Phonetics: The Sounds of English

Question 1

What are the three groups of sounds in the English language?

Answer 1

1. vowels
2. consonant
3. glides

Question 2

What are the differences between the three groups of sounds?

1. articulatory difference
2. acoustic difference
3. phonological difference
4. glides

Answer 2

1. vowels are voiced, little obstruction of airflow in vocal tract
2. vowels are more sonorous
3. every vowel occurs in a syllable of its own
4. glides are intermediate between vowels and consonants

Question 3

How many consonants does Standard English have?

Answer 3

22

Question 4

How are consonants distinguished?

Answer 4

place of articulation
voice
manner of articulation

Question 5

What does the classification focus on?

Answer 5

classification focuses on articulators

Question 6

How are consonants articulated?

Answer 6

in the oral tract, there are always two articulators involved

Question 7

What are the primary articulators and secondary articulators?

Answer 7

primary: lips, tip of tongue, back of tongue
secondary: upper teeth, velum …

Question 8

How is a voiced sound created?

Answer 8

the larynx contains vocal folds when they are brought together the outgoing air makes them vibrate

Question 9

What are the pairs of voiced/voiceless sounds?

Answer 9

1. bilabial, pit bit
2. labiodental feel, veal
3. dental thigh, thy
4. alveolar seal, zeal
5. palato- alveolar shoe, genre, church
6. velar got cot

Question 10

Which sounds do not have a voiceless counterpart?

Answer 10

nasal sounds me, knee

approximant what, rot, lot

Question 11

Which sounds do not have a voiced counterpart?

Answer 11

glottal sounds house