Unit 3 : Functions of Organs of Speech

Competency : Indicate the organs of speech and description of each organ as far as
possible

Lesson - 1

Presentation of a Diagram of Organs of Speech and

Their Functions
1.

2.

Objectives
At the end of the lesson, you will be able to :
1.1

recognize the organs of speech,

1.2

explain the functions of the organs of speech.

Pre - learning activities

2.1 Try to name the organs of speech involved in the production of English
sounds.

2.2

i.

v.

ii.

vi.

iii

vii.

iv

viii.

Try to explain the functions of the following organs of speech.

i. Tongue

ii. Vocal cords

iii. Soft palate

iv. Alveolar ridge

i. ............................................................................................................
............................................................................................................
ii. ..........................................................................................................
............................................................................................................
iii. ...........................................................................................................
............................................................................................................
iv. .........................................................................................................
..........................................................................................................
3.

Content
The organs, which take part in the production of speech sounds, are called speech
organs. When we speak, air comes out through the lungs and it is interfered at

various places for the production of sounds. Sounds cannot occur without air. The
following diagram shows the main organs of speech.

Figure of organs of speech

Important organs
1.

Lips

7. Epiglottis

2.

Teeth

8.

Pharynx

3.

Alveolar ridge

9.

Soft palate

4.

Tongue

10. Uvula

5.

Larynx

11. Hard palate

6.

Vocal cords

Descriptions and functions of some important organs of speech

The vocal cords
The larynx contains two small bands of elastic tissues. They are called vocal
cords. The opening between the vocal cords is called epiglottis. When we
breath in or out, the glottis is open. This is the position of the production of
voiceless sounds. e.g. /f/, /s/, /h/, etc are voiceless sounds in English. The
sounds produced when the glottis comes together are called voiced sounds. So
the main function of the vocal cords is to produce voiced and voiceless
sounds.
The soft palate

The soft palate is also called velum. It is the roof of the mouth. It separates
the oral and nasal cavity. The last part of the soft palate is called uvula. When
it is lowered, the nasal sounds (/m, n, /) are produced. When it is raised, the
air passes out through the oral cavity and the oral sounds (/p, t, k, s, etc/) are
produced.

The tongue
The tongue is an important organ of speech. It has the greatest variety of
movement. It is divided into four parts: the tip, the blade, the front and the
back. The number of vowels is produced with the help of the tongue. Vowels
differ from each other because of the position of the tongue.

Picture of the tongue

The tip of the tongue helps to produce /t, d, z, etc/. The blade of the tongue
helps to produce /t, d, , etc/. The front of the tongue helps to produce
palatal sound /j/ and the back of the tongue helps to produce /k, g/ sounds.

The lips
The upper lip and lower lip help to produce bilabial sounds /p, b, m/. If they
are held together, the sounds produced in that position are bilabial stops : / p,
b/. If the lips are held together, they produce different vowels.

The teeth
The teeth take part in the production of consonant sounds. The upper teeth
only take part in the production of speech sounds. The lower teeth don't take
part for the production of sounds. The sound produced with the help of the
upper teeth are called dental sound (, r)

The alveolar ridge

The alveolar ridge is the part between the upper teeth and the hard palate. The
sound produced with the tongue touching the alveolar ridge is called alveolar
sounds, e.g. /s/, /t/, /d/, etc.
Producing different speech sounds depends on the movement of speech
organs. It is essential to know the movement and the placement of each organ
to produce particular sounds. The above descriptions and functions of the
organ of speech help you to guide students to produce the consonants and
vowels in a right way.
4.

Self-evaluation
4.1 Write the functions of the following organs:
a.
the tongue
b.
the lips
c.
the soft palate
d.
the teeth
a.
b.
c.
d.
4.2

5.

Complete the following sentences :

a.

The soft palate is also called .................

b.

The back of the tongue helps to produce ..................

c.

/b/ is produced with the help of ...................

d.

The sounds produced with the help of the upper teeth are called ...
sounds

e.

/k/ is produced with the help of the ........... part of the tongue.

Summary
5.1

The study of speech organs is important to know the nature of speech

production.

5.2

The organs that take part in production of speech sounds are called speech
organs.

5.3
6.

The main speech organs are - the tongue, the lips, the palates, the vocal
cords, etc.

Instructions
Listen to the tape in the contact session and repeat after the tape to produce the
sounds that are made with the help of different organs of speech.

7.

Feedback
Check your answer for the exercise 4.1 and 4.2 :
4.1 Answer i) The tongue helps to produce different vowels and touches alveolar ridge,
hard palate and soft palate to produce consonant sounds.
ii) The lips are used to produce bilabial sounds.
iii) The soft palate makes oral and nasal sounds.
iv) The upper teeth help to produce dental sounds.
4.2

Answer a. velum

b. /k/, /g/, //

d. dental

e. back

c. lips

If you have given correct answer for all, you did excellent.
Congratulations. If you have found any mistake, please go to the related
sections and review them and try to answer again.

