Consonants Quiz: Test Your Skills
The Consonants Quiz: Test Your Skills is an interactive assessment tailored to evaluate your proficiency in identifying and understanding consonants in the English language. This quiz encompasses a diverse range of questions designed to challenge participants on their knowledge of consonant sounds, their placement within words, and their role in language structure.
Expect questions that explore consonant sounds in different word positions, the impact of consonants on word meaning, and their relevance to pronunciation. This quiz is suitable for learners of all levels, from those just starting to explore language fundamentals to those seeking to refine their skills. By participating Read morein this quiz, you can gauge your expertise in working with consonants and gain valuable insights into areas where you might want to focus on improvement in your language proficiency.
Questions and Answers
- 1.
Affricates begin as fricatives and end as plosives.
- A.
True
- B.
False
Correct Answer
A. TrueExplanation
Affricates are a type of consonant sound that begins with an obstruction of the airflow, similar to fricatives, and then releases with a sudden burst, similar to plosives. Therefore, the statement "Affricates begin as fricatives and end as plosives" is accurate.Rate this question:
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- 2.
Fricatives are characterized by a hissing sound.
- A.
True
- B.
False
Correct Answer
A. TrueExplanation
Fricatives are a class of consonant sounds that are produced by forcing air through a narrow opening in the vocal tract, creating a turbulent airflow. This turbulent airflow results in a hissing or buzzing sound, which is characteristic of fricatives. Therefore, the statement that fricatives are characterized by a hissing sound is true.Rate this question:
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- 3.
Post-alveolar consonants involve the tip of the tongue and the hard palate
- A.
True
- B.
False
Correct Answer
B. FalseExplanation
Post-alveolar consonants do not involve the tip of the tongue and the hard palate. Instead, they involve the blade of the tongue and the hard palate. The blade of the tongue is the part just behind the tip. Examples of post-alveolar consonants include sounds like /ʃ/ as in "ship" or /ʒ/ as in "measure". Therefore, the statement that post-alveolar consonants involve the tip of the tongue and the hard palate is false.Rate this question:
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- 4.
Plosives are continuants.
- A.
True
- B.
False
Correct Answer
B. FalseExplanation
Plosives are not continuants. Plosives, also known as stops, are a type of consonant sound where the airflow is completely blocked and then released abruptly. They include sounds like /p/, /b/, /t/, /d/, /k/, and /g/. Continuants, on the other hand, are consonant sounds where the airflow is not completely blocked and can be prolonged. Examples of continuants include fricatives (/f/, /v/, /s/, /z/), affricates (/ʧ/, /ʤ/), and approximants (/r/, /l/, /j/). Therefore, the statement that plosives are continuants is false.Rate this question:
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- 5.
The soft palate is raised in all consonants except nasals.
- A.
True
- B.
False
Correct Answer
B. FalseExplanation
The soft palate (velum) is raised for all oral consonants and lowered for nasal consonants. Nasal consonants are produced with the soft palate lowered, allowing air to pass through the nasal cavity. In contrast, oral consonants involve the raising of the soft palate to block the nasal passage, directing airflow through the oral cavity.Rate this question:
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- 6.
The final consonant sound in ‘laugh’ is a
- A.
Labio-dental
- B.
Glottal
- C.
Velar
- D.
Bilabial
Correct Answer
C. VelarExplanation
The final consonant sound in "laugh" is a velar sound, produced by the back of the tongue contacting the soft part of the roof of the mouth. This sound is represented by the letter "gh" in English, and it adds a guttural quality to the word.Rate this question:
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- 7.
Which word has a post-alveolar sound?
- A.
Book
- B.
Sound
- C.
Measure
- D.
Listen
Correct Answer
C. MeasureExplanation
The word "measure" has a post-alveolar sound. Post-alveolar sounds are produced by placing the tongue just behind the alveolar ridge, which is the ridge behind the upper front teeth. In the word "measure," the "sh" sound is a post-alveolar fricative, produced by forcing air through a narrow gap between the tongue and the alveolar ridge. The other options, "book" and "listen," do not have post-alveolar sounds. Therefore, "measure" is the correct answer.Rate this question:
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- 8.
The different between /p/ and /t/ is
- A.
Voicing
- B.
place of articulation
- C.
Position of soft palate
- D.
Manner of articulation
Correct Answer
B. place of articulationExplanation
The difference between /p/ and /t/ is the place of articulation. This means that the sounds are produced in different parts of the vocal tract. /p/ is a bilabial sound, meaning it is produced by bringing both lips together, while /t/ is an alveolar sound, produced by touching the tip of the tongue to the alveolar ridge behind the upper teeth. Voicing refers to whether the vocal cords vibrate or not, and is not the distinguishing factor between /p/ and /t/. The position of the soft palate and the manner of articulation are also not relevant in differentiating between /p/ and /t/.Rate this question:
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- 9.
Which word contains an affricate?
- A.
Tip
- B.
Job
- C.
Back
- D.
Teeth
Correct Answer
B. JobExplanation
The word "job" contains an affricate. An affricate is a consonant sound that begins as a stop consonant and then transitions into a fricative. In the word "job," the "j" sound represents an affricate because it starts as a stop sound (similar to the "d" sound) and then transitions into a fricative sound (similar to the "zh" sound).Rate this question:
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- 10.
Which word does not have a fricative?
- A.
Should
- B.
Map
- C.
Flower
- D.
