1. Teaching English Pronunciation
Don’t Forget the Consonants
Presentation by
Brenda Raymond /
Have attendants sit by others that teach the same age group
Talk about why I’m talking about consonants.
I was never taught consonants when I learned Spanish.
Few of my students were taught anything about consonants.
MANY mistakes made.
Explain why I’m using letters to represent sounds instead of the International Phonetic Alphabet.
Remember that some letters make more than one sound and many sounds can be made by more than one letter or letter combination but we’re focusing on their primary sound.
This presentation may be downloaded from
Permission granted to make copies, use, and modify if my name remains on the presentation.
1/20/2014
©Brenda Raymond 2014

2. Introduction to the Consonant Grid B, P, V, F
Voiced
Unvoiced b p
Burst of air v f
Steady flow of air
B and P start with closed lips that open to make the sound
Compare and contrast b and p –
both start with closed lips and then lips are opened
Voice is used for b (you can feel your vocal chords) not for p
Click to bring in voiced and unvoiced
Now compare and contrast b and v
Both are voiced
Lips are closed and then opened for b; but open and unchanged for v
You can make the v sound for a long time – why?
Click to bring in Burst of Air and Steady Flow
Add f
Compare and contrast with v and p
V and F require a raised upper lip with upper teeth on lower lip throughout the sound
B C D F G H J K L M
N P Q R S T V W X Y Z
B C D F G H J K L M
N P Q R S T V W X Y Z
1/20/2014
©Brenda Raymond 2014

3. 8-minute Activity Group by age level that you teach
Fill in the grid with the other 20 English consonant sounds (by yourself or in your group)
Think of activities you can do with your students to help them notice the difference between
voiced and unvoiced;
burst of air and steady flow of air
Think of words students can use to practice b, p, v, and f e.g. beep
Hand out activity sheet to each group to record ideas.
After activity, share ideas.
Use a lighted candle to show differences.
1/20/2014
©Brenda Raymond 2014

4. B C D F G H J K L M N P Q R S T V W X Y Z B C D F G H J K L M
S, Z
Voiced
Unvoiced
Burst of air z s
Steady flow of air
Both sounds are made with nearly closed teeth and open lips
Where does S go on the grid?
Where does Z go?
Note that in English Z must be voiced
S often makes the Z sound at the end of words and occasionally in the middle
B C D F G H J K L M
N P Q R S T V W X Y Z
B C D F G H J K L M
N P Q R S T V W X Y Z
1/20/2014
©Brenda Raymond 2014

5. B C D F G H J K L M N P Q R S T V W X Y Z B C D F G H J K L M
G, K, R, H
Voiced
Unvoiced g k
, h
Burst of air r
Steady flow of air
All four sounds use an open mouth
G, K, and R sounds come from the throat
Discuss where G goes; click to add it.
Discuss where K goes; click to add it.
Discuss where R goes; click to add it.
Discuss where H goes; click to add it.
After clicking to codify the letters,
have everyone practice voiced sounds (shadowed letters – B, G, R, V, Z)
Have everyone practice unvoiced sounds (thinner letters – F, H, K, P, S)
Have everyone practice bursted sounds (blue letters – B, G, H, K, P)
Have everyone practice steady sounds (orange letters – F, R, S, V, Z)
The tongue does not move while making the R sound
B C D F G H J K L M
N P Q R S T V W X Y Z
B C D F G H J K L M
N P Q R S T V W X Y Z
1/20/2014
©Brenda Raymond 2014

6. C, Q, X are NOT sounds in Englishk s
cat, come
cite, ceiling
q[u] = kw
quick
x = ks z
eks
ex-husband, box, exist
xylophone, xenophobia
X-ray
B C D F G H J K L M
N P Q R S T V W X Y Z
B C D F G H J K L M
N P Q R S T V W X Y Z
1/20/2014
©Brenda Raymond 2014

