Phonetics Quiz : Phonetics is the branch of linguistics that studies the sounds of human speech. It examines how we create different sounds using our vocal organs, how these sounds differ across languages, and how we can accurately describe and transcribe them. From the basic distinction between vowels and consonants to the intricate details of place and manner of articulation, phonetics provides us with the tools to understand and analyze speech scientifically.
When we speak, we’re actually coordinating a complex system of muscles and organs – our vocal cords, tongue, lips, and soft palate all work together to produce the sounds we use in communication. Phoneticians (experts in phonetics) have developed detailed systems like the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) to represent these sounds in written form, making it possible to record and study pronunciation across all human languages.
Places of Articulation of the consonants of English
Table Credit : (English Phonetics for Indian Students 3rd Edition by T. Balasubramanian)
| S. No. | Articulators (active first) | Place of Articulation | Examples from English |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lower lip and upper lip | Bilabial | [p], [b], [m] (3) |
| 2 | Lower lip and upper front teeth | Labio-dental | [f], [v] (2) |
| 3 | Tip or blade of the tongue and upper front teeth | Dental OR Inter-dental | [θ], [ð] (2) |
| 4 | Tip OR blade of the tongue and the teeth-ridge | Alveolar | [t], [d], [n], [s], [z], [l] (6) |
| 5 | Tip of the tongue and part of the roof of the mouth just behind the teeth ridge | Post-alveolar | The letter when it begins a word or occurs after a silent . The phonetic symbol is [ɹ] or [ɻ] (1) |
| 6 | Front of the tongue and hard palate | Palatal | [j] (1) |
| 7 | Blade AND front of the tongue (active) and teeth-ridge AND hard palate (passive) | Palato-alveolar | [tʃ], [dʒ], [ʃ], [ʒ] (4) |
| 8 | Back of the tongue and soft palate | Velar | [k], [g], [ŋ] (3) |
| 9 | The vocal cords | Glottal | [h] (1) |
| 10 | Lower lip AND back of the tongue (active) AND upper lip AND soft palate (passive) | Labial-velar | [w] (1) |
Phonetics Quiz 15 MCQs
I have put together a challenging 15-questions multiple-choice quiz to test your knowledge of fundamental phonetic concepts.
Take the quiz below and don’t forget to share your results in the comments. Good luck!
Read this also : Word Stress Made Easy : Some Rules with Examples
Good questions as always
Thanks