Fricative Sounds: A Parent's Guide

A fricative is a consonant sound formed by friction or increased air pressure between two speech organs (such as the teeth, tongue, lips or palate).

What Are Fricative Examples?

Fricative sounds consist of voiced and unvoiced sounds.

Voiced Fricative Sounds

• TH - Them
• V - Vote
• ZH - Vision
• Z - Zoo

Voiced means the vocal cords vibrate while producing the sound. The vowel sound before voiced consonant sounds has a longer duration.

Unvoiced Fricative Sounds

• TH - Thin
• F - Face
• SH - She
• S - So

Unvoiced means the vocal cords do not vibrate while producing the sound—the sound is produced only with air. The vowel sound before unvoiced consonants has a shorter duration.

Voicing is the vibration of the vocal folds in speech production.

Fricative sounds are usually sounds that children struggle with, as these sounds require precise placement of the speech organs (tongue, mouth, etc.) to create the correct amount of friction in the airflow. Fricative sounds such as "Th" are usually developed later in children and shouldn't be seen as a concern until around age 7.

What Is the Most Common Fricative Sound?

The voiceless alveolar sibilant [s] is widely regarded as the most common fricative sound cross-linguistically, typically present in languages featuring fricatives. This prevalence is mirrored in English, where the /s/ sound, exemplified in words such as "sun" and "peace," stands as the most frequent fricative.

What Is the Difference Between Plosives and Fricative Sounds?

Plosives and fricatives are two kinds of sounds in English. Plosives use a quick release of air after a full closure of the mouth, making sounds like /p/, /t/, and /k/. Fricatives are made by squeezing the mouth's passage to let air hiss through, creating sounds like /f/, /s/, and /v/.

What Is an Affricate Sound?

Affricate sounds in phonetics are a blend of speech sounds that begin with a blocked airflow (stop) and then transition to a more constricted passage (fricative), causing a hissing sound. These sounds quickly shift from a state of full blockage to a partial blockage, creating a turbulent flow of air. They are grouped with stops and fricatives as obstruents.

The "ch" sound at the beginning and end of "church" is an affricate.

• 'ch' (in "cheese") - is a combination of the 't' sound and the 'sh' sound
• 'j' (in "jump") - is a combination of the 'd' sound and the 'zh' sound (as in "treasure")

Tips on How to Teach Fricative Sounds to Your Child

1. Teaching the Sound "S"

Use visual cues, like mirrors or objects starting with "s," to demonstrate keeping teeth together while making the "snake sound." Encourage airflow through the front of teeth to create "skinny air" sounds, maintaining patience and a fun atmosphere.

2. Teaching the Sound "F"

Start with blowing bubbles or blowing onto your hand so your child feels the sensation of air coming through their mouth. This helps them have a better understanding of how airflow and placement of the mouth should work.

3. Read With Your Child

If they struggle with a certain fricative sound, such as S, make sure to exaggerate that sound for them while you read. Have your child repeat the word with you.

4. Make Connections With Familiar Things

Connect letter sounds to things your child is familiar with that start with this letter. Print out pictures or use toys to help your child make the connection with the letter sound. For example, if you want to start with the letter T, consider printing out pictures of things that start with T that your child loves, such as trucks and tigers. Repeat the word with the letter sound while showing these items to your child.

5. Focus on One Sound at a Time

Try doing a letter a week, making sure to make a fun game out of learning this letter sound. This focused approach helps children master each sound before moving on to the next.