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Consonant Sounds

70 questions

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Question 61Question →

Pair each word below with the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) symbol that represents the sound of its underlined consonant digraph.

Click a left item, then click its matching right item

Items

chef
chasm
chore
theme

Matches

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Answer

'chef' matches /ʃ/, 'chasm' matches /k/, 'chore' matches /tʃ/, and 'theme' matches /θ/.
Each word features a distinct consonant sound for its highlighted digraph: 'chef' produces /ʃ/, 'chasm' produces /k/, 'chore' produces /tʃ/, and 'theme' produces /θ/.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze orthographic origin and pronunciation of 'chef'
Identify that 'chef' retains its French phonetic spelling where 'ch' produces /ʃ/.
Loanwords from French often maintain /ʃ/ for 'ch'.
2
Analyze 'chasm' phonetics
Identify that 'ch' in 'chasm' represents /k/.
Words of Greek origin spelled with 'ch' frequently take the hard /k/ sound.
3
Analyze 'chore' phonetics
Identify that 'ch' in 'chore' represents the regular English affricate /tʃ/.
Native English roots typically render 'ch' as /tʃ/.
4
Analyze 'theme' phonetics
Identify that 'th' in 'theme' is voiceless /θ/ rather than voiced /ð/.
'Theme' is pronounced without vocal cord vibration.

Key Concept

Consonant Digraph Variances and Phonetic Realizations
Question 62Question →

Complete the sentence below by identifying the correct phonetic symbol for the consonant sound.

Fill in the blanks below

While the digraph 'ch' in the word 'monarch' is pronounced as the velar plosive /k/, the same digraph 'ch' in the word 'chivalry' represents the voiceless post-alveolar fricative sound .
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Answer

/ʃ/
In English phonology, the digraph 'ch' in words of French origin such as 'chivalry', 'machine', and 'chiffon' represents the voiceless post-alveolar fricative sound, phonetically transcribed as /ʃ/.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the pronunciation of the digraph 'ch' in the target word 'chivalry'.
The word 'chivalry' is pronounced /ˈʃɪvəlri/.
The initial digraph 'ch' produces the voiceless post-alveolar fricative sound /ʃ/.
2
Identify the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) symbol corresponding to this consonant sound.
The sound is represented by the phonetic symbol /ʃ/.
In phonetic transcription, /ʃ/ denotes the sound found in words like 'ship', 'chef', and 'chivalry'.

Key Concept

Orthographic variations of consonant sounds in loanwords
Question 63Question →

From the words lettered A to D, choose the word that has the SAME CONSONANT SOUND as the one represented by the underlined letter in the word below:

leisure

Show answer & explanation

Answer: version

Answer

The word 'version' contains the same voiced postalveolar fricative consonant sound /ʒ/ as in 'leisure'.
The underlined letter 's' in 'leisure' is pronounced as the voiced postalveolar fricative /ʒ/. Among the options, the word 'version' also pronounces its 's' as /ʒ/ (/ˈvɜː.ʒən/), making it the exact sound match.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the phonetic consonant sound represented by the underlined letter in the target word.
In the word 'leisure' (/ˈleʒ.ər/), the underlined letter 's' produces the voiced postalveolar fricative sound /ʒ/.
Correct phonetic identification of the target sound is necessary before evaluating the given options.
2
Analyze the phonetic consonant sound produced by the relevant letters in each option.
'pressure' contains /ʃ/, 'version' contains /ʒ/, 'mission' contains /ʃ/, and 'assist' contains /s/.
Comparing IPA transcriptions helps isolate the exact matching consonant sound.
3
Select the option whose consonant sound matches /ʒ/.
'version' matches the target sound /ʒ/.
Both 'leisure' and 'version' share the voiced consonant sound /ʒ/.

Key Concept

Voiced Postalveolar Fricative Consonant Sound /ʒ/
Question 64Question →

Complete the statements below regarding silent consonant letters in English words.

