Stop or Continuous Sounds
Can you say the sound of the letter "P"? What happens when you stop making the sound?
The sound of "P" is /p/. It stops quickly because we push air out and then stop—that makes it a stop sound!
Now say "Ffffff" with your hand on your throat. Does your throat buzz?
"F" is a voiceless sound because your throat doesn't buzz.
Say "Mmmm." What part of your mouth is making the sound?
My lips are together, and the sound comes from my nose.
What happens if you say "Sssssss" for a long time? Is it a stop or a continuous sound?
"Sssssss" keeps going as long as we have air. That makes it a continuous sound!
Put your hand on your throat and say "Vvvvv." What do you feel?
"V" is a voiced sound because my vocal cords are vibrating.
Say "Tt-Tt-Tt." Where does your tongue touch?
My tongue touches the top of my mouth (behind my teeth) to make the "T" sound.
Which sound can you stretch out longer: "Mmmmm" or "T"? Why?
"Mmmmm" can be stretched out because it is a continuous sound. "T" stops quickly, so it's a stop sound!
Which sound makes your throat buzz: "Zzzzz" or "Sssss"?
"Zzzzz" makes my throat buzz (voiced), but "Sssss" does not (voiceless).
Now say "Kk-Kk-Kk." Where do you feel the sound come from
The back of my tongue touches the back of my mouth.
Do you hear a stop sound in "bat" or "sun"?
"Bat" has the /b/ and /t/ sounds, both of which stop quickly, so "bat" has stop sounds. "Sun" has /s/, which can be stretched out, so it has a continuous sound.
Is "B" voiced or voiceless?
B is voiced.
Try saying "Shhhh." Where is your tongue, and what is it doing?
My tongue is near the roof of my mouth, and the air is coming out through my teeth.
Can you think of a word that has a stop sound at the beginning, like "dog" or "cat"?
Words like "ball," "pig," "toy," "kick," and "go" all start with stop sounds because the sound stops quickly when we say them!
Can you think of a word that starts with a voiceless sounding letter?
"Fish," "cat," "pen," and "sock" all start with voiceless sounds
Say "Fff" and "Vvv." Where does the air come out?
My top teeth touch my bottom lip, and the air comes out between them.