UNIVERSIDAD ADVENTISTA DEL PLATA

PROFESORADO Y TRADUCTORADO
DE INGLÉS

FONÉTICA INGLESA IV

WORKBOOK

PROFESORA: LIC. ADRIANA WIEGAND

SEGUNDO CUATRIMESTRE
 TABLE OF CONTENTS

1-CONSONANTS
FRICATIVES (CONT.)
AFFRICATES
LATERAL
NASALS
APPROXIMANTS
GLOTTAL STOP

2-ALLOPHONES
POST-ALVEOLAR ASSIMILATION
LABIALISATION
SYLLABIC VALUE OF A CONSONANT
/r/ VARIANTS
ALVEOLAR FRICATIVES
Consonant /s/ /z/
Voice voiceless voiced
Place of articulation alveolar alveolar
Manner of articulation fricative fricative
Phonotactics It can occur in initial, It can occur in initial,
medial and final position medial and final position
Spellings s sense, sing s rises, visit
ss pass ss dessert, scissors
c peace, advice z zebra
sc science zz dizzy
x expensive x example

ORAL PRACTICE: ALVEOLAR FRICATIVES /s/z/

TASK 1.1 and 1.2

Sue /su:/ zoo /zu:/

Said /sed/ Zed /zed/
Seal /si:l/ zeal /zi:l/
Lacy /leIsI/ lazy /leIzI/
Fussy /fVsI/ fuzzy /fVzI/
Sip /sIp/ zip /zIp/
Rice /raIs/ rise /raIz/
Loose /lu:s/ lose /lu:z/
Race /reIs/ raise /reIz/
Advice /@dvaIs/ advise /@dvaIz/
Once /wVns/ ones /wVnz/
Lice /laIs/ lies /laIz/
/ədvaɪs fə ɡɑːdnəz//
/ðɪs siːzn// aɪ ədvaɪz jʊ tə duː tuː iːzɪ θɪŋz// juːz jɔːr aɪz// ənd ɡəʊ daʊn
ɒn jɔː niːz//
/fɜːst// juːz jɔːr aɪz// lʊk ət weðə kəndɪʃnz// klɪə skaɪz ɒfn brɪŋ friːzɪŋ
wɪndz// kʌvə jɔː plɑːnts// ɔː jʊ wɪl luːz ðəm//
/seknd// ɡəʊ daʊn ɒn jɔː niːz// səʊ jʊ kən rɪəlɪ siː jɔː plɑːnts// siː ɪf ðər ə
saɪnz əv dɪziːz ɒn ðə liːvz// ɪf ðər ɑː// rɪmuːv ðə dɪziːzd wʌnz//

FORMATION OF PLURAL FORMS, THIRD PERSON SINGULAR

VERB FORMS, GENITIVE

1-If the root word ends with the sounds /s/z/Z/dZ/tS/, the final “s” is pronounced /Iz
2-If the root word ends with a voiceless sound, the final “s” is pronounced /s/
3-If the root word ends with a voiced sound, the final “s” is pronounced /z/

ACTIVITY

INDICATE HOW TO PRONOUNCE THE ENDING OF:

s
Likes /laIk…/ z
owns /@Un…/

z
gardens/gA:dn…/ s
snakes /sneIk…/

s
weeks /wi:k…/ s
pets /pet…/

z
children´s/tSIldrn…/ iz
chances /tSA:ns…/

z
bedrooms/bedru:m…/ z
hours /aU@…/
 iz
buses /bVs…/ s
sports /spO:t…/

z
miles /maIl…/ iz
finishes /fInIS…/

s
starts /stA:t…/ z
lives /lIv…/

Write the correct sounds of the –s inflections inside the brackets

z z z z z

z iz z s z z

z iz iz z

z z z

z z s z s
Circle the odd one out
/s/ /s/

/s/ /s/ /z/

/iz/ /s/ /iz/
/z/ /z/ /iz/
/z/ /iz/ /z/
/z/ /s/ /s/
Write the correct sounds of the –s inflections inside the brackets

Consonant /S/ / ʒ/
Voice
Place of articulation
Manner of articulation
Phonotactics It can occur in initial, It can occur in medial and
medial and final position final position
Spellings sh si
ch s
sch z(u)
s(u) exception: in French
ss(u) loan words, final “ge”
ti(on)
(C)si(on)
sci
ci
ce
ORAL PRACTICE: PALATO-ALVEOLAR
FRICATIVES /s/ S /
TASK 1.1 and 1.2

