Which is a fricative consonant?

Which is a fricative consonant?

• A. Plosive consonant
• B. Fricative consonant
• C. Nasal consonant
• D. Approximant consonant

Answer: (B)

Fricatives are produced with a narrow constriction in the vocal tract that creates turbulence in the airstream, so the sound is a continuous, noisy frication rather than a quick burst. This sustained friction is what marks a consonant as fricative, as in sounds like those in “s” or “f.” The air is forced through a small gap, producing that steady hissing or buzzing noise.

In contrast, plosives involve a complete blockage of the airstream and then a sudden release (the burst of air), nasals route air through the nasal cavity while the oral passage is closed, and approximants have a relatively open constriction with little or no turbulent noise. So the defining feature here is the narrow gap that creates turbulence, which is exactly what makes a fricative.