Vowels and Consonants
English Grammar: Consonants and Vowels
1. What is a Vowel ?
· A vowel is a sound we make when air flows freely through the mouth without being blocked.
· The word vowel comes from Latin vox, meaning “voice.”
· Vowels are speech sounds made with minimal blockage of air.
· The tongue and lips can move to change vowel sounds.
2. English Vowels
· The letters a, e, i, o, u are called vowels.
· These letters represent different sounds in English.
· Sometimes, Y can act as a vowel or consonant depending on the word:
o Story → vowel
o Yes → consonant
3. Types of Vowel Sounds
There are 20 vowel sounds in English, divided into three types:
1. Pure Vowels → 12 sounds
2. Long Vowel Sounds → 5 sounds
3. Diphthongs → 8 sounds
Key Points:
· Vowels make our speech smooth and open.
· They are needed for syllables, words, and sentences.
· English vowels can have short sounds, long sounds, or blended sounds (diphthongs).
4. Vowel Examples
Short Vowel Sounds
· A → Apple, Cat
· E → Jet, Net
· I → Fish, Pit
· O → Clock, Ought
· U → Sun
Long Vowel Sounds
· A → Cake, Bake
· E → Feet, Leaf
· I → Kite, Idle
· O → Rope, Coke
· U → Cute, Umbrella
What is a Consonant ?
· A consonant is a sound we make which is not a vowel.
· The breath is somehow blocked on its way out of the mouth.
· Example: In rat, R and T are consonants.
· English consonant letters: B, C, D, F, G, H, J, K, L, M, N, P, Q, R, S, T, V, W, X, Y, Z
Note: Letters W and Y sometimes act as vowels, e.g.:
· my, show, happy → here Y or W acts as a vowel sound.
2. Consonant Sounds in English
· There are 24 consonant sounds in English.
· They are divided into two types:
1. Voiced Sounds → 15 sounds
2. Voiceless Sounds → 9 sounds
Consonants = 21 letters → 24 sounds
Key Points
· Consonants carry meaning and intention in speech.
· Some letters (like W and Y) can act as vowels or consonants depending on the word.
· Clear consonant sounds make speech easier to hear and understand.
3. Words and Sentences
· Word: Made up of vowels and consonants.
· Sentence: Made up of words.
Example sentences:
· Don’t freeze the fresh fruit.
· The big plane flew at night.
· I saw a rainbow.
· I want a new pencil.
· The dogs are barking.
4. Important Words
· Uttered: Spoken
· Syllable: A word with only one vowel sound
· Phonics: The sound we make when we speak letters
· Sonority: The loudness/clarity of a vowel sound
5. Practice Questions
Identify vowels in the words:
1. Fish → i
2. Eyes → e
3. Apple → a, e
Identify consonants in the words:
1. Sitting → s, t, n, g
2. Stopped → s, t, p, d
3. Drop → d, r, p
6. Summary
· English alphabet has 26 letters → 5 vowels and 21 consonants.
· Vowels: Give the sound/passion in speech.
· Consonants: Give meaning/message in speech.
· Vowels are important for speaking, singing, reading, and writing.
· Clear consonant sounds make speech easy to hear and understand.