Speech Work: Comparison/tʃ/, /dʒ/, /ʒ/, /ʃ/ - SS2 English Lesson Note

The sounds /tʃ/, /dʒ/, /ʒ/, and /ʃ/ are all fricatives, which means that they are produced by narrowing the vocal tract so that the airstream is forced through a small opening. However, there are some key differences between these sounds.

/tʃ/ is a voiceless palato-alveolar fricative, which means that it is produced with the tongue tip raised towards the hard palate.
/dʒ/ is a voiced palato-alveolar fricative, which means that it is produced with the tongue tip raised towards the hard palate and the vocal cords vibrating.
/ʒ/ is a voiced postalveolar fricative, which means that it is produced with the tongue tip raised towards the alveolar ridge behind the teeth.
/ʃ/ is a voiceless postalveolar fricative, which means that it is produced with the tongue tip raised towards the alveolar ridge behind the teeth and the vocal cords not vibrating.

Here are some examples of words that contain these sounds:

/tʃ/: church, cheese, machine
/dʒ/: judge, George, garage
/ʒ/: measure, pleasure, beige
/ʃ/: ship, sheep, sure

To practice pronouncing these sounds, try saying the following words aloud:

/tʃ/: church, cheese, machine
/dʒ/: judge, George, garage
/ʒ/: measure, pleasure, beige
/ʃ/: ship, sheep, sure