1

C

C

L

L

A

A

S

S

S

S

1

1

:

:

O

O

R

R

G

G

A

A

N

N

S

S

O

O

F

F

S

S

P

P

E

E

E

E

C

C

H

H

/

/

P

P

H

H

O

O

N

N

E

E

T

T

I

I

C

C

S

S

Y

Y

M

M

B

B

O

O

L

L

S

S

/

/

A

A

R

R

T

T

I

I

C

C

U

U

L

L

A

A

T

T

O

O

R

R

Y

Y

D

D

E

E

S

S

C

C

R

R

I

I

P

P

T

T

I

I

O

O

N

N

EXERCISE 1: Supply the missing words or phrases; the numbers given in brackets
correspond to the organs of speech in the drawing overleaf.

In the course of sound production the stream of air produced by the ____________ goes into the

_____________________ (1), at the top of which the _____________________ (3) is situated. Inside

the _____________________ (3), whose protruding part is known as the _____________________

(4) the _____________________ (5) are found. When they vibrate, sounds which are produced are

_____________________ . When they are ____________________ the sounds are voiceless.

The opening between the _____________________ (5) is called the _____________________ . When

the stream of air has passed through the _____________________ (3) , it enters the cavity formed

between the _____________________ (8) of the tongue and the back wall of the throat. This cavity is

known as the _____________________ (7).

At the base of the tongue is the _____________________ (6) . Thanks to it, the food passes to the

_____________________ (2) and not to the ____________.(3). At the top of the throat, there is a

forking of the air passage: the air can pass out through the _____________________ (11) or through

the _______________ (20). This depends on the position of the _____________________ (10) ,

also called the ________________ . When it is raised, the way to the _____________________ (11) is

blocked and the air escapes through the _____________________ (20) . When it is lowered, the air

may go out through the _____________________ (11) . In the former case _____________________

sounds are produced, in the latter _____________________ sounds .

At the lower end of the _____________________ (10) there is a small movable appendage that is

known as the _____________________ (9) .

Both the _____________________ (10) and the _____________________.(9) are parts of the

_____________________., also called the roof of the mouth .

At the front of the mouth the bony structure forms the ___________________ (12) In the foremost

part of it, just behind the _____________________.(15) , there is a prominent ridge known as the

_____________________.(13) .

The major speech organ in the mouth is the _____________________. Phonetically speaking, its

surface is usually divided into the _____________________ (16). The _____________________. (17)

the _____________________ (18) and the _____________________.(19).

Finally, speech sounds may be modified by the shape of the _____________ (14).

2

EXERCISE 2:

Supply the missing terms for the organs of speech. Check (and

practice) their pronunciation in a pronouncing dictionary.

3

EXCERCISE 3: After you have familiarised yourself with the list of phonetics

symbols (Roach, P. English Phonetics and Phonology, pp. ix-x), use a pronouncing

dictionary to find words which contain the following English vowels. Try to find as

many possible spellings for each sound as possible.

1-SYLLABLE

2-SYLLABLE

3-SYLLABLE

POSSIBLE

SPELLINGS



_________

_________

_________

_______



_________

_________

_________

_______





_________

_________

_________

_______





_________

_________

_________

_______





_________

_________

_________

_______





_________

_________

_________

_______





_________

_________

_________

_______





_________

_________

_________

_______





_________

_________

_________

_______





_________

_________

_________

_______





_________

_________

_________

_______





_________

_________

_________

_______





_________

_________

_________

_______





_________

_________

_________

_______





_________

_________

_________

_______





_________

_________

_________

_______





_________

_________

_________

_______





_________

_________

_________

_______



4

EXCERCISE 4:

Use a pronouncing dictionary to find words which contain the

following English consonants. Try to find as many words as you can which have

these sounds: (a) at the beginning, (b) in the middle (=between two vowels) and

(c) at the end.

INITIALLY

MEDIALLY

FINALLY



_________

_________

_________



_________

_________

_________





_________

_________

_________



_________

_________

_________





_________

_________

_________



_________

_________

_________





_________

_________

_________



_________

_________

_________





_________

_________

_________



_________

_________

_________





_________

_________

_________



_________

_________

_________





_________

_________

_________



_________

_________

_________





_________

_________

_________



_________

_________

_________





_________

_________

_________



_________

_________

_________

5

EXCERCISE 5:

Finally, let us practice some typical articulatory settings for

English consonants. Follow the instructions below and try to produce the sounds

according to their articulatory description. Then, write the appropriate phonetic

symbol next to the description.

1. put your tongue between your teeth; blow out air, the vocal folds do not vibrate

1

[ ]

2. press your lips together, compress the air in your oral cavity and suddenly release it

vocal folds vibrate

[ ]

3. put the tip of your tongue against your alveolar ridge while its side rims are lowered,

vocal folds vibrate

[ ]

4. lower lip approaches your upper teeth, the air escapes through a narrowing between them,

vocal folds do not vibrate

[ ]

5. the back of your tongue touches the soft palate, the velum is lowered, the vocal folds

vibrate

[ ]

Now, provide your own descriptions of articulatory setting for the following English

consonants:

1. [d] __________________________________________________________________

2. [j] __________________________________________________________________

3. [h] __________________________________________________________________

4. [k] __________________________________________________________________

5. [n] __________________________________________________________________

1

You can check whether they vibrate or not by putting your finger on your larynx to feel the

vibrations.