Unit 2.1
Letters: P-B
Introduction
The letters p and b represent bilabial consonants, respectively voiceless and voiced.
Form
P and b are represented in written and spoken English like this:
| Uppercase | Lowercase | Phonetics |
|---|---|---|
| P | p | /p/ |
| B | b | /b/ |
Example
p: pizza, plate, option, simple, camp, shop;
b: bag, big, maybe, debt, verb, lamb.
Use
The consonants p and b are bilabial sounds. To pronounce them, you need to move your upper and lower lips so the air will be restricted by them.
They differentiate because:
- p is voiceless, the vocal cords do not vibrate during the articulation of the consonant;
- b is voiced, vocal cords vibrate during the articulation of the consonant.