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English phonemes according to their places of articulation.
English consonants can be classified according to their places of articulation. This classification helps to understand where the sounds are produced in the mouth. There are several key places of articulation, each corresponding to specific consonant sounds in English. The main places of articulation include bilabial, labio-dental, dental, alveolar, post-alveolar, palatal, velar, and glottal. Let us study these through the following table.
| Place of Articulation | Articulators Involved | English Consonants |
Examples |
| Bilabial | Both lips | /p/, /b/, /m | “purse”, “rap”, “back”, “cab”, “mad”, “clam” |
| Labio-Dental | Lower lip and upper teeth | /f/, /v/ | “fro”, “calf”, “vine”, “have” |
| Dental | Tongue and upper teeth | /θ/, /ð/ | “thick”, “bath”, “the”, “rather” |
| Alveolar | Tongue and alveolar ridge (where teeth meet gums) | /n/, /t/, /d/, /s/, /z/, /l/ | “no”, “man”, “tab”, “rat”, “dip”, “bad”, “suit”, “bus”, “zit”, “jazz”, “luck”, “fully” |
| Post-Alveolar | Tongue just behind the alveolar ridge | /ʃ/, /ʒ/, /tʃ/, /dʒ/ | “shot”, “brash”, “vision”, “measure”, “chick”, “match”, “jam”, “badge” |
| Palatal | Tongue and hard palate (roof of mouth) | /j/ | “yes”, “bayou” |
| Velar | Back of tongue and soft palate (velum) | /ŋ/, /k/, /g/, /w/ | “going”, “uncle”, “kite”, “back”, “good”, “bug”, “wet”, “howard” |
| Glottal | Glottis (vocal folds) | /h/, /ʔ/ | “hi”, “Bahamas”, “uh-oh” |
In short, understanding the places of articulation helps in mastering English pronunciation. Each place—from bilabial to glottal—produces distinct sounds, making English rich and varied in its phonetic structure. Practice and awareness of these articulatory processes can significantly enhance speech clarity and accuracy.