Consonant

High school (ages 12+)
Thinking & Learning

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/consonant

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is a consonant?Consonants are sounds made when we partially or completely close parts of our mouth or throat, which changes the airflow from our lungs. They are the building blocks that give words their shape and help us say many different words.
2. How do consonants make sound different from vowels?Consonants change the way air flows by blocking or narrowing the mouth or throat, creating distinct sounds. Vowels are made with an open mouth and no blockage, so consonants add variety and help words stand out.

Articulatory Phonetics: The study of how speech sounds are produced by the human vocal tract and articulators.
Vocal Tract Stricture: The degree of narrowing or closure in the vocal tract that shapes consonant sounds.
International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA): A standardized system of phonetic notation used to represent all possible speech sounds.