.
Velar Consonants: Velar sounds are produced when the back of the tongue touches the soft palate, also called the velum. English has three velar consonant sounds. These are /k/, /g/, and /ŋ/.
Examples include cat, go, and sing. These sounds are produced deeper in the mouth.
Glottal Consonant: The glottal sound is produced in the glottis, which is the space between the vocal cords. English has one glottal consonant sound. This is /h/.
For example, hat. No tongue or lip is used strongly. The sound comes from the throat.
In conclusion, English consonant sounds can be clearly classified by their place of articulation. Each group depends on a different part of the mouth. These include bilabial, labio-dental, dental, alveolar, palato-alveolar, palatal, velar, and glottal sounds. This classification helps learners understand how English sounds are produced. It also helps in correct pronunciation and clear speech.