Teeth
Correct Answer
B. MapExplanation
A fricative is a type of consonant sound that is produced by forcing air through a narrow channel in the vocal tract, causing friction. In the given options, "should," "flower," and "teeth" all have fricative sounds. "Map" does not have a fricative sound, as it is pronounced with a stop consonant sound.Rate this question:
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- 11.
The underlined sound in ‘mother’ is a
- A.
Voiceless dental fricative
- B.
Voiced dental fricative
- C.
Voiceless dental affricate
- D.
Voiced dental affricate
Correct Answer
B. Voiced dental fricativeExplanation
The underlined sound in "mother" is a voiced dental fricative, specifically the sound /ð/. It is produced by bringing the tip of the tongue close to the upper front teeth, and it is characterized by a continuous, friction-like airflow.Rate this question:
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- 12.
Which word contains an approximant?
- A.
Young
- B.
Look
- C.
Who
- D.
Job
Correct Answer
C. WhoExplanation
The word "who" contains an approximant. The sound represented by "w" in "who" is a voiced labio-velar approximant /w/. Approximants are sounds where there is a slight constriction of the airflow but not enough to cause turbulence or friction. In this case, the tongue approximates the back of the mouth, and the lips are rounded.Rate this question:
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- 13.
Which word contains a velar?
- A.
Box
- B.
Know
- C.
Press
- D.
What
Correct Answer
A. BoxExplanation
The word "box" contains the velar consonant sound /k/. Velar sounds are produced by raising the back of the tongue against the soft palate. In "box," the /k/ sound is articulated in the velar region, making it a word that contains a velar consonant.Rate this question:
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- 14.
What is the difference between /ʃ / and /tʃ/?
- A.
Voicing
- B.
Place of articulation
- C.
Position of soft palate
- D.
Manner of articulation
Correct Answer
D. Manner of articulationExplanation
/ʃ/ represents the voiceless postalveolar fricative, where the airflow is partially obstructed by the tongue near the postalveolar region, creating friction, as in the English sound "sh" as in "she".
/tʃ/ represents the voiceless postalveolar affricate, where the airflow is completely blocked for a moment and then released with friction, as in the English sound "ch" as in "church".
So, the correct answer is: Manner of articulation.Rate this question:
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- 15.
Which word contains a palatal?
- A.
Yellow
- B.
Job
- C.
Him
- D.
Rent
Correct Answer
A. YellowExplanation
The word "yellow" contains a palatal sound /j/ in the beginning.Rate this question:
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- 16.
Which of the underlined sounds is a fortis consonant?
- A.
Pleasure
- B.
Nature
- C.
Eyes
- D.
Of
Correct Answer
B. NatureExplanation
A fortis consonant is a consonant sound that is produced with a greater amount of force or tension. In the given options, the only underlined sound is "t" in the word "nature." The "t" sound is a fortis consonant because it is produced with more force by pressing the tip of the tongue against the alveolar ridge and releasing it quickly.Rate this question:
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- 17.
Fortis consonants lengthen preceding vowels
- A.
True
- B.
False
Correct Answer
B. FalseExplanation
Fortis consonants do not lengthen preceding vowels. In phonetics, fortis consonants are characterized by their increased muscular tension and forceful articulation. They are typically shorter in duration and do not have an effect on the length of preceding vowels. Therefore, the statement "Fortis consonants lengthen preceding vowels" is false.Rate this question:
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- 18.
The initial consonant in 'cook' is aspirated.
- A.
True
- B.
False
Correct Answer
A. TrueExplanation
In English, aspirated consonants are pronounced with a strong burst of air. The initial consonant in 'cook' is /k/, which is aspirated. When saying the word 'cook', a puff of air is released along with the /k/ sound. Therefore, the statement is true.Rate this question:
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- 19.
The friction noise of lenis fricatives is louder than that of fortis fricatives
- A.
True
- B.
False
Correct Answer
B. FalseExplanation
The given statement is false. Lenis fricatives produce less friction noise compared to fortis fricatives. Lenis fricatives are produced with less force and have a weaker airflow, resulting in a softer and less noisy sound. Fortis fricatives, on the other hand, are produced with more force and have a stronger airflow, leading to a louder and more intense friction noise. Therefore, the correct answer is false.Rate this question:
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- 20.
Sounds in which the tip of the tongue touches the alveolar ridge are called palatal consonants
- A.
True
- B.
False
Correct Answer
B. FalseExplanation
The statement is false because sounds in which the tip of the tongue touches the alveolar ridge are actually called alveolar consonants, not palatal consonants. Palatal consonants are produced when the middle of the tongue touches the hard palate.Rate this question:
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- 21.
Which of the followings contains a labiodental consonant?
- A.
Though
- B.
Cough
- C.
Smile
- D.
High
Correct Answer
B. CoughExplanation
The correct answer is "cough". A labiodental consonant is a consonant sound that is produced by bringing the lower lip into contact with the upper teeth. In the word "cough", the /f/ sound is a labiodental consonant because it is produced by bringing the lower lip into contact with the upper teeth.Rate this question:
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Our quizzes are rigorously reviewed, monitored and continuously updated by our expert board to maintain accuracy, relevance, and timeliness.
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Current Version
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Mar 08, 2024Quiz Edited by
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Expert Reviewed by
Elizabeth Paskert -
Nov 24, 2014Quiz Created by
Sunnyriver2910
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