Affricates Study Guide

Characteristics of Affricates:

• Affricates start as a complete closure in the vocal tract (like a stop).
• They then release into a fricative, where there is a partial closure causing turbulence in the airflow.
• They are considered to be a single sound, even though they involve two different manners of articulation (stop and fricative).

Articulation of Affricates:

• /tʃ/ (as in "chat"): The tongue makes a complete closure at the alveolar ridge, then releases into a fricative by creating a narrow constriction with the tongue and the roof of the mouth.
• /dʒ/ (as in "judge"): The tongue makes a complete closure at the alveolar ridge, then releases into a fricative by creating a narrow constriction with the tongue and the roof of the mouth.

Examples of Affricates in English:

• "ch" as in "chat"
• "j" as in "judge"

Practice Words:

Here are some words to practice the pronunciation of affricates:

1. chew
2. jump
3. church
4. badge
5. watch