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.

SO CALLED FRIEND /s/ /z