ABSTRACT
Consonant have been described as a sound in which the air passage is either stopped entirely at some point, or narrowed so as to give rise to audible friction. Consonants are classified according to the manner in which they are formed, according to the state of the air passage, and according to the organs which articulate them. It is generally found that voiced consonants are pronounced with less breath force than the breathed ones, and that the articulation is less vigorous. Similarly English final voiced plosives and fricatives are not fully voiced, the voice stopping before the end of their articulation. All consonants can be produced with or without voice. The main difference between a voiced and a breathed consonant lies in the presence or absence of voice, the rest of the articulation being the same.