See /si:/ she /Si:/

Sell /sel/ shell /Sel/
Said /sed/ shed /Sed/
Save /seIv/ shave /SeIv/
Mess /mes/ mesh /meS/
Paris /p{rIs/ parish /p{rIS/
Ass /{s/ ash /{S/
Fist /fIst/ fished /fISt/
Sock /sQk/ shock /SQk/
Saw /sO:/ shore /SO:/
Sew /s@U/ show /S@U/
Sue /su:/ shoe /Su:/
Sort /sO:t/ short /SO:t/
Puss /pUs/ push /pUS/
Rust /rVst/ rushed /rVSt/
Crust /krVst/ crushed /krVSt/
/ɡʊd mɔːnɪŋ// welkəm tə suːpəveɪkeɪʃn trævl eɪdʒnsɪ// kən aɪ help jʊ//
/jes// aɪ həʊp səʊ// aɪm ɪntrəstɪd ɪn ə ʃɔːt hɒlədeɪ suːn// aɪd laɪk səm
ɪnfəmeɪʃn//
/jes// sɜːtnlɪ// wɒt sɔːt əv hɒlədeɪ ɪntrəsts jʊ//
/sʌmweə wɪð səm sʌnʃaɪn//
/wɒt əbaʊt ə lʌkʃrɪ kruːz//
/wɒt ɪɡzæktlɪ hæpnz ɒn ə lʌkʃrɪ kruːz//
/wel// ə kruːz ɪz ə hɒlədeɪ ɒn ə ʃɪp//

/leʒər ənd pleʒə dʒenrl stɔːz// kən aɪ help jʊ//

/ɡʊd mɔːnɪŋ// ðəz sʌmθɪŋ rɒŋ wɪð maɪ telɪvɪʒn// kʊd jʊ əreɪndʒ tə
rɪpeər ɪt//
/haʊ lɒŋ həv jʊ hæd ðə telɪvɪʒn//
/aɪ bɔːt ɪt ɪn dʒænjʊərɪ//
/wɒts ðə prɒbləm//
/ðə pɪktʃə kiːps dʒʌmpɪŋ//
/dʒəst ə məʊmənt// aʊər endʒɪnɪər ɪz friː ɒn tjuːzdeɪ// ɑːftə lʌntʃ//
/kʊd jʊ mænɪdʒ sʌmθɪŋ suːnə// aɪ wɒnt tə wɒtʃ telɪvɪʒn bɪfɔː tjuːzdeɪ//
/aɪl pʊt ɪt daʊn əz ən ɜːdʒnt rɪpeə// ðɪ endʒɪnɪə juːʒʊəlɪ kɔːlz ɪn ət
lʌntʃtaɪm// aɪl traɪ ənd kætʃ hɪm ðen//
Consonant /h/
Voice
Place of articulation
Manner of articulation
Phonotactics It can occur in initial and
medial position, always
syllable initial and pre-
vocalic.
Spellings h
wh
silent h

ORAL PRACTICE: GLOTTAL FRICATIVE /h/

/mɪs hærɪət hɑːləʊ//

/fɔː hæmbɜːɡ haʊs//
/twentɪ eɪt hærəʊ rəʊd//
/hærəʊ ɒn ðə hɪl//
/mɪdlseks//
/ɪŋɡlənd//
/dɪə hærɪət// aɪm hævɪŋ ə hɒrəbl hɒlədeɪ hɪə//
/ðə həʊtel ɪz hjuːdʒ ənd haɪ ʌp ɒn ə hɪl//
/aɪ hɜːt maɪ hiːl ənd hæd tə ɡəʊ tə hɒspɪtl//
/ðə weðəz tuː hɒt// ənd aɪm hʌŋɡrɪ// hærɪz kwaɪt hæpɪ// haʊevə//
nekst sʌmə// aɪ ʃl steɪ ət həʊm// hærɪ kən ɡəʊ ɒn hɒlədeɪ baɪ hɪmself//
/hɪlrɪ//

/haʊ kən aɪ help jʊ//

/aɪv hɜːt maɪ aɪ//
/haʊ dɪd ɪt hæpn//
/aɪ wəz hæmrɪŋ ə neɪl// ðɪ end əv ðə hæmə fluː ɒf// ənd hɪt mɪ ɪn ðɪ
aɪ//
AFFRICATES

