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LISTEN |
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/b/…/b/…/b/…/b/…
buy…brain…lab…table... | ||
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WHAT IS IT? |
Pronunciation:
The sound /b/ is a voiced, bilabial, stop consonant.
The sound /b/ can be in these clusters:
The sound /b/ is a voiced, bilabial, stop consonant.
- Press your lips together.
- Forcefully pull your lips apart while pushing air out in a short burst.
- Your vocal cords should vibrate.
The sound /b/ can be in these clusters:
/bl/ - blue
/br/ - break
/br/ - break
/lb/ - bulb
/rb/ - curb
/bz/ (“bs”) - cabs
/lbz/ (“lbs”) - bulbs
/rbz/ (“rbs”) - curbs
/bd/ (“bed” / "bbed") - cubed, rubbed
/rbd/ (“rbed”) - barbed
/rb/ - curb
/bz/ (“bs”) - cabs
/lbz/ (“lbs”) - bulbs
/rbz/ (“rbs”) - curbs
/bd/ (“bed” / "bbed") - cubed, rubbed
/rbd/ (“rbed”) - barbed
Spelling:
- “b” – break, lab
- “be” - robe, tube
- “bb” – bubble, robbing
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COMPARE |
Compare /b/ with /v/:
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/b/…/v/…/b/…/v/…/b/…/v/…
These are both voiced consonants that are pronounced using the lips. However, /b/ is a bilabial stop and /v/ is a labio-dental fricative. When you pronounce /b/, your teeth should not touch your lips and the air in your mouth should be stopped. | ||
Listen to words with /b/ and /v/, and identify which word you hear. Choose A or B. You will hear the word twice, followed by the answer.
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1. A. boat, B. vote
2. A. bury, B. very 3. A. dub, B. dove 4. A. curb, B. curve 5. A. rebel, B. revel | ||
Now, compare /b/ with /m/:
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/b/…/m/…/b/…/m/…/b/…/m/…
These are both voiced bilabial consonants. However, /b/ is a stop and /m/ is a nasal. When you pronounce /b/, air should come through your mouth but not your nose. | ||
Listen to words with /b/ and /m/, and identify which word you hear. Choose A or B. You will hear the word twice, followed by the answer.
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1. A. bug, B. mug
2. A. bake, B. make 3. A. chubby, B. chummy 4. A. sub, B. sum 5. A. robe, B. roam | ||
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PRACTICE |
Listen and repeat these words:
| words_with_-b-.mp3 |
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1. best
2. burn 3. busy 4. brain 5. blow 6. broom 7. bless 8. bottle 9. cab 10. rob |
11. curb
12. bulb 13. about 14. mobile 15. stability 16. subtitle 17. bubble 18. abbreviate 19. barbecue 20. substitute |
Now, practice /b/ in sentences. Say the words first, then the sentences.
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1. bottles – bin - curb
Put your used bottles in the bin on the curb. 2. bring – ribs – barbecue We’ll bring a package of ribs to the barbecue. 3. blow – bubbles – beverage Don’t blow bubbles in your beverage. 4. public – believed – bad The public believed the bad report. 5. brother – burned – bulb My brother replaced the burned-out lightbulb. 6. big – blue – suburbs I live in a big blue house in the suburbs. | ||
To practice with different varieties of English, choose another native English speaker by clicking one of the links below:
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USE IT! |
Practice the task below. Then, record yourself completing that task. Give your recording to a teacher or an English-speaking friend for feedback.
Prepare:
Which behaviors should be banned in public places (like restaurants, stores, and movie theaters)?
Prepare:
Which behaviors should be banned in public places (like restaurants, stores, and movie theaters)?
Record:
Choose at least 3 of these behaviors. In your recording, explain why they should or should not be banned in public places.
© 2018, Christine Wingate
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