Unit 4 : Stress
Competency : Demonstrate words with different syllables and read with correct
intonation patterns and rhythm.
This unit deals with the stress pattern on a word or a sentence. It has two lessons. Lesson
one presents the rules of words stress where as Lesson two deals with the sentence
stress.

Lesson - 1

Presentation of Words with the Stress Marker

1.

2.

Objectives
At the end of the lesson, you will be able to :
1.1

identify stress patterns of the given words,

1.2

put stress in given words,

1.3

pronounce words with different stress patterns.

Pre - learning activities

2.1 Use the stress mark in the following words
present (N)

record (V)

ignore

photograph

present (Adj)

advise

develop (V)

nation

record (N)

education

typist

invent

husband

about

development

2.2

Explain any two rules of putting the stress on the words with some examples.

I.

II.

3.

Content
Stress is the extra force that we apply when we pronounce a particular word. The
stressed syllable of a word is pronounced with more force than the surrounding
syllables of that word. For example in the word photographer (pho-'to-gra-pher) /
ftugrf /, the second syllable /t / is stressed so it should be pronounced
with the extra force. Here are some rules to use stress in the given words (stress on
the basis of syllables)
3.1

If a word is of two syllables and is a noun or adjective, generally the stress

falls on the first syllable. But if it is a verb the stress falls on the second
syllable.
Two syllable words
absent
conduct
contract
digest
import
increase
object
project
produce
progress
record
subject

Nouns/Adjectives
'absent
'conduct
'contract
'digest
'import
'increase
'object
'project
'produce
'progress
'record
'subject

Verbs
ab'sent
con'duct
con'tract
di'gest
im'port
in'crease
ob'ject
pro'ject
pro'duce
pro'gress
re'cord
sub'ject

Some other two syllabic words (Nouns/Adjectives) :

water

'water

English

'English

many

'many

thousand

'thousand

leakage

'leakage

teacher

'teacher

father

'father

Some more verbs of the two syllables :

3.2

prevent

pre'vent

contain

con'tain

suggest

sug'gest

collapse

co'llapse

If a word is of three syllables and is a noun or adjective, generally the stress

falls on the first syllable, e.g.
'article
'sympathy
'accident
'cinema
'quality
'holiday

3.3

If a word is of there syllables and is a verb, the stress generally falls on the
second syllable :
de'termin
di'minish
de'velop
con'tinue
con'tribute
dis'tribute

3.4

If a word is of more than three syllables. The stress generally falls on the third
syllable of the word from the end:
de-'mo-cra-cy

de'mocracy

u-ni-'ver-ci-ty

uni'versity

cer-'ti-fi-cate

cer'tificate

3.5

in-di-vi-'dua-li-ty

indivi'duality

re-spon-si-'bi-li-ty

responsi'bility

e-lec-'tri-ci-ty

elec'tricity

Stress marker on the basis of prefixes and suffixes

3.5.1

If the word is a noun or adjective and has the following prefixes, the
stress falls on the first syllables, e.g.
ab-

'abdicate, 'absence

ap -

'applicant, 'appetite

com -

'combat, 'comfort

de-

'delicacy, 'debit

per -

'percept, 'perish

pre -

'predicate, 'preface

sub -

'subscript, 'substance

sym -

'symbol, 'sympathy

3.5.2 The words having the following suffixes are stressed on the syllable
immediately preceding them:
- ian

elec'trician, co'median

- ic/-ics 'public, 'physics

3.5.3

- ion

con'dition, edu'cation

- ium

'calcium, 'premium

If the words have the following suffixes, the stress falls on that
suffixes:
- ean

Euro'pean

- ee

trus'tee, addres'see

- eer

engi'neer, profi'teer

- oo

- oon

bam'boo, sham'poo
bal'loon.

3.5.4

The words with the following endings are stressed on the following
syllable before them:
- ental

'dental, pa'rental

- ential

es'sential, exis'tential

- ician

lo'gician, ma'gician

- cracy de'mocracy
- graphy bi'ography
- logy
3.5.5

bi'ology

The words with the following endings have the stress on the first
syllable, e.g.
- let

'booklet, 'ringlet

- ture 'picture, 'culture

- less 'endless, 'workless
- ful

'beautiful, 'useful

- and 'husband, 'thousand

- man 'human, 'German

3.5.6

- ive

'active, 'passive

- fy

'simplify, 'certify

The words with the following endings have the stress on the last
syllable.
- ee

pa'yee

- een

can'teen

- eer

engi'neer

- oon

bal'loon

[Listen to all the above rules and words on the radio or tape]

4.

