FRICATIVE LOVE. SHE /f/ /v/ /θ/ /ð/ /s/ /z/ /ʃ/ /ʒ/ /h/ /r/

Fricative consonants are produced by forcing air through a narrow channel made by placing two articulators close together which produces friction, this air flow is called frication. Click on each of these fricative consonants /f/ /v/ /θ/ /ð/ /s/ /z/ /ʃ/ /ʒ/ /h/ /r/ in the chart on the right and repeat these sounds as many times as you need to.The fricative song She, well-known thanks to the film Notting Hill, starring Julia Roberts and Hugh Grant, sung by Elvis Costello, was, however, composed by the Armenian Charles Aznavour, who made it number one in England in 1974.

1. Listen to the song on this video and do the gap-fill activity just underneath by typing the missing words as you listen.

1. Once finished you can do the following crossword activity with words taken from the lyrics.

1. Compare Elvis Costello's She from the film Notting Hill to Charles Aznavour's original version. Which version do you prefer?
2. Try to imagine the story of the two people featured in the video posted on this page.

LOVE PROFUSION /ʃ/ /ʒ/

The sounds /ʃ/ /ʒ/ can create confusion when associating them to their graphemes (letters) as they are very similar. Madonna's Love profusion is a song very prolific in both these two sounds.

1. First, use the phonetic chart on the right and click on the sounds /ʃ/ and /ʒ/ to hear and repeat the sound in isolation as many times as you need to.
2. Listen to the song and do the gap-fill exercise by writing in the space provided. Use the bar on the right to help you move up or down. Don't worry if you don't get all your answers right, the next activity, the quiz, will help you identify the sounds /ʃ/ and /ʒ/, and complete your gap-fill exercise.
   
   

1. Try this quiz activity. If you haven't scored all your answers right in the previous activity, this can help you identify the sounds /ʃ/ and /ʒ/. Once finished, try to complete the gap-fill exercise again. If you can't, send a comment at the end of this article.