Fill in the blanks below

In the word *pneumonia*, the initial silent consonant letter is , while in the word *indict*, the unpronounced consonant letter is .
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Answer

The initial silent consonant letter in 'pneumonia' is 'p', and the silent consonant letter in 'indict' is 'c'.
In the word *pneumonia*, the initial letter 'p' is silent as the word begins phonetically with /n/. In *indict*, the letter 'c' is silent, resulting in the pronunciation /ɪnˈdaɪt/.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the pronunciation and spelling of the word 'pneumonia'.
The word is pronounced starting with the nasal consonant sound /n/ (/njuːˈməʊ.ni.ə/). The letter 'p' is silent.
In Greek-derived English words starting with the consonant digraph 'pn-', the initial letter 'p' is unarticulated.
2
Analyze the pronunciation and spelling of the word 'indict'.
The word is pronounced /ɪnˈdaɪt/, rhyming with 'ite'. The letter 'c' is not pronounced.
The letter 'c' in 'indict' was added historically to reflect Latin origins but remains silent in English speech.

Key Concept

Silent Consonants in English Orthography
Estimated Time:1m 0s
Question 65Question →

From the words lettered A to D, choose the word that has the SAME CONSONANT SOUND as the one represented by the letter(s) underlined in the word below:

whole

Show answer & explanation

Answer: how

Answer

how
In the word 'whole' (/həʊl/), the letter 'w' is silent, making the initial consonant sound the voiceless glottal fricative /h/. The word 'how' (/haʊ/) begins with the identical consonant sound /h/.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the phonetic consonant sound of the underlined letters in the target word.
In the word 'whole', the letter 'w' is silent, and the digraph 'wh' represents the voiceless glottal fricative sound /h/.
Phonetic transcription of 'whole' is /həʊl/.
2
Analyze the consonant sound produced by the relevant letters in each option.
'where' begins with /w/; 'how' begins with /h/; 'what' begins with /w/; 'when' begins with /w/.
Matching orthographic patterns to International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) representations.
3
Match the target sound /h/ with the option containing the exact same sound.
The word 'how' contains the initial sound /h/, matching 'whole'.
Both words share the voiceless glottal fricative /h/.

Key Concept

Consonant Sounds: Glottal Fricative /h/ vs. Labial-Velar Approximant /w/
Question 66Question →

Examine the phonetic structure of the given English word. Which consonant sound is represented by the letter 'f' in the preposition 'of'?

Fill in the blanks below

In the word 'of', the letter 'f' represents the consonant sound .
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Answer

The letter 'f' in 'of' represents the voiced labiodental fricative sound /v/.
In standard English pronunciation, the word 'of' ends with the voiced labiodental fricative /v/, whereas the word 'off' ends with the voiceless sound /f/.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Determine the standard International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) transcription of the word 'of'
The word 'of' is phonetically transcribed as /ɒv/ (or /əv/ in weak form).
Transcribing the word isolates the exact consonant sound produced by the orthographic spelling.
2
Identify the consonant sound produced by the letter 'f'
Unlike most words where 'f' represents the voiceless labiodental fricative /f/ (e.g., 'off', 'fan'), the single letter 'f' in 'of' is voiced as /v/.
Phonetic contrast between voiced /v/ and voiceless /f/ is a key feature of English consonant sounds.

Key Concept

Voiced vs. Voiceless Consonant Sounds (/v/ vs /f/)
Question 67Question →

Fill in the blanks with the standard International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) symbols representing the underlined consonant sounds in the given words.

Fill in the blanks below

The 'th' sound in the word 'therapist' is articulated as the voiceless dental fricative //, whereas the 'th' sound in the word 'smooth' is articulated as the voiced dental fricative //.
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Answer

The voiceless dental fricative sound in 'therapist' is transcribed as /θ/, and the voiced dental fricative sound in 'smooth' is transcribed as /ð/.
In English phonetics, the digraph 'th' can represent either a voiceless dental fricative /θ/ as in 'therapist', 'think', and 'bath', or a voiced dental fricative /ð/ as in 'smooth', 'this', and 'breathe'.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the consonant digraph 'th' in 'therapist'.
The vocal cords do not vibrate during its production, making it a voiceless dental fricative, represented phonetically by the symbol /θ/.
Identify the voicing state and place of articulation for the initial consonant sound.
2
Analyze the consonant digraph 'th' in 'smooth'.
The vocal cords vibrate during its production, making it a voiced dental fricative, represented phonetically by the symbol /ð/.
Distinguish between voiceless and voiced dental fricative counterparts in English phonology.

Key Concept

Dental Fricative Consonants (/θ/ and /ð/)
Estimated Time:1m 0s
Question 68Question →

In English phonology, letter combinations and individual consonants can produce unexpected sound values depending on their etymological origins and phonetic environments. Complete the passage below by identifying the correct International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) symbol for the underlined consonant sound in each target word.