Self-evaluation

4.1

Tick () the right answer.

a)

If the word 'record' is a verb, the stress falls on :

i)

the first syllable

ii) the second syllable

iii) the third syllable

b)

If the word 'present' is an adjective, the stress falls on the :

i) first syllable

ii) second syllable

iii) third syllable

c)

In the word, 'education', the stress falls on the :

i) first syllable
iii) third syllable
iv) fourth syllable

4.2

5.

6.

ii) second syllable

Use the stress on the following words :

invent

develop

canteen

balloon

employee

mother

teacher

photograph

preserve (v)

subject (adj)

migrate

relate

devise

husband

physics

Summary
5.1

Stress can be simply defined as the extra force that we apply when we
pronounce a particular word. The stressed syllable of a word is pronounced
with more force than the surrounding syllables of that word.

5.2

If a word is of two syllables and is a noun or adjective, generally the stress

falls on the first syllable. But if it is a verb the stress falls on the second
syllable

5.3

If a word is of there syllables and is a verb, the stress generally falls on the
second syllable. If a word is of more than three syllables, the stress generally
falls on the third syllable of the word from the beginning.

Instructions
Go through the textbook of Grade V and group 10/10 words under the following
heading on the cardboard as a project work and bring it in the contact sessions for
the discussion.

Words with stress on the first syllable

Words with stress on the second syllable

Words with stress on the third syllable

Words with stress on the last syllable

7.

Feedback
Check your answer for the exercise 4.1 and 4.2 :
4.1

4.2

Answer a.

second syllable

b.

first syllable

c.

third syllable

Answer in'vent

de'velop

can'teen

ba'lloon

emplo'yee

'mother

'teacher

'photograph

pre'serve

'subject

mi'grate

re'late

de'vise

'husband

'physics

If you have given correct answer for all, you did excellent.
Congratulations. If you have found any mistake, please go to the related
sections and review them and try to answer again.

Lesson - 2

Presentation of stress and reading out the sentences using correct

stress and intonation patterns, etc.
1.

2.

3.

Objectives
At the end of the lesson, you will be able to :
4.1

explain the function of the stress, intonation patterns and rhythm,

4.2

read out the sentences with correct stress, intonation patterns and rhythm.

Pre - learning activities

2.1 What do you mean by sentence stress?

2.2

While reading out a sentence in the classroom, on which words of the

sentence you give emphasis and which one not?

2.3

Which tone do you use to read out commands (shut the door.) in the
classroom?

Content
If stress is given to a syllable in an isolated word, it is called the word stress. You
learnt the word stress in the previous lesson. If the stress is given to the syllable in
sentences, they are called the sentence stress. The sentences should be read out with

correct intonation patterns and rhythm. These three features : stress, intonation and
rhythm are called suprasegmental features. These three features are described
below;
3.1

Sentence Stress
In sentences, there are important words and structural words. The important
words are nouns, adjectives, main verbs, adverbs, and interrogative pronouns.
Nouns - (book, education, society, .................)
Adjectives - (clever, intelligent, happy, .............)
Adverbs - (slowly, beautifully, ...........)
Main Verbs - (play, singing, written, ..........)
Demonstrative & interrogative pronouns (what, which, this, that, these, those)
We use stress only on important words. ( ' ) is marked on a stressed syllable.
Generally we don't use stress on structural words (prepositions, articles,
conjunctions, etc) e.g.
I have 'found my 'book.
'What do you 'think of the 'weather ?
'This 'bus 'generally 'arrives 'late;

In the above sentences, 'found', 'what', 'think', 'weather', 'this', 'bus', 'generally',
'arrives' and 'late' are important words and 'I', 'have', 'my', 'do', 'you', 'of' and 'the' are
structural or grammatical words.
The important words in a sentence are produced with more force and more time.
The unstressed syllables are produced without any proper emphasis. In the sentence
'I've found my book', the words 'found' and 'book' are produced with more force.

Some rules :

'What' is not stressed in the exclamatory expressions.

What a 'beautiful 'garden!
What a 'terrible 'snake!

'More' and 'most' are not stressed when they occur as adverbs but they are
stressed when they occur as adjectives.
It's the most 'dangerous 'thing.
It's a more 'dangerous 'thing.
'Most 'bears are 'black.

We 'tried 'more 'milk for 'coffee.

Auxiliary verbs are not stressed, but they are stressed when they are used with
the contracted form of 'not' or when they come initially or finally. i.e.
I 'haven't 'done the work.
'Can you 'help me?
'Yes, I 'can.
Listen to the tape or the radio for the sentence stress.

