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Guilherme Mazui

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What is the Difference Between Vowels and Consonants?

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The main difference between vowels and consonants lies in the way they are produced in the vocal tract and their role in forming syllables. Here are the key differences:

  • Vowels:
  • Vowels are speech sounds made with your mouth fairly open, serving as the nucleus of a spoken syllable.
  • They are produced without audible noise caused by constriction in the vocal tract.
  • Vowels do not block the flow of air.
  • Examples of vowels include [i], [a], and [u].
  • Consonants:
  • Consonants are speech sounds produced with your mouth fairly closed.
  • They are produced with audible noise caused by constriction in the vocal tract.
  • Consonants block or partially block the flow of air, for example, by pressing the lips together (as for [b]), pressing the bottom lip against the teeth (as for [f]), or pressing the tongue against the top of the mouth (as for [l]).
  • Examples of consonants include [b], [p], and [t].

Vowels and consonants are classified based on their place and manner of articulation. The place of articulation refers to the location of the narrowest part of the vocal tract in producing a sound, while the manner of articulation refers to how the sound is produced. In English, there are approximately 20 vowels and 24 consonants, depending on the accent and how the sounds are categorized.

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  • What is the Difference Between Vowels and Consonants?
  • Comparative Table: Vowels vs Consonants

    • Comparative Table: Vowels vs Consonants

    Here is a table comparing the differences between vowels and consonants:

    Feature Vowels Consonants
    Type of sound Vowels are speech sounds made with an open vocal tract, serving as the nucleus of a spoken syllable. Consonants are speech sounds made with a closed or partially closed vocal tract.
    Number of letters There are 5 primary vowels: A, E, I, O, and U. There are 21 consonant letters in the English alphabet.
    Production Vowels are produced by allowing breath to flow out of the mouth without closing any part of the mouth or throat. Consonants are produced by blocking air from flowing out of the mouth using the teeth, tongue, lips, or palate.
    Function in syllables Vowels form the core of syllables and are essential for creating words. Consonants separate and support vowels, and they can appear alone or in groups but must be joined by a vowel to produce a syllable.

    In summary, vowels are speech sounds made with an open vocal tract, while consonants are produced with a closed or partially closed vocal tract. Vowels form the core of syllables, while consonants separate and support vowels.

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    Guilherme Mazui

    Guilherme Mazui is graduated in journalism from the Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG) and a master's degree in Communication from the University of São Paulo (USP). In addition, he has experience in advertising writing and has worked as a content editor in several companies.