2 Learning initial consonants – d t n l g k h j q x

Pre-lesson activity

In this lesson, we are going to learn d t n l, g k h, j q x

The first group d t n l are tongue and upper gum sounds.

[d] When you pronounce d, the tongue tip blocks the air at first and then releases the air suddenly.

[t] is similar to d, but t is an aspirated sound, so you exert more effort to force the air out.

[n] is a nasal sound. The articulators are the same as d and t, but the air only comes out from the nose. The sound is produced with the vocal cords vibrating.

[l] is a lateral. Similar to ‘n’, the air is not blocked in the oral cavity, which comes out from both sides of the tongue.

g k h is a group of sounds, which involves the root of the tongue and soft palate.

[g] is an unaspirated sound, which firstly will block the air by raising the root of your tongue and then lower your tongue quickly and let the air out.

[k] is similar to [g], except it is an aspirated sound with strong air out.

[h] is unvoiced fricative. You let the air out from the space between the soft palate and root of your tongue.

j q x is a group of sound that involves the front part of the tongue and the hard palate.

[j] is an unvoiced affricate which requires you firstly block the air using the front part of the tongue and front part of the hard palate, and then let the air squeeze out through the small channel between the surface of the tongue and the hard palate.

[q] aspirated sound, the place of articulation is the same as [j]  but with strong air out.

[x] unvoiced fricative sound with no blocking air.