Consider this group of sounds: [w, j, ɹ, l]. They share the same manner of articulation, they are ...

Consider this group of sounds: [w, j, ɹ, l]. They share the same manner of articulation, they are ...

• A. approximants
• B. alveolars
• C. glides
• D. affricates

Answer: (A)

These sounds share a manner of articulation called approximants. An approximant constricts the vocal tract only loosely, allowing the airstream to flow with little turbulence, so the sound is voiced and sonorous rather than a noisy or abrupt stop. That property fits all four: w, j, ɹ, and l are produced with open or near-open constrictions rather than a strong friction or a burst of air. Within approximants, w and j are often described as glides because they behave like vowels in how the tongue moves toward a vowel, while l and ɹ are liquids, produced with a more fixed constriction that still doesn’t create turbulent airflow. The key point is the shared manner of articulation across the group, not the exact place of articulation or the finer subclassifications.

These sounds share a manner of articulation called approximants. An approximant constricts the vocal tract only loosely, allowing the airstream to flow with little turbulence, so the sound is voiced and sonorous rather than a noisy or abrupt stop. That property fits all four: w, j, ɹ, and l are produced with open or near-open constrictions rather than a strong friction or a burst of air. Within approximants, w and j are often described as glides because they behave like vowels in how the tongue moves toward a vowel, while l and ɹ are liquids, produced with a more fixed constriction that still doesn’t create turbulent airflow. The key point is the shared manner of articulation across the group, not the exact place of articulation or the finer subclassifications.