AMERICAN

STANDARD
ENGLISH
The Consonant Sounds of /p/, /f/, /b/, /v/, /s/, and /z/
The 24 consonant sounds
• /p/ pair, cup
• /b/ bad, crab
• /s/ saw, house
• /z/ zap, goes
• /ŋ/ ring, singer
• /l/ let, tall
I
nternational

P
• /t/ tall, hit • /ʃ/ shape, push • /r/ right, scary
• /d/ dark, head • /ʒ/ pleasure, beige • /w/ wet, away
• /k/ cab, lack • /h/ her, ahead • /j/ you, soya
• /g/ good, tag • /x/ loch honetics

• /f/ fine, wife • /tʃ/ cherry, match

A
• /v/ very, above • /dʒ/ judge, stage
• /θ/ thing, both • /m/ man, team
• /ð/ this, father • /n/ nail, tan lphabet
The Places of Articulation
Bilabial
Bilabial consonants occur when you
block/constrict airflow out of the mouth
by bringing your lips together.
• /p/ as in “purse” and “rap“

• /b/ as in “back” and “cab“

• /m/ as in “mad” and “clam“

Labio-Dental
Labio-dental consonants occur when you
block/constrict airflow by curling your lower lip
back and raising it to touch your upper row of
teeth.

• /f/ as in “from” and “calf“

• /v/ as in “vine” and “have”

Dental
Dental consonants occur when you
block/constrict airflow by placing your slimy
tongue against your upper teeth.

• /θ/ as is “thick” and “bath“

• /ð/ as in “the” and “rather”

Alveolar
The alveolar ridge is where your teeth meet your
gums. You create Alveolar consonants when you raise
your tongue to the alveolar ridge to block or constrict
airflow.
• /n/ as in “no” and “man“

• /t/ as in “tab” and “rat“

• /d/ as in “dip” and “bad“

• /s/ as in “suit” and “bus“

• /z/ as in “zit” and “jazz“

• /l/ as in “luck” and “fully”

Post-Alveolar
When you retract your tongue back just a
bit from the alveolar ridge, the sounds
change enough to be recognized as distinct
consonants.
So post-alveolar consonants are those that
occur when the tongue blocks
or constricts airflow at the point just
beyond the alveolar ridge.

• /ʃ/ as in “shot” or “brash”

• /ʒ/ as in “vision” or “measure”
• /tʃ/ as in “chick” or “match”
• /dʒ/ as in “jam” or “badge“
Palatal
The roof of your mouth is the hard palate. You
may know it as “the place that burns like
hell when I eat pizza that is too hot.”
You create Palatal consonants when you raise the
tongue to this point and constrict airflow.

• /j/ as in “yes” and “bayou”

Glottal
The glottis is actually two vocal folds (i.e. vocal cords). It
acts as a sort of bottle cap to your windpipe.
Inhale and then hold your breath for a few seconds while
keeping your mouth open. What you are actually doing to
keep the air from expelling out of your lungs by closing
your glottis.

• /h/ as in “hi” and “Bahamas.” Say these words and

notice how you’re not actually constricting or
blocking airflow for this /h/ sound. You’re
just exhaling a little bit harder than you would for a
normal vowel sound in transition to the following
vowel sound.
Velar
Behind your hard palate you have the velum or soft palate. Unlike the
bony hard palate in front of it, the this consists of soft, mucousy
tissue.
You make Velar Consonants when you raise the back of your tongue
to the velum to block or restrict airflow.

• /ŋ/ as in “going” and “uncle” (note that the ‘n sound’ in these

words is NOT made at the alveolar ridge, which is why it is
distinct from /n/).
• /k/ as in “kite” and “back“
• /g/ as in “good” and “bug“
• /w/ as in “wet” and “howard”
THE PROBLEMATIC
CONSONANTS
Sound of /p/, /f/, /b/, /v/, /s/, /z/
The problematic sound of /p/

INITIAL MIDDLE FINAL

pan append pop
peso appeal hip
pair apostle scallop
pat captive stoop
The problematic sound of /f/

INITIAL MIDDLE FINAL

face afford beef
fact effort buff
fade coffee cuff
five sufficient reef
The problematic sound of /b/

INITIAL MIDDLE FINAL

bag above cab
believe aboard crab
better ribbon disturb
The problematic sound of /v/

INITIAL MIDDLE FINAL

vague avoid give
vale avail dive
vain avenge gave
The problematic sound of /s/

INITIAL MIDDLE FINAL

say asleep dress
save bossy toss
smile lacing race
center passing kiss
The problematic sound of /z/

INITIAL MIDDLE FINAL

Zip muzzle because
Zamboanga lazy ease
Zeal music toys
THANK
YOU!