Manner of Articulation: Or The Importance of Airflow

What Is "Manner of Articulation"?

Manner of articulation means how the air flows out of the mouth when we make a speech sound. It’s about what happens to the air when it moves through the vocal tract (mouth and throat).

Different speech sounds are made by:

• Stopping the air,

• Letting it flow smoothly, or

• Letting it flow through the nose, etc.

In short, manner = how the sound is made, not where.

Why Is Manner of Articulation Important?

When children make speech sound errors, they might be using the wrong manner of sound. For example, instead of a smooth sound like /s/ (sun), they might use a quick stop sound like /t/ (tun). That’s a manner of articulation error. Speech therapists use this concept to help children learn the right way to move their mouth and use airflow when speaking.

Main Types of Manner of Articulation (with Examples)

Here are the most common manners of articulation in English:

• Stops (Plosives)

  • Air is completely stopped, then suddenly released.

  • Examples:
    /p/ as in pat
    /b/ as in bat
    /t/ as in top
    /d/ as in dog
    /k/ as in cat
    /g/ as in go

• Fricatives

  • Air is forced through a narrow space, making a hissing or buzzing sound.

  • Examples:
    /f/ as in fish
    /v/ as in van
    /s/ as in sun
    /z/ as in zoo
    /ʃ/ as in ship
    /ʒ/ as in measure
    /θ/ as in thin
    /ð/ as in this

• Affricates

  • A stop + fricative combined: the air is first stopped, then released with friction.

  • Examples:
    /tʃ/ as in chip
    /dʒ/ as in jam

• Nasals

  • The air flows through the nose, not the mouth.

  • Examples:
    /m/ as in man
    /n/ as in net
    /ŋ/ as in sing

• Approximants

  • The air flows freely, with only a slight narrowing in the mouth.

  • These don’t create friction or a full stop.

  • Examples:
    /w/ as in we
    /j/ as in yes
    /r/ as in red

• Lateral Approximant

  • The air flows around the sides of the tongue.

  • Example:
    /l/ as in look

How This Helps in Speech Therapy

Understanding manner helps therapists know why a child is saying a sound the wrong way.

Example:

• If a child says "tun" instead of "sun", they’re using /t/ (a stop) instead of /s/ (a fricative).
  → That’s a manner of articulation error.

Therapists will help the child:

• Learn to feel the difference between smooth sounds (like /s/) and quick stop sounds (like /t/).

• Practice using the correct type of sound with fun games, visuals, or mirrors..

Please note the above information is general in nature and is not intended as professional medical advice. Please seek an appointment with a registered speech-language pathologist if you are at all worried about your child's development.

References:

• Bowen, C. (2019). Communication Disorders Glossary with an emphasis on Children’s Speech. Speech-Language-Therapy.com. https://speech-language-therapy.com/~speech/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=14:glossary&catid=9:resources&Itemid=118

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Suggested Resources

FREEBIE Stone Age Struggle: /b/ Sound

Practice your child’s /b/ sounds with dangerous dinos in a fun interactive game.

FREEBIE Shopping Trip: /b/ Sound

Practice your child’s /b/ sounds by competing to see who can fill their shopping basket first.

FREEBIE Monster Madness: /b/ Sound

Practice your child’s /b/ sounds with mad monsters in a fun interactive game.