7. B C D F G H J K L M B C D F G H J K L M N P Q R S T V W X Y Z
D, T, N, L
Voiced
Unvoiced d t
Burst of air n
, l
Steady flow of air
D, T, N, and L begin with nearly the same tongue position – the tongue tip is slightly more curved backwards for the D and L sounds
For N and L, the tongue does not move from its starting position
Native English speakers are experts at hearing even the slightest T sound. If you move your tongue during the N sound, it will be heard as a T. Extend the N sound to be safe.
Talk about D; click to add it
Talk about T; click to add it
Talk about N; click to add it
Talk about L; click to add it
Practice CAN vs. CAN’T – ‘can’ is often said quickly as ‘kin’ but ‘can’t’ is always pronounced clearly
B C D F G H J K L M
N P Q R S T V W X Y Z
B C D F G H J K L M
N P Q R S T V W X Y Z
1/20/2014
©Brenda Raymond 2014

8. B C D F G H J K L M B C D F G H J K L M N P Q R S T V W X Y Z
M, W, Y
Voiced
Unvoiced
Burst of air m
, w
, y
Steady flow of air
The M sound is made with closed lips that remain closed during the sound
The W sound does NOT come from closing the throat; use rounded, almost closed lips.
Keep teeth open to make the Y sound, and remember that it is a steady airflow.
May not be obvious that w and y are steady airflow.
Give example: yyyyyyellowwwww
Mmmm, mmmm, good!
B C D F G H J K L M
N P Q R S T V W X Y Z
B C D F G H J K L M
N P Q R S T V W X Y Z
1/20/2014
©Brenda Raymond 2014

9. B C CH D F G H J K L M B C CH D F G H J K L M
J [ʤ], [ʒ], SH [ʃ], CH [ʧ]
Voiced
Unvoiced
j [ʤ]
judge, age, magic
ch [ʧ]
child, witch
Burst of air
[ʒ]
measure, beige, seizure, version
sh [ʃ]
wish, chef, nation
Steady flow of air
Where does J go (judge, age, magic)?
Where does ʒ go (measure, beige, seizure, version)?
Where does sh go (wish, chef, nation)?
Wehre does ch go (child, witch)?
B C CH D F G H J K L M
N P Q R S SH T V W X Y Z ʒ
B C CH D F G H J K L M
N P Q R S SH T V W X Y Z ʒ
1/20/2014
©Brenda Raymond 2014

10. B C CH D F G H J K L M B C CH D F G H J K L M
TH [ð], TH [θ]
Voiced
Unvoiced
Burst of air
th [ð], the, this, these, with
th [θ] think, math, three
Steady flow of air
Both TH sounds require that you stick the tip of your tongue out between your teeth
Where does TH ð (the, this, these, with) go?
Where does th θ (think, math, three) go?
B C CH D F G H J K L M
N P Q R S SH T TH TH V W X Y Z ʒ
B C CH D F G H J K L M
N P Q R S SH T TH V W X Y Z ʒ
1/20/2014
©Brenda Raymond 2014

11. P Q R S SH T TH TH V W X Y Z ʒ P Q R S SH T TH TH V W X Y Z ʒ
NG [ŋ]
Voiced
Unvoiced
Burst of air
ng [ŋ] thing, teaching,
tongue
Steady flow of air
This is NOT the N and G sounds combined. The tip of your tongue needs to be down and the back of your tongue raised up.
Is ng voiced or unvoiced?
Is ng a burst of air? Or steady? Say sing as example.
B C CH D F G H J K L M N NG
P Q R S SH T TH TH V W X Y Z ʒ
B C CH D F G H J K L M N NG
P Q R S SH T TH TH V W X Y Z ʒ
1/20/2014
©Brenda Raymond 2014

12. The 24 English Consonant Sounds
B D G J
CH H K P T
L M N NG R TH V W Y Z ʒ
Say each group
Burst, Voiced
Burst, Unvoiced
Steady, Voiced
Steady, Unvoiced
F S SH TH
1/20/2014
©Brenda Raymond 2014

13. b p v f Voiced Unvoiced Burst of air Steady flow of air
Click to show answer sheet
1/20/2014
©Brenda Raymond 2014

14. b, d, g, j ch, h, k, p, t l, m, n, ng, r, th, v, w, y, z, ʒ
f, s, sh, th
Voiced
Unvoiced
Burst of air
Steady flow of air
1/20/2014
©Brenda Raymond 2014