Fill in the blanks below

In the word 'flacid', the double consonant 'cc' before the front vowel 'i' is pronounced as the sound cluster , whereas the letter 'x' in the word 'anxiety' represents the voiced consonant sound .
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Answer

The double 'cc' in 'flaccid' is transcribed phonetically as /ks/, and the 'x' in 'anxiety' is transcribed phonetically as /z/.
In standard English pronunciation, the word 'flaccid' contains the consonant combination /ks/ represented by 'cc', and 'anxiety' contains the voiced alveolar fricative /z/ represented by the letter 'x'.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the phonetic environment of 'cc' in the word 'flaccid'.
The first 'c' occurs before a hard consonant position producing /k/, and the second 'c' precedes the front vowel 'i', producing the voiceless alveolar fricative /s/. Together, they form the cluster /ks/ (pronounced /ˈflæs.ɪd/ or /ˈflæk.sɪd/ in standard Received Pronunciation).
When 'cc' is followed by 'i' or 'e', it generally produces the /ks/ sound combination as in 'accent' or 'flaccid'.
2
Analyze the phonetic realization of 'x' in the word 'anxiety'.
The letter 'x' in 'anxiety' precedes a stressed vowel syllable, causing voicing assimilation which turns the typical voiceless cluster /ks/ into the voiced fricative /z/ (pronounced /æŋˈzaɪ.ə.ti/).
In English phonetics, when 'x' appears before an accented vowel, it is realized as voiced /z/ or /ɡz/ rather than voiceless /ks/.

Key Concept

Orthographic-to-Phonetic Mapping of Consonants
Estimated Time:1m 30s
Question 69Question →

Complete the sentence below by identifying the standard International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) symbol for the underlined consonant sound in each word.

Fill in the blanks below

In the word 'measure', the underlined letter 's' represents the consonant sound , whereas in 'mission', the underlined letters 'ss' represent the consonant sound .
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Answer

The letter 's' in 'measure' represents the voiced post-alveolar fricative sound /ʒ/, while the letters 'ss' in 'mission' represent the voiceless post-alveolar fricative sound /ʃ/.
In English oral phonology, the letter 's' in 'measure' is pronounced with voicing as /ʒ/. In contrast, the digraph 'ss' in 'mission' is voiceless, yielding the sound /ʃ/.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Determine the phonetic sound produced by the letter 's' in 'measure'.
The vocal cords vibrate during production, giving the voiced post-alveolar fricative sound represented by /ʒ/.
Words ending in '-sure' following a vowel (such as 'pleasure', 'leisure', 'measure') typically articulate the consonant sound /ʒ/.
2
Determine the phonetic sound produced by the letter combination 'ss' in 'mission'.
The vocal cords do not vibrate, giving the voiceless post-alveolar fricative sound represented by /ʃ/.
The spelling pattern '-ssion' produces the voiceless consonant sound /ʃ/ as seen in words like 'session' and 'admission'.

Key Concept

Phonetic contrast between voiced post-alveolar fricatives (/ʒ/) and voiceless post-alveolar fricatives (/ʃ/).
Question 70Question →

Complete the statement below by identifying the correct consonant sound represented by the underlined letter combination in each word.

Fill in the blanks below

In the English word 'chef', the digraph 'ch' produces the consonant sound represented phonetically as , whereas in the word 'choir', the digraph 'ch' produces the sound represented as .
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Answer

In 'chef', the digraph 'ch' represents the consonant sound /ʃ/, while in 'choir', 'ch' represents the consonant sound /k/.
The digraph 'ch' is pronounced as the fricative /ʃ/ (like 'sh') in 'chef' and as the plosive /k/ (hard 'k' sound) in 'choir'.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the pronunciation of the digraph 'ch' in the word 'chef'.
The letters 'ch' in 'chef' produce the voiceless postalveolar fricative sound, transcribed in IPA as /ʃ/.
Words borrowed into English from French (such as 'chef', 'machine', 'chiffon') preserve the /ʃ/ pronunciation for 'ch'.
2
Analyze the pronunciation of the digraph 'ch' in the word 'choir'.
The letters 'ch' in 'choir' produce the voiceless velar plosive sound, transcribed in IPA as /k/.
Words of Greek derivation (such as 'choir', 'school', 'chemist', 'monarch') typically realize the digraph 'ch' as the hard consonant sound /k/.

Key Concept

Orthographic variations of consonant sounds for the digraph 'ch'
Estimated Time:45s
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