3.2

Intonation patterns
Intonation and stress are related with each other because the stressed syllables
are said generally with the high pitch and the unstressed syllables are
produced with the low pitch. So the feature of rising and falling of the pitch
while speaking the sentence is called intonation. These variations are called
tones. When the pitch of the voice is rising, it is called the rising tone. When
the pitch of the voice is falling, it is called the falling tone. These two tones
can come in sentences in sequence. So we have different types of tones. They
are ;
i.

The rising tone - (the glide - up)

ii.

The falling tone - (the glide down)

iii.

The rising and rising tone (the take - off)

iv.

Falling and rising tone (Dive)

v.

Rising and falling tone

vi.

Falling and falling tone

Some rules
Each tone is related with the particular type of sentences :
I.

Use the falling tone (the glide down) for the complete statements
It was 'quite 'good
I 'wouldn't 'mind 'seeing it a'gain

II.

Use the falling tone for wh-questions.

'Why did you 'change your 'mind?
'Who on the 'earth was 'that?

III.

Use the falling tone for the strong command.

'Don't 'make a 'noise.
'Shut the 'door.

IV.

Use the rising tone with the statements that end with the questions.
You like it?
You 'can't go?

V.

Use the rising tone with Yes-no questions.

'Have you/ seen him?
'Did 'John 'post 'that /letter?
'Can I /see it ?

VI.

Use the rising tone with the request.

'Please 'sit, down.
'Kindly 'give me 'some 'money.

VII. Use the dive for the incomplete statements.

I 'looked at him.
She 'took the 'car.
VIII. If the statement is correction of what someone else has said, use the
dive.
He's forty - five
'forty -'six.
IX.

If the statement is warnings, use the dive.

You'I be vlate.
I 'shan't 'tell you a'gain.

X.

Use the glide down for the strong exclamations.

'How 'extra \ordinary.
'What a 'beautiful \girl.

XI.

Use the rising tone (glide - up) for the greetings and good bye 'Good / morning.
'Good / bye.
'Good / night.

XII. Use the falling tone (glide - down) for the short questions.
'Did you ?
Has she ?
Listen to the tape or the radio for the actual understanding of
intonation patterns.

3.3

Rhythm
Rhythm involves the feature of the regular occurrence of stressed syllables in
a sentence at regular intervals. It has been often claimed that English speech
is quite rhythmical. The stressed syllables of a sentence are pronounced
carefully at regular intervals whether there are unstressed syllables or not.
Whereas the unstressed ones are crowded together between the stressed
syllables. If we give more time to produce unstressed syllables and less time
to produce stressed syllables, the speech becomes rhythm less.
So the feature of rhythm suggests that the time taken by each stressed syllable
to the next tone to be the same. Since unstressed syllables are produced fast
along with the stressed syllables, all the grammatical words, which are
generally unstressed, have weak forms. If they are produced in a connected
speech, their weak forms are used. If they are produced alone, their strong
forms are used. Here are some weak and strong forms:

Word

strong

weak

and

/nd/

/n/

but

/bt/

/bt/

him

/hIm/

/Im/

he

/hI/

/i:/

has

/hz/

/z/

/eI/

//

an

/eIn/

/n/

them

/em/

/m/

her

/h:/

/:/

have

/hv/

/v/

are

/a:(r)/

//

Listen to the strong form of the grammatical words on tape or radio.

4.

Self-evaluation
4.1

4.2

Use the stress on the following sentences.

a.

He writes a letter.

b.

Boys were playing football.

c.

Can you sing a song?

d.

I haven't gone to school.

e.

Did she do it ?

Which tone do you use for the following sentences?

a.

Ram goes to school.

b.

I went to school and ..............

c.

Can you open the door?

d.

What is your name?

e.
5.

Has she?

Summary
5.1

If the stress is given to the syllable in sentences, they are called the sentence
stress. The sentences should be read out with correct stress, intonation and
rhythm.

5.2

In sentences, there are important words and structural words. The important
words are nouns, adjectives, main verbs, adverbs, and interrogative pronouns.
The structural words are article, preposition, conjunction, etc.

5.3

Intonation pattern of a sentence determines in which pitch it should be

uttered. Rhythm means regular occurrence of stressed syllables at a regular
interval of time.

6.

Instructions
Listen to the tape or the radio in the contact session and read the sentences with the
cassette.

7.

Feedback
Check your answer for the exercise 4.1 and 4.2 :
4.1 Answer a.
He 'writes a 'letter.
b.
'Boys were 'playing 'football.
c.
'Can you 'sing a 'song?
d.
I 'haven't 'gone to 'school.
e.
'Did she 'do it ?
4.2

Answer a.

The falling tone

b.

The rising tone

c.

The falling tone

d.

The falling tone

e.

The rising tone