An affricate is an oral consonant which is a combination of a plosive followed by a fricative

with the same place of articulation with the same value for voice. It is similar to a plosive but
has slow release.

affricates
church judge

Consonant /tS/ /dZ/

Voice
Place of articulation
Manner of articulation
Phonotactics It can occur in initial, It can occur in initial,
medial and final position medial and final position
Spellings Ch j
tch g
t(ure) dg
t(eous) dj
(s)t(ion) gg
de
di
ch

ORAL PRACTICE: PALATO-ALVEOLAR

AFFRICATES /tS/dZ/
Task 1.1 and 1.2

Chin /tSIn/ gin /dZIn/

Cheer /tSI@/ jeer /dZI@/
Choke /tS@Uk/ joke /dZ@Uk/
Chain /tSeIn/ Jane /dZeIn/
Rich /rItS/ ridge /rIdZ/
Search /s3:tS/ surge /s3:dZ/
H /eItS/ age /eIdZ/
Larch /lA:tS/ large /lA:dZ/
/kən jʊ pleɪ tʃes//
/jes// aɪ ɪndʒɔɪ tʃes verɪ mʌtʃ// aɪ wəz ə tʃes tʃæmpjən wen aɪ wəz ə
tʃaɪld//
/ənd ə jʊ stɪl ə tʃæmpjən tʃes pleɪə//
/nəʊ// θɪŋz həv tʃeɪndʒd// ɪn maɪ lɑːst mætʃ aɪ wəz biːtn baɪ ə sevn jɪər
əʊld tʃaɪld// aɪ θɪŋk ʃiːz ə fjuːtʃə tʃæmpjən//

/hələʊ// dʒænɪs dʒəʊnz spiːkɪŋ//

/hələʊ dʒænɪs// ðɪs ɪz dʒɒn dʒɒnsn// ɪz dʒenɪ ɪn//
/nəʊ// ʃiːz nɒt// kən aɪ teɪk ə mesɪdʒ//
/jes// pliːz// tel hə ðət aɪv ɡɒt hə lʌɡɪdʒ// kʊd ʃɪ kəlekt ɪt//
LATERAL

To produce a lateral, air is obstructed by the tongue at a point along the centre of the mouth but
the sides of the tongue are left low so that air can escape over its sides. /l/ is the clearest example
of a lateral sound in English. Both the clear and dark allophones of /l/ are lateral sounds.

lateral
lip

Consonant /l/
Voice
Place of articulation
Manner of articulation
Phonotactics It can occur in initial,
medial and final position
Spellings l
ll
silent l

DARK AND CLEAR /l/

CLEAR /l/ -It has a front vowel resonance

-Used before vowels
-Used before /j/

Examples: light /laIt/ tell you /tel jU/

-It has a back vowel resonance

DARK /K/ -Used before consonants (except /j/)
-Used before a silence or pause

Examples: help /heKp/ Paul /pO:K/

MARK /l / or /K/

/lUk/ /aIl traI/

/left/ /O:l D@ TINz/

/O:lweIz/ /sIlI/

/kO:ld/ /@laIv/

/lItl/ /s@Uld/

/lIst/ /neIl/

/hIl/ /hQr@bl hQlIdeI/

/hImself/ /@laU/

/aI S@l steI/ /kO:l jU/

/dZenr@l stO:z/ /smel jO: flaU@/

NASALS

In a nasal sound, there is a complete closure in the oral passage, but the soft palate is down, so
that the nasal passage is open, and the egressive pulmonic air stream escapes through the nose.
This sound can be sustained for a long time until breath runs out

nasals
man now sing

Consonant /m/ /n/ /N/

Voice
Place of articulation
Manner of
articulation
Phonotactics It can occur in It can occur in It can occur in
initial, medial and initial, medial and medial and final
final position final position position
Spellings m n ng
mm nn
mb kn n (followed by
mn gn a velar
silent m pn consonant)
silent n

