Exercise 1.2: Aspirated or Unaspirated /p/, /t/, and /k/?

As we covered earlier, /p/, /t/, and /k/ may or may not be aspirated, depending on where they appear in a syllable or word.

In the following exercise, I’m going to say a series of words each with one or more of voiceless stop consonants, /p/, /t/, or /k/ in them.

I want you to circle the aspirated consonants and underline the unaspirated consonants.

Let’s go!

1. Paper
2. Command
3. Testing
4. Kingdom
5. Apron
6. Platypus
7. Return
8. Oppose
9. Terrific
10. Compass
11. Territory
12. Turntable
13. Koala
14. Potato
15. Tomorrow
16. Apparently
17. Credit
18. Kangaroo

Answers – Exercise 1.2: Aspirated or Unaspirated /p/, /t/, and /k/?

1. Paper – p^h – p –           /ˈp^hæɪpɐ/
2. Command – k –                  /kəˈmæːnd/
3. Testing – t^h – t –             /ˈt^hestɪŋ/
4. Kingdom – k^h –                 /ˈk^hɪŋdəm/
5. Apron – p –                  /ˈæɪpɹən/
6. Platypus – p – p –             /ˈplæɾɪpəs/
7. Return – t^h – /ɹəˈt^hɜːn/
8. Oppose – p^h –                 /əˈp^həʉz/
9. Terrific – t – k –              /ˈt^həɹɪfɪk/
10. Compass – k^h –                 /ˈk^hɐmpəs/
11. Territory – t^h –                 /ˈt^heɹətʃri /
12. Turntable – t^h – t^h –           /ˈt^hɜːnˌt^hæɪbəl/
13. Koala – k –                  /kəˈɐːlɐ/
14. Potato – p – t^h – t –        /pəˈt^hæɪtəʉ/
15. Tomorrow – t –                  /təˈmɔɹəʉ/
16. Apparently – p^h –                /əˈp^hæɹən[t]li/
17. Credit – t –                  /ˈkɹeɾɪt/
18. Kangaroo – k^h –                 /ˌk^hæŋgəˈɹʉː/