* The tongue: Touching the roof of the mouth, the teeth, or the back of the throat.
* The lips: Closing or partially closing the lips.
* The vocal cords: Partially closing to create a vibrating sound.
Consonant sounds are characterized by their place of articulation, which is where the obstruction occurs, and their manner of articulation, which is how the air is obstructed.
Here are some examples of consonant sounds in English:
Place of Articulation:
* Labial: Sounds made with the lips (e.g., /p/, /b/, /m/, /f/, /v/)
* Dental: Sounds made with the tongue touching the teeth (e.g., /θ/, /ð/)
* Alveolar: Sounds made with the tongue touching the ridge behind the teeth (e.g., /t/, /d/, /n/, /s/, /z/, /l/, /r/)
* Palatal: Sounds made with the tongue touching the hard palate (e.g., /ʃ/, /ʒ/, /j/)
* Velar: Sounds made with the tongue touching the soft palate (e.g., /k/, /g/, /ŋ/)
* Glottal: Sounds made with the vocal cords (e.g., /h/)
Manner of Articulation:
* Stop: A complete obstruction of air (e.g., /p/, /b/, /t/, /d/, /k/, /g/)
* Fricative: A partial obstruction of air, creating friction (e.g., /f/, /v/, /θ/, /ð/, /s/, /z/, /ʃ/, /ʒ/, /h/)
* Affricate: A stop followed by a fricative (e.g., /tʃ/, /dʒ/)
* Nasal: Air flows through the nose (e.g., /m/, /n/, /ŋ/)
* Liquid: A partial obstruction, allowing air to flow around the tongue (e.g., /l/, /r/)
* Glide: A very brief obstruction of air (e.g., /w/, /j/)
Consonant sounds are essential for clear speech, as they provide structure and definition to words. They are often contrasted with vowel sounds, which are produced with an open vocal tract and are characterized by their position of the tongue and mouth.