ORAL PRACTICE: NASALS /m/n/N/

Task 1.1 and 1.2

Sin /sIn/ sing /sIN/

Ran /r{n/ rang /r{N/
Ton /tVn/ tongue /tVN/
Son /sVn/ sung /sVN/
Sinner /sIn@/ singer /sIN@/
Win /wIn/ wing /wIN/
Thin /TIn/ thing /TIN/
Ban /b{n/ bang /b{N/
/wɪə fiːlɪŋ æŋkʃəs//
/wɪə fiːlɪŋ æŋɡrɪ//
/wɪ dɪdnt sliːp lɑːst naɪt// ðə ɡeɪt wəz bæŋɪŋ ɔːl naɪt//
/ənd ðə tʃɪldrn frəm nekst dɔː kiːp rɪŋɪŋ ðə dɔːbel ənd rʌnɪŋ əweɪ//
/ənd ðə telɪfəʊn kiːps rɪŋɪŋ//
/ənd wen wɪ ɑːnsər ɪt// ɪts ə rɒŋ nʌmbə//
/ənd naʊ ðə telɪvɪʒn həz ɡɒn rɒŋ//
/ðæts waɪ wɪə fiːlɪŋ æŋɡrɪ//
/ənd æŋkʃəs//

APPROXIMANTS

The approximant is an oral consonant in the production of which the articulators only make a
slight approach but the passage is still wide enough for the air coming through not to cause
audible friction.
The air escapes over the centre of the tongue
They are traditionally divided into 2 groups: (1) semi-vowels and (2) liquids
Semi-vowels: / w / and / j / very similar to close vowels such as [u] and [i], but are produced
as a rapid glide
Liquids: / r / airflow constricted, but insufficiently obstructive to produce fricative sounds
 approximants
rabbit was yet

HOW TO SAY

1. For semi-vowel / j /
Step
/j/ --- The tongue starts in the position for [i:] and [i]
1
Step
The lips are spread, vocal cords are in vibration
2
Step
3

The final tongue position and lip shape are determined by

the vowel following it

Consonant /j/
Voice
Place of articulation
Manner of
articulation
Phonotactics It can occur in initial and medial position, always prevocalic.
Spellings y
i
Used before /u:/, /U and /U@/ initially and after some
consonants
ORAL PRACTICE: PALATAL SEMIVOWEL /j/
Task 1.1 and 1.2

Yet /jet/ jet /dZet/

Use (n) /ju:s/ juice /dZu:s/
Yak /j{k/ Jack /dZ{k/
Yeti /jetI/ jetty /dZetI/
Yam /j{m/ jam /dZ{m/
Yolk /j@Uk/ joke /dZ@Uk/
Year /jI@/ jeer /dZI@/
Yes /jes/ Jess /dZes/

/haʊ dʊ ɪŋɡlɪʃ juːnɪvɜːsətɪz tʃuːz stjuːdnts//

/jʊ juːʒʊəlɪ əplaɪ tə fɔː juːnɪvɜːsətɪz// ðə juːnɪvɜːsətɪz meɪ ɪntəvjuː jʊ//
ðeɪ juːʒʊəlɪ rɪfjuːz tə teɪk stjuːdnts hʊ feɪl ðeər end əv jɪər ɪɡzæmz//
/ həv jʊ əplaɪd fə juːnɪvɜːsətɪ jet//
/jes// ənd aɪ hɜːd frəm jɔːk juːnɪvɜːsətɪ jestədeɪ// aɪv ɡɒt ən ɪntəvjuː nekst
wiːk//
 2. For semi-vowel / w /
Step
The tongue starts in the position for [u:] and [u]
1
Step
The lips are closely rounded, vocal cords are in vibration
2
Step
3

Final positions for the tongue and lips are determined by

the sound following it

Consonant /w/
Voice
Place of articulation
Manner of
articulation
Phonotactics It can occur in initial and medial position, always prevocalic
Spellings w
wh
(q)u
(g)u
exception:
o

silent:
wr
wh
wick
wich
ORAL PRACTICE: LABIAL VELAR SEMIVOWEL /w/

/wɪljəm went fər ə wɔːk//

/wɪljəm hɜːd sʌmθɪŋ wʌndəfl lɑːst wiːk//
/wɪljəm went tʊ wɜːk ət ðə seɪm taɪm ɔːl wiːk//
/wɪljəm hæd lʌntʃ ət ə waɪn bɑː//
/wɪljəm went əweɪ ɒn hɒlədeɪ//
/wɪnɪ went aʊt θruː ðə wɪndəʊ//
/wɪljəm wɒnts wet weðə nekst wiːk//

Why are the semivowels regarded as consonants?

1-Because their function is consonantal, that is, they are marginal in the syllable
(remember that they are always pre-vocalic).

