Which consonant letters denote deaf sounds: cat sew? - briefly
In the words "cat" and "sew," the consonant letters that denote deaf sounds are "t" and "s" respectively. These letters represent voiceless consonants, which means they are produced without vocal cord vibration.
Which consonant letters denote deaf sounds: cat sew? - in detail
In the English language, consonants can be categorized into voiced and voiceless sounds based on whether the vocal cords vibrate during their production. Voiceless consonants, also known as deaf sounds, are produced without vocal cord vibration. When examining the words "cat" and "sew," it is essential to identify the consonants and determine which of them are voiceless.
The word "cat" consists of three consonants: 'c', 't', and 't'. In English, the letter 'c' before the vowels 'a', 'o', and 'u' typically represents the voiceless sound /k/. The letter 't' always represents the voiceless sound /t/. Therefore, in the word "cat," both 'c' and 't' denote voiceless sounds.
Similarly, the word "sew" contains two consonants: 's' and 'w'. The letter 's' generally represents the voiceless sound /s/, especially when it appears at the beginning of a word. The letter 'w' is typically a voiced sound /w/, produced with vocal cord vibration. Thus, in the word "sew," only the letter 's' denotes a voiceless sound.
To summarize, in the word "cat," the consonants 'c' and 't' are voiceless. In the word "sew," the consonant 's' is voiceless, while 'w' is voiced. Understanding the distinction between voiced and voiceless consonants is fundamental for accurate pronunciation and effective communication in English.