Listening and Speaking -/s-z/; /d-/ð/; and //ʃ-s/; f-v/ - JSS3 English language Lesson Note
Introduction
Listening and speaking are essential skills in mastering the English language, especially for recognizing and producing various consonant sounds. This guide focuses on the contrasts between the following consonant pairs: /s/ and /z/; /d/ and /ð/; /ʃ/ and /s/; and /f/ and /v/.
1. Consonant Contrast: /s/ and /z/
/s/ is a voiceless alveolar fricative sound.
/z/ is a voiced alveolar fricative sound.
Examples:
/s/: sun, rice, bus
/z/: zoo, rise, buzz
Practice Words:
- sip vs zip
- ice vs eyes
- face vs phase
Consonant Contrast: /d/ and /ð/
/d/ is a voiced alveolar stop sound.
/ð/ is a voiced dental fricative sound.
Examples:
/d/: dog, bread, red
/ð/: this, father, breathe
Practice Words:
den vs then
dough vs though
day vs they
Consonant Contrast: /ʃ/ and /s/
/ʃ/ is a voiceless postalveolar fricative sound.
/s/ is a voiceless alveolar fricative sound.
Examples:
/ʃ/: shoe, dish, she
/s/: see, miss, sip
Practice Words:
- sheep vs seep
- ship vs sip
- wish vs wis
Consonant Contrast: /f/ and /v/
/f/ is a voiceless labiodental fricative sound.
/v/ is a voiced labiodental fricative sound.
Examples:
/f/: fan, leaf, safe
/v/: van, leave, save
Practice Words:
- fine vs vine
- ferry vs very
- leaf vs leave
Listening and Speaking Exercises
Minimal Pairs Exercise:
Listen to and repeat the following pairs of words, paying attention to the difference in sounds:
/s/ and /z/:
sip / zip
bus / buzz
/d/ and /ð/:
- den / then
- bread / breathe
- /ʃ/ and /s/:
- ship / sip
- wish / wis
- /f/ and /v/:
- fan / van
- ferry / very
Sentence Practice:
Read the sentences aloud, focusing on the highlighted sounds.
- The sun sets in the zoo.
- Den is where the dog sleeps.
- Sheep often sleep by the ship.
- Fine weather makes for a good vine harvest.