2-The articles have their preconsonantal forms when followed by /j/ or /w/.
example: the yard
the west
a yard
a wall

3-They suffer devoicing after aspirated /p/t/k/

example: tune
twice
 3.For liquid / r /
Step 1 The tip of the tongue is near to, but not touching, the back of the
alveolar ridge
Step 2 The tip curls back a little towards the hard palate
Step 3

The back rim of the tongue is touching the upper molars

Step 4 The central part of the tongue is lowered
Step 5 Air escapes over the centre of the tongue

Consonant /r/
Voice
Place of articulation
Manner of
articulation
Phonotactics It can occur in initial and medial position. It occurs in final
position only when the following morpheme begins with a
vowel sound (linking /r/)
Spellings r
rr
wr
rh
 LINKING /r/
If you have ever listened to people speaking a foreign language that was unknown to
you, you may have noticed that it was impossible to pick out individual words from the
string of sounds that you heard. This is because, in real connected speech, words are
linked to one another. This is an especially important phenomena in RP where the
phoneme /r/ does not occur in syllable-final position unless the word with a final 'r' is
followed by a word beginning with a vowel

example: The car /D@ kA:/ -----no /r/ sound

The car is here /D@ kA:r Iz hI@/ ------linking /r/

MORE ABOUT THE /r/ SOUND 1

1
Roach; Peter, Phonetics and Phonology, CUP, 1995
ORAL PRACTICE: POST-ALVEOLAR
APPROXIMANT /r/
/aɪm lʊkɪŋ fər ə reɪnkəʊt pliːz//

/jes// əv kɔːs// ðeər əʊvə hɪə// ɒn ðə left// ðəz bɪn rɑːðər ə rʌʃ tədeɪ//
naʊ// wɒt əbaʊt ðɪs bluː wʌn//

/nəʊ// ðə bluː ɪz tuː braɪt//

/bət bluː suːts jʊ//

/rɪəlɪ// aɪ θɪŋk aɪ lʊk terəbl ɪn bluː// aɪd rɑːðə hæv ə braʊn reɪnkəʊt//
ðə wəz wʌn ɪn ðə frʌnt wɪndəʊ ðət wəz rɑːðər ətræktɪv//

/aɪm sɒrɪ// ðæts ðɪ əʊnlɪ braʊn wʌn left// ənd ɪts ə verɪ lɑːdʒ saɪz//

/də jʊ laɪk jeləʊ// ðɪs jeləʊ wʌn ɪz ðə raɪt saɪz//

/nəʊ//nɒt jeləʊ// həv jʊ əʊnlɪ ɡɒt bluː ənd jeləʊ//

/aɪm əfreɪd səʊ// ðɪs jɪə ðə fæʃnəbl kʌləz ə braʊn// kriːm// bluː// ənd
jeləʊ// ðə braʊn ənd kriːm reɪnkəʊts həv ɔːl bɪn səʊld ɔːlredɪ// səʊ ðəz
əʊnlɪ bluː ɔː jeləʊ left//

/raɪt// aɪ θɪŋk aɪl traɪ ðə ʃɒp əkrɒs ðə rəʊd//

GLOTTAL STOP

as in bu'er, wa'er, mar'in.

A glottal stop is when there is a complete obstruction to the passage of air resulting in a
period of silence. It is becoming more common in many non-RP accents in Britain.

PLACES OF ARTICULATION

After the air has left the larynx, it passes into the vocal tract. Consonants are produced by
obstructing the air flow through the vocal tract. There are a number of places where these
obstructions can take place. These places are known as the articulators.

They are:
• Lips (Labial)
• Teeth (Dental)
• Alveolar ridge (Alveolar)
• Hard palate (Palatal)
• Soft palate (Velar)
• Glottis (Glottal)

Consonants Place
/p/ Bilabial
/b/ Bilabial
/t/ Alveolar
/d/ Alveolar
/k/ Velar
/g/ Velar
/ / Palato-alveolar
/ / Palato-alveolar
/m/ Bilabial
/n/ Alveolar

/ / Velar

/f/ Labio-dental
/v/ Labio-dental
/ / Dental
/ / Dental
/s/ Alveolar
/z/ Alveolar
/ / Palato-alveolar
/ / Palato-alveolar
/h/ Glottal
/l/ Alveolar
/r/ Postalveolar
/w/ Bilabial –velar

/j/ Palatal
BILABIAL
If both of the lips are used to articulate a sound, then it is said to be a bilabial sound.
Examples of bilabial sounds include: /p/,/b/ and /m/.

LABIODENTAL
Two sounds use the lower lip together with the upper teeth and so are called labio-dental
consonants. These sounds are:/f/ and /v/.

DENTAL
The two 'th' sounds of English are formed by forcing air through the teeth.
If you say the soft // in /thin/ and then the hard // sound in /then/, you can feel the air being
forced through the teeth. The tongue tip and rims are articulating with the upper teeth.

ALVEOLAR
An alveolar sound is when the tongue tip, or bladeof the tongue, touches the teeth ridge.
The following sounds are alveolar:/t/,/d/,/s/,/z/,/l/,/r/,/n/.

POST ALVEOLAR
The tip of the tongue articulates with the back of the teeth ridge. As in /r/

PALATO-ALVEOLAR
Four sounds are said to be palato-alveolar. This is partly because the blade of the tongue touches
both the alveolar ridge and the front of the hard palate as air is forced through to make the
following sounds:
The /S in sheep.
The /Z in genre.
The /tS in cheap.
And the /dZ in jeep.

PALATAL
The front of the tongue articulates with the hard palate. As in /j/.

VELAR
The soft palate is toward the back of the mouth. It is where the roof of the mouth gives way to
the soft area behind it. It can just be felt with your tongue if you curl it as far back and as high
as you can.
The velar sounds are usually made when the back of the tongue is pressed against the soft palate.
They include the /k/ in cat, the /g/ in girl and the /N/ in hang.
/w/ is also regarded as a labio-velar sound, because it simultaneously uses both lips whilst raising
the back of the tongue towards the velum. Try saying wheel and win and feel the position of
your tongue.

GLOTTAL
Glottal sounds are those sounds that are made in the larynx through the closure or narrowing of
the glottis. /h/ as in Helen is an example of a glottal sound. It is physically impossible to feel the
process using your tongue. It is as far back as you can get in your mouth.
The glottal stop is becoming a more widespread part of British English, but is still uncommon
in R.P.
You also use your glottis for speech when you whisper or speak in a creaky voice. Try reading
the above again, only outloud in a creaky voice.
 ALLOPHONES
DARK AND CLEAR /l/
CLEAR /l/ -It has a front vowel resonance
-Used before vowels
-Used before /j/

Examples: light /laIt/ tell you /tel jU/

-It has a back vowel resonance

DARK /K/ -Used before consonants (except /j/)
-Used before a silence or pause

Examples: help /heKp/ Paul /pO:K/

MARK /l / or /K/

/lUk/ /aIl traI/

/left/ /O:l D@ TINz/

/O:lweIz/ /sIlI/

/kO:ld/ /@laIv/

/lItl/ /s@Uld/

/lIst/ /neIl/

/hIl/ /hQr@bl hQlIdeI/

/hImself/ /@laU/

/aI S@l steI/ /kO:l jU/

/dZenr@l stO:z/ /smel jO: flaU@/

LABIALISATION
This is an instance of assimilation of the position of the lips. You know that the
position of the lips can basically be rounded or unrounded. This allophone has to do with
lip rounding in consonants that are not generally produced with rounded lips. What
happens then, is that a consonant is produced with noticeable lip rounding. This allophone
affects ANY CONSONANT occurring before /w/ (which has a very strong lip rounding).
It can occur in the same word or at word boundaries. What happens is that the lips are
rounded anticipating the rounding for /w/. The symbol is a little /w/ under the affected
consonant.

Examples:
POST ALVEOLAR ASSIMILATION
Again this is an instance of assimilation of the place of articulation of the
neighbour sound. In this case, the alveolar plosives /t/d/ become post alveolar when they
are followed by the post alveolar approximant /r/ IN THE SAME SYLLABLE. What
happens is that the tip of the tongue does not touch the teeth ridge but a part a little
retracted from it. The symbol for this allophone is a little horizontal line written under the
affected consonant.

Examples:

ACTIVITY
TRANSCRIBE AND MARK ALLOPHONES
1-Don´t try to convince me.
2-It all went down the drain.
3-They work on trading.
4-He wanted to draw a map.
5-Put on that dress.
6-They felt a soft tremor.

/r/ VARIANTS
a)FLAP /8/

-As linking /8/

mother and father /mVD@8 @nd fA:D@/

-Between vowels when the first vowel is stressed and the second one unstressed

Very /ve8I/
NOTE: arrive /@=raIv/
January /=dZ{njU@rI/

-After /T/ in the same syllable

Three /T8i:/

b) FRICATIVE /R/

-In the cluster /dr/

Dry /d$RaI/

c) FRICATIVE DEVOICED/R&/

-After aspirated /p/ /k/

Price /pR&aIs/
Cry /kR&aI/

NOTE:
April /eIprl/ NO /R&/
Scream /skri:m/ NO /R&/

-Always in the cluster /tr/

/tr/ IS ALWAYS /t$R&/

Try /t$R&aI/
History /=hIst$R&I/
d) /r/
-Used anywhere except in cases a), b), and c)

Brown /braUn/
Ground /graUnd/
Red /red/

/r/ VARIANTS PRACTICE

Transcribe and mark allophones
1-wrist 2-arrive 3-through
4-Here it is 5-correct 6-radio
7-sorry 8-bright 9-cream
10-very 11-ground 12-worry
13-ring 14-arrangement 15-story
16-street 17-train 18-drain
19-strike 20-throw 21-draw
22-wrong 23-dream 24-car and bus
25-Close the door Ann

SYLLABIC VALUE OF A CONSONANT

When we elide the neutral, this results in the existence of a syllable without a vowel.
Remember that no syllable can exist without a vowel. So, a consonant of that syllable will
have to function as the missing vowel: we say in this case that a consonant takes on the
value of a syllabic nucleous. Not all the consonants can fulfill the function of the missing
neutral. The only ones that can do it are: the nasals /m/n/N/, the lateral /l/ and the post
alveolar approximant /r/.
So, when the neutral sound /@/ is elided between two consonants, the second one becomes
longer to take up the time of a full syllable.
This allophone does not occur in Spanish.
The mark of this allophone is a small vertical line below the affected consonant.

Examples:
PRACTICE
TRANSCRIBE THE FOLLOWING AND MARK ALLOPHONES (INCLUDING THE
SYLLABIC CONSONANT)

1-I didn´t want to put the blame on the poor girl.

2-There´s something wrong with my television.
3-Don´t open the door.
4-I found a little dog in January.
5-Leisure and pleasure general stores.

COMPRESSION
(SEE LPD ENTRY)

TRANSCRIPTION PRACTICE ON SYLLABIC CONSONANTS

1-She was suddenly awakened by the terrible noise.
2-The hidden monster appeared, frightening the children.
3-She put her needlework aside when she heard a cry in the distance.
4-There were beautiful rose petals in front of her.
5-There is a vacant post at the train station.
6-The traveller looked at the golden coin.

GENERAL PRACTICE OF THESE NEW ALLOPHONES

TRANSCRIBE AND MARK ALL THE ALLOPHONES YOU KNOW (INCLUDE

THE NEW ONES)

1-He scored twice.

2-Of course it´s broken.
3-That was a loud noise.
4-What does tribe mean?
5-I think your ball is in the kitchen.
6-I dig the garden once a month.
7-There was something wrong with the trains.
8-Come for it.
9-I envy you.
10-She´s got ten friends.
GENERAL REVISION OF ALLOPHONES

Dark and clear /l/

Put the following words in the correct column
Table – call – limit – clear – fault – employ – close – mall – Alice – Paul- lose –
Alone – look – halt – although – always – alive – Clare – almost – love – tall
CLEAR LATERAL DARK LATERAL
Syllabic value of a consonant
1-What happens when we have a syllable without vowel?
2-Which is the sound normally elided that provokes a syllabic consonant?
3-Which consonants can become syllabic?
Transcribe and mark allophones.
1) She has spent two weeks in the hospital.
2) Have you ever been to Britain?
3) I have worked here for ten months.
4) Who would believe the story?
5) Can you speak French? Yes, I can.
6) That's my mom over there.
7) Those carrots are very little.
8) We travelled two days by train.
9) "The fountain" is the best movie that I have ever seen.
10) Peter is not brave enough to come.
11) Where is the Atlantic Ocean?
12) You can't judge him like that.
13) The baby must sleep in the cradle.
14) This is all about peace and love.
15) There is a slight chance of meeting him there.

MOCK TRANSCRIPTION TEST

TRANSCRIBE WITHOUT DICTIONARY AND MARK ALLOPHONES
´Peter ´likes ´walking, ´fishing and ´good ´restaurants. He can ´walk and ´fish ´all
´day, but he ´can´t ´go ´into ´town for ´dinner. He ´goes ´fishing at ´five o´´clock
´every ´morning with his ´dog. He ´always re´turns ´home ´very ´late.