3. Occlusive Noise Plosive Consonants [p, b, t, d, k, g]

[p, b] are occlusive, noise, plosive, bilabial, oral consonant phonemes. [p] is voiceless, fortis; [b] is voiced, lenis.

The lips are brought together and form a complete obstruction. Then the lips open quickly and the air escapes with plosion. In case with [b] the vocal cords are brought together and vibrate; in case with [p] the vocal cords are kept apart and do not vibrate.

Remember: voiceless plosives [p, t, k] are aspirated before a stressed vowel, if not preceded by the sibilant [s]. To distinguish between the final voiced and voiceless plosives mind the length of the preceding vowels.

Exercise 1.  /Track 1/

Distinguish between [p] and [b].

pit	bit	rope	robe
pat	bat	tripe	tribe
port	bought	tap	tab
pull	bull	cup	cub
pride	bride	rip	rib

[t, d] are occlusive, noise, plosive, forelingual, apical, alveolar, oral consonant phonemes. [t] is voiceless, fortis; [d] is voiced, lenis.

The tip of the tongue is pressed against the alveolar ridge which forms a complete obstruction. Then the tongue tip is quickly removed from the alveolar ridge and the air escapes with plosion. In case with [d] the vocal cords are brought together and vibrate. In case with [t] the vocal cords are kept apart and do not vibrate.

Exercise 2.  /Track 2/

Distinguish between [t] and [d].

two	do	sight	side
ten	den	heart	hard
ton	done	plate	played
town	down	bat	bad
train	drain	set	said

[k, g] are occlusive, noise, plosive, backlingual, velar, oral consonant phonemes. [k] is voiceless, fortis; [g] is voiced, lenis.

The back of the tongue is brought into contact with the soft palate which forms a complete obstruction. Then the back of the tongue is quickly removed from the soft palate and the air escapes with plosion. The vocal cords vibrate in case with [g].

Exercise 3. /Track 3/

Distinguish between [k] and [g].

could	good	leak	league
cot	got	pick	pig
coat	goat	lock	log
cave	gave	ankle	angle
clue	glue	crow	grow

Exercise 4.

Practise the following tongue-twisters.

1. Picky people pick Peter Pan Peanut butter.

Peter Pan peanut is the peanut picky people pick.

2. A big bad baby brought the bought black blanket back.

3. I’ll have a proper cup of coffee in a copper coffee-cup.

4. The two-twenty-two train tore through the tunnel.

5. The great Greek grape growers grow great Greek grapes.

Exercise 5. /Track 4 /

Imitation. Practise the phonetic difficulties before you start the conversation.

'tea and ‘coffee	a 'cup of ‘coffee	‘count them
at ‘breakfast	a 'cup of ‘tea	in the ‘tea break
'biscuit	a 'couple of 'cups of ‘tea	at ‘three
‘keep me	a 'couple of 'cups of ‘coffee	and ‘three
and ‘later	'four 'cups of ‘coffee	drink
a 'couple	'three 'cups of ‘tea	get ‘in

A: 'How many 'cups of 'tea and ֻcoffee ¦ do you 'drink each ‘day? ||

B: I’ll ‘count them. || I 'drink ‘two.cups of .coffee at ‚breakfast. || In the 'morning ˇbreak, | I 'drink a‘nother ◦cup of ◦coffee. || In the ‘tea ‚break ¦ at 'three o’‚clock, | I have a 'cup of ‚tea ¦ and a ‘biscuit. || 'When I get 'in from ˇwork, | I 'drink a ‘couple of ◦cups of ◦tea. || And 'later in the ˇevening, | I .drink a'nother 'cup of ‘coffee. ||

A: 'So that’s 'four 'cups of ˇcoffee | and ‘three ¦.cups of ‘tea. ||

B: ‘Yes. || And 'if I’m 'working ˇlate, | I 'have a ‘couple of .cups of ‚coffee ¦ to 'keep me a‘wake. ||