Facultad de Humanidades

Departamento de Lenguas Modernas

Profesorado de Inglés
Fonética y Fonología inglesa I
Prof. Esp. Claudia Patricia Cosentino

Practice on the Organs of Speech

1) The Organs of speech

a) Label the organs of speech in the diagram below and look up the appropriate
pronunciation in the dictionary.
b) Which of them are movable?
c) Which organs are missing?
d) Which is the most important one? Account for your answer.
2) Match the descriptions with the corresponding organs of speech. Be ready
to refer to their function or their involvement in the articulation of sounds

1. It´s the opening between the vocal

folds
2. They come together rapidly and part a. Lips
more slowly producing voice.
3. This long chamber is the back limit of b. Larynx
the oral tract.
4. It is situated in the upper part of the c. Hard palate

trachea
d. Glottis
5. According to its position we produce
oral or nasal sounds e. Lower jaw
6. It´s held open as for normal breathing
7. It´s also called teeth ridge f. Vocal folds
8. It´s the bony arch in the upper part of
the mouth. g. Alveolar ridge
9. They may be held wide apart but
h. Trachea
rounded, tightly pursed, in a relaxed
position, sufficiently close or far apart.
i. The lungs
10. It´s a complex muscular structure
involved in the production of vowels j. Pharynx
and consonants.
11. Its movement controls the gap between k. Tongue
the the upper and lower teeth.
l. Soft palate.
12. It´s also called windpipe.
13. They provide the airstream necessary
to produce sounds.
 3) Complete the following paragraphs about the vocal chords

The Vocal Folds have several functions and possible positions

 When they remain open, ...... flows through the glottis, as when we
breathe, or when we produce a …………………. sound, e.g.:

 When the vocal folds are brought together tightly, no air can pass
through them. This is what we do when we are trying to pick up a heavy
weight; when the vocal folds are then opened suddenly, the air bursts out
with a sort of coughing noise. This sudden release is called the …………..

 If the vocal folds are brought together quite………. the air from the
lungs forces them apart for a moment, and they then return to the closed
position; these two steps are repeated over and over. This rapid process
of vibration produces……………. which is heard in………….. sounds
such as all ………………………… and …………………….

4) Prepare a short talk on one of the following topics

 Describe the different positions of the glottis

 The importance of the tongue in the articulation of the English vowels
 Describe the organs of the oral cavity