1. How are /w/ and /j/ different from other consonants? Explain with examples.

The consonants /w/ and /j/ are the consonants found at the beginning of the words such as “wet”
and “yet”. They are known as approximants. These phonemes are also known for being
phonetically like vowels but phonologically like consonants. From the phonetic point of view, the
articulation of /j/ is practically the same as that of a front close vowel such as /i/, but it is very
short; similarly, /w/ is closely to the vowel /u/. However, if one makes the initial sound of ‘wet’
and ‘yet’ very long, one will be able to hear this.

Despite this vowel-like character, we usually use these phonemes as consonants. For
example, they only occur before vowel phonemes; which is a typically consonantal distribution.
For instance, /w/ and /j/ are treated as a consonant at the beginning of words in the following
ways: the indefinite article is ‘a’ before a consonant and ‘an’ before a vowel. If a word is
preceded by the indefinite article, it is the ‘a’ form that is found, as in ‘a way’ and ‘a year’.
Moreover, another example is that the definite article ‘the’. Here the rule is that ‘the’ is
pronounced as /ðə/ before consonants and as /ði:/ before vowels. These evidences illustrates
why it is said that /w/ and /j/ are phonologically consonants.

2. Why is contrasting voiced from voiceless consonants important in the pronunciation

of words? How can your knowledge of articulatory phonetics be applied to help
students overcome this problem? Suggest your answer with specific examples.

Many consonant sounds come in pairs. The difference between these pairs of sounds is that
one sound is voiced and the other is voiceless. Voiced sounds cause the vocal chords to vibrate.
Voiceless sounds do not cause the vocal chords to vibrate. For example, in spoken English the
/s/ and /z/ sounds employ the same tongue position and mouth shape however: the /z/ is voiced
and the /s/ is voiceless. The English /k/ and /g/ sounds are both produced in the back of the
throat however: the /g/ is voiced and the /k/ is voiceless. The /p/ and /b/ sounds are both made
by pushing your lips together and then releasing them however: the /b/ is voiced and the /p/ is
voiceless

However, many non native speakers do not voice important consonant sounds. Some
people omit these sounds when they speak. Other people use the voiceless sounds /s/, /k/ and
/p/ when they should use the voiced sounds /z/, /g/ and /b/. Making these types of pronunciation
mistake will contribute to your accent, compromise your grammar, and create breakdowns in
communication. It also can be quite confusing to the listeners. Hence, here comes the
importance of contrasting voiced from voiceless consonants, that is from the pronunciation
aspect. We are able to pronounce the words correctly if we are able to distinguish between
voiced and voiceless consonants.

Hence, in order to help students to contrast voiced from voiceless consonants, a

discovery activity can be used to help learners notice the difference between voiced and
unvoiced consonants. Begin by asking learners what noise a bee makes. As they make a
buzzing noise, do the same and put your fingers on your throat, indicating that they should do
likewise. This will allow them to feel the vibrations of the vocal chords that occur with voiced
consonant sounds. Ask them if they can feel the vibrations.

Then focus on a voiced and unvoiced pair such as s and z. Make the sounds with your
fingers on your throat, indicating that the learners should do the same. You can help learners
with this by getting them to make the 'bee' sounds for z, and the sound a snake is supposed to
make for s. Ask them when they feel the vocal chords vibrate - with s or z? Tell them that this is
the main difference between the two sounds, and that z is voiced while s is unvoiced. As a
follow up, you could do a minimal pairs activity using some voiced and unvoiced pairs, focusing
on initial consonant sounds.

This activity has the advantage of establishing the voiced and unvoiced distinction, and a
shared gesture that learners and the teacher can use in class to indicate that a sound is voiced
or unvoiced, for example the fingers on the throat. It also helps learners to become conscious of
the muscle movements involved in voicing a consonant.