This document provides a classification and description of consonants in English. It begins by defining consonants as sounds produced with an egressive air flow accompanied by obstruction or friction in the articulators. It then lists and describes the 24 consonant sounds in English. Consonants can be classified based on their air stream mechanism, glottal state, position of the soft palate, point of articulation, and manner of articulation. Each English consonant is then individually described based on these phonetic characteristics.

1. CLASSIFICATION AND DESCRIPTION
OF CONSONANTS

2. CONSONANTS
CONSONANTS are sounds produced with an
egressive flow of air coming out of the mouth
or the nose accompanied by obstruction or
friction in the articulators.

3. ARTICULATING ORGANS

4. 24 Consonants in English
• /p/
• / b/
• / t/
• / d/
• / k/
• / g/
• /f/
• /v/
• /Ɵ/
• /ð/
• /s/
• /z/

5. • /ʃ/
• /ʒ/
• /m/
• /n/
• /Ƞ/
• /tʃ/
• /dʒ/
• /j/
• /w/
• /h/
• /r/
• /l/

6. Consonants can be classified on the
basis of
Air stream mechanism
 State of glottis
The position of the soft palate
Points of articulation
The manner of articulation

7. The position of the soft palate
• Oral sounds
/p/ /t/ /k/ /f/ /Ɵ/ /s/ /ʃ/ /h/ /tʃ/ /b/ /d/ /g/ /v/ /ð/ /z/
/ʒ/ /dʒ/ /j/ /w/ /r/ /l/
• Nasal sounds
/m/ /n/ /Ƞ/

8. Points of Articulation
• Bilabial
made with the two lips (/p/, /b/,/w/ /m/).
• Labiodental
the lower lip articulates with the upper
teeth (/f/, /v/).

9. • Dental
the tongue tip articulate with the upper
teeth (/Ɵ/ , /ð/)
• Alveolar
the tongue tip and/or blade articulates with
the alveolar ridge (/t, d, n, l, s, z/).

10. • Post-alveolar
the blade articulates with the alveolar ridge
(/r/)
• Palato -alveolar
The tip ,blade, and front of the tongue
articulates with the hard palate (/ ʃ ʒ tʃ dʒ/ )

11. • Palatal
the front (or blade) of the tongue articulates
with the hard palate (/j/).
• Velar
the back of the tongue articulates with the
soft palate (/k g Ƞ/).

12. • Glottal
sounds involving an obstruction or narrowing
of the glottis (/h/)

13. Manner of Articulation
• Plosives
A complete closure at some point in the vocal
tract, behind which the air pressure builds up
and can be released with a sudden burst
(plosion) /p, b, t, d, k, g/.

14. • Affricates
Affricates are consonants articulated with a
stricture of firm closure of mouth followed by
a slow release. /tʃ/ /dʒ/

15. • Fricatives
Fricatives are produced with a stricture
almost approximation.
/ f, v, Ɵ, ð, h, z, s/

16. • Frictionless continuent
These are sounds produced with an open
approximation /r/

17. • Semi Vowels
These are also consonants articulated with
an open approximation. They are vowel like in
quality and function like consonants.
/j/ & /w/

18. Description of English Consonants
• /p/ - voiceless bilabial plosive
• / b/ - voiced bilabial plosive
• / t/ - voiceless alveolar plosive
• / d/ - voiced alveolar plosive

19. • / k/ - voiceless velar plosive
• / g/ - voiced velar plosive
• /f/ - voiceless labio-dental fricative
• /v/ - voiced labio-dental fricative
• /Ɵ/ - voiceless dental fricative
• /ð/ - voiced dental fricative

20. • /s/ - voiceless alveolar fricative
• /z/ - voiced alveolar fricative
• / ʃ / - voiceless palato – alveolar fricative
• / ʒ / - voiced palato-alveolar fricative
• /h/ - voiceless glottal fricative
• /tʃ/ - voiceless palato -alveolar affricate

21. • /dʒ/ - voiced palato -alveolar affricate
• /m/ - voiced bi-labial nasal
• /n/ - voiced alveolar nasal
• /Ƞ/ - voiced velar nasal
• /j/ - voiced palatal semi-vowel
• /w/ - voiced bi-labial semi-vowel

22. • /r / - voiced post-alveolar frictionless
continuent
• /l/ -voiced alveolar lateral

23. HARIKRISHNA S H
ENGLISH OPTIONAL
KUCTE KOLLAM