The IPA chart for English consonants

When we describe how to produce consonant sounds we need to mention the three aspects: manner, place, and voicing. The IPA chart for consonants is based on these three criteria. The places of articulation are listed along the top, as columns. The leftmost column of the consonant chart is at the front of the mouth, the lips, and then the columns move rightward systematically following the originating location of the sound. The rightmost column is the glottis. 

 

The manners of articulation are placed on the rows. Roughly speaking, the rows are arranged from the most amount of mouth closure to the least amount of mouth closure: from stops to glides (also called semivowels). Most obstruent consonants, which are sounds that are produced with some obstruction of airflow momentarily or continuously, are paired as voiceless and voiced. Glottal consonants are the only ones without a voiced counterpart among obstruents. The following IPA chart for English consonants reflects this categorization scheme. 

 

We aim to examine each sound in detail. But prior to that, we should survey the IPA chart for an overview. 

Place of articulation 

The place of articulation means where the sound is made in the vocal tract. With vowels, pinpointing where the sound originates can be done only in a proximal way since the tongue does not touch any part of the vocal tract when a vowel sound is made. With consonants, however, we can be more precise since the tongue has to touch some part of the mouth in most cases. To pronounce consonants, we need to use some part of the mouth, that is, the lips, the teeth, the alveolar ridge, the hard palate, the velum, or the tongue. In the order of advancement, from front to back, consonants can be classified as follows: bilabial, labio-dental, dental, alveolar, palatal, velar, and glottal. We learn what consonants occur in these places respectively.

Bilabial 

Bilabial consonants refer to consonants that are produced using both lips. Bilabial means two lips. The bilabial consonants are /p/, /b/, /m/ and /w/. To pronounce /p/, /b/, and /m/, the lower and upper lips have to touch each other. For /p/ and /b/ there is a stop and pop. For /m/ air is redirected to the nose. /w/ is also viewed as a bilabial since to pronounce /w/, we need to put the lips together and protrude them. 

Labiodental

Labiodental consonants are consonants that are produced by the bottom lip and the top teeth. Labiodental means ‘lip and teeth’. /f/ and /v/ are labiodentals. For these consonants, the bottom lip and the upper teeth have to touch, as friction has to be made. 

Interdental

The interdental consonants are /θ/ and /ð/. The tip of the tongue touches the upper teeth and protrudes between the teeth to produce /θ/ and /ð/. They are fricatives.

Alveolar 

Alveolar consonants are consonants that are produced by the tip of the tongue approaching or touching the alveolar ridge, which is located immediately behind the upper teeth. Alveolar consonants are /t/, /d/, /s/, /z/, /l/, and /n/. The English stops /t/, /d/, and /n/ are formed by completely blocking the airflow at this place of articulation. For /t/ and /d/ the air is popped. For /n/ the air comes through the nose. The fricatives /s/ and /z/ are also produced at this place of articulation. The tip of the tongue is at the alveolar ridge, but it does not touch the ridge. Air escapes from this narrow space. The liquid /l/ is also an alveolar consonant. The tip of the tongue touches the ridge, but the sides of the tongue do not touch anything, so air flows out around the sides of the tongue. 

Palatal

Palatal consonants are consonants that are produced by the body of the tongue approaching or touching the hard palate. The hard palate is the hard part at the top of the mouth, beginning just behind the alveolar ridge. It is also called the roof of the mouth. Palatal consonants are /ʃ/, /ʒ/, /ʧ/, /ʤ/, /r/ and /j/. For the fricatives /ʃ/ and /ʒ/, the sides of the tongue touch the upper teeth to make a channel with the body of the tongue. Air flows through a narrow channel formed along the middle of the tongue. For the affricates /tʃ/ and /dʒ/, the center of the blade briefly touches the hard palate. For /r/, the tongue tip is curled up toward the palatal area. For /j/, the middle of the tongue is raised towards the roof of the mouth. 

Velar 

Velar consonants are consonants that are produced by the body of the tongue touching the soft palate, also known as the velum. The soft palate is the softer part of the roof of the mouth, farther back than the hard palate. If we touch the roof of the mouth with the tongue and then keep moving the tongue farther back, we can find that softer area. The back of the tongue touches the soft palate when we say the sounds /k/, /ɡ/, and /ŋ/. For /k, g/, there is a stop, and for /ŋ/ air is directed to the nose. /w/ is also viewed as a velar sound since in addition to lips, the sound originates from the velum area.

Glottal 

Glottal consonants are produced in the glottis, which is the opening in the vocal folds. English has two glottal sounds: /h/ and the glottal stop /ʔ/. In /h/, the glottal opening is narrow enough to create some turbulence in the airstream flowing past the vocal folds. For this reason, /h/ is classified as a glottal fricative. The glottal stop /ʔ/, on the other hand, is produced by completely obstructing airflow in the vocal tract. 

Knowing precisely where sounds occur is very important to pronounce individual consonant sounds correctly. Knowing the location of these consonants also helps us understand how sounds change in rapid conversation situations. In these situations, sounds are greatly affected by neighboring sounds, but these changes are systematic. This systematic change of sounds due to the actual speech environment is studied under Connected Speech.