Consonants and Consonant Sounds - Examples, Words and Usage

Consonants are speech sounds in which the airflow is obstructed in some way by the articulatory organs (such as the tongue, lips, or teeth), creating a variety of sounds. 

Examples of consonants include sounds like /b/, /d/, /k/, /s/, and /t/. Consonants can be categorized based on their place of articulation (where the obstruction occurs), manner of articulation (how the obstruction is made), and voicing (whether the vocal cords vibrate).

Classification of Consonant Sounds in English

Consonant sounds can be classified based on several factors:

1. Place of Articulation: This refers to where in the vocal tract the airflow is constricted. Common places of articulation include:

• Bilabial: Both lips are used (e.g., /p/, /b/, /m/).

• Labiodental: The lower lip and upper teeth are used (e.g., /f/, /v/).

• Dental: The tongue contacts the teeth (e.g., /θ/ as in "think", /ð/ as in "this").

• Alveolar: The tongue contacts the ridge just behind the upper front teeth (e.g., /t/, /d/, /s/, /z/, /n/).

• Post-alveolar: The tongue contacts just behind the alveolar ridge (e.g., /ʃ/ as in "sh", /ʒ/ as in "measure").

• Palatal: The tongue contacts the hard palate (e.g., /j/ as in "yes").

• Velar: The back of the tongue contacts the soft part of the roof of the mouth (e.g., /k/, /g/, /ŋ/ as in "sing").

• Glottal: The airflow is constricted at the glottis (e.g., /h/, /ʔ/ as in the sound between the two syllables of "uh-oh").

2. Manner of Articulation: This describes how the airflow is constricted or modified. Types include:

• Stop (Plosive): Airflow is completely blocked and then released (e.g., /p/, /b/, /t/, /d/, /k/, /g/).

• Fricative: Airflow is constricted but not completely blocked, creating a turbulent sound (e.g., /f/, /v/, /s/, /z/, /ʃ/, /ʒ/).

• Affricate: A combination of a stop and a fricative; airflow is initially blocked and then released with a turbulent sound (e.g., /tʃ/ as in "ch", /dʒ/ as in "judge").

• Nasal: Airflow is directed through the nasal cavity (e.g., /m/, /n/, /ŋ/).

• Lateral: The airflow is directed around the sides of the tongue (e.g., /l/).

• Approximant: The articulators come close to each other but not close enough to create turbulence (e.g., /r/, /w/, /j/).

3. Voicing: This indicates whether the vocal cords vibrate during the articulation of the consonant.

• Voiced: The vocal cords vibrate (e.g., /b/, /d/, /g/, /z/, /ʒ/).

• Voiceless: The vocal cords do not vibrate (e.g., /p/, /t/, /k/, /s/, /ʃ/).

List of 24 Consonant Sounds in English

Here’s a table listing the 24 consonant sounds in English, categorized by their type, sound and consonants examples:

Spelling Rules for Consonants Words

Spelling rules for words with consonants can be complex, but here are some common patterns and rules to help guide spelling:

1. Consonant Doubling: 

• Double the final consonant when adding a suffix beginning with a vowel (e.g., run → running, swim → swimming).

• This typically happens if the word is one syllable or has the stress on the last syllable (e.g., begin → beginning, refer → referring).

2. Silent Consonants:

• Some consonants are silent in certain words (e.g., kn in knight, wr in write, b in comb).

3. Consonant Changes in Plurals and Tenses:

• Words ending in -y change to -ies in the plural form (e.g., city → cities, baby → babies).

• Some verbs change spelling in the past tense (e.g., speak → spoke, freeze → froze).

4. Adding Suffixes:

• For words ending in -e, drop the e before adding a suffix (e.g., make → making, hope → hoping).

• For words ending in -ic, add -al instead of -ical (e.g., music → musical, panic → panical).

5. Consonant Clusters:

• In words with multiple consonants together, be aware of spelling rules for common clusters (e.g., st in stair, pl in plane).

6. Consonant + -ed Suffix:

• For regular past tense verbs, add -ed to the base word (e.g., play → played).

• If the word ends in a single vowel followed by a single consonant, double the final consonant before adding -ed (e.g., stop → stopped).

7. Prefixes:

• Most prefixes do not change the spelling of the base word (e.g., dis + appear = disappear). However, some prefixes might affect the base word’s consonants (e.g., in + correct = incorrect).

Words with Consonants

Words with consonants feature a variety of sounds produced by obstructing the airflow in different ways within the vocal tract. Consonants can appear at the beginning, middle, or end of words and are essential in shaping the structure and pronunciation of words in English. They work together with vowels to form syllables and words.

Words with Consonants and Vowels

Here's a list of words that include both consonants and vowels. Each word is chosen to illustrate different consonant and vowel combinations:

• Cat: /k/ (consonant) + /æ/ (vowel) + /t/ (consonant)

• Dog: /d/ (consonant) + /ɒ/ (vowel) + /g/ (consonant)

• Map: /m/ (consonant) + /æ/ (vowel) + /p/ (consonant)

• Sun: /s/ (consonant) + /ʌ/ (vowel) + /n/ (consonant)

• Pen: /p/ (consonant) + /ɛ/ (vowel) + /n/ (consonant)

• Fish: /f/ (consonant) + /ɪ/ (vowel) + /ʃ/ (consonant)

• Jump: /dʒ/ (consonant) + /ʌ/ (vowel) + /mp/ (consonants)

• Blue: /b/ (consonant) + /luː/ (vowel/consonant blend)

• Tree: /t/ (consonant) + /riː/ (vowel/consonant blend)

• Hope: /h/ (consonant) + /oʊ/ (vowel) + /p/ (consonant) + /e/ (silent consonant)

• Rain: /r/ (consonant) + /eɪ/ (vowel) + /n/ (consonant)

• Kick: /k/ (consonant) + /ɪ/ (vowel) + /k/ (consonant) + /k/ (consonant)

• Sing: /s/ (consonant) + /ɪ/ (vowel) + /ŋ/ (consonant)

• Giraffe: /dʒ/ (consonant) + /ɪ/ (vowel) + /ræf/ (consonant blend)

• Laugh: /l/ (consonant) + /æ/ (vowel) + /f/ (consonant)

List of Words with Consonants and No Vowels

Words with only consonants and no traditional vowel sounds are quite rare in English, but they do exist, often using "y" as a vowel-like sound or in abbreviations.

• Cry – /kr/ (consonants) + /aɪ/ (vowel-like sound)

• Fly – /fl/ (consonants) + /aɪ/ (vowel-like sound)

• Gym – /dʒ/ (consonant) + /ɪ/ (vowel-like sound) + /m/ (consonant)

• Try – /tr/ (consonants) + /aɪ/ (vowel-like sound)

• Myth – /m/ (consonant) + /ɪ/ (vowel-like sound) + /θ/ (consonant)

• Crypt – /kr/ (consonants) + /ɪ/ (vowel-like sound) + /pt/ (consonants)

• Nth – /n/ (consonant) + /θ/ (consonant)

• Fry – /fr/ (consonants) + /aɪ/ (vowel-like sound)

• Hymn – /h/ (consonant) + /ɪ/ (vowel-like sound) + /mn/ (consonants)

• Psyche – /s/ (consonant) + /aɪ/ (vowel-like sound) + /ki/ (consonant)

Test your Knowledge: Consonants

1)  What is a consonant?

• A. A letter that represents a vowel sound

• B. A letter that represents a speech sound made with a closure or narrowing of the vocal tract

• C. A letter that represents a silent sound

2) Which of the following letters are considered consonants in the English alphabet?

• A. A, E, I, O, U

• B. B, C, D, F, G

• C. X, Y, Z, W

3) True or False: The letter 'Y' can function as both a vowel and a consonant.

4) Which of the following consonants is voiced?

• A. S

• B. T

• C. B

• D. F

5) In phonetics, what is the place of articulation for the consonant 'K'?

• A. Bilabial

• B. Alveolar

• C. Velar

• D. Dental

6) Which consonant sound is produced by placing the tip of the tongue against the alveolar ridge?

• A. /s/

• B. /t/

• C. /k/

• D. /g/

7) How many types of plosive consonants are there in English?

• A. One

• B. Two

• C. Three

• D. Four

Find out if you got them all right from the answers below.

1. B. A letter that represents a speech sound made with a closure or narrowing of the vocal tract

2. B. B, C, D, F, G (Note: X, Y, Z, W are also consonants, but the option B includes them.)

3. True

4. C. B

5. C. Velar

6. B. /t/

7. C. Three (Plosives in English are /p/, /b/, /t/, /d/, /k/, /g/)

Takeaways from this Page

1. Definition: Consonants are speech sounds produced by obstructing the airflow in various ways. This obstruction can occur at different points in the vocal tract, leading to different sounds.

2. Articulation: Consonants are classified based on where and how the airflow is blocked. For example:

• Place of Articulation: This refers to where in the vocal tract the airflow is constricted (e.g., bilabial, dental, alveolar, velar).

• Manner of Articulation: This describes how the airflow is obstructed (e.g., stop, fricative, nasal, lateral).

• Voicing: This indicates whether the vocal cords are vibrating (voiced) or not (voiceless).

3. Categories: Consonants are broadly categorized into:

• Stops: Complete blockage of airflow (e.g., /p/, /t/, /k/).

• Fricatives: Partial blockage creating turbulence (e.g., /f/, /s/, /v/).

• Nasals: Air flows through the nose (e.g., /m/, /n/).

• Liquids: More fluid airflow, including lateral sounds (e.g., /l/, /r/).

• Glides: Semi-vowels with a slight constriction (e.g., /w/, /j/).

4. Phonetic Symbols: Consonants are represented in the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) with specific symbols to denote their sounds accurately.

5. Role in Language: Consonants are essential for distinguishing words and contributing to the rhythm and flow of speech. They work in conjunction with vowels to form syllables and words.

6. Learning and Teaching: Understanding consonants is crucial in language learning, teaching pronunciation, and analysing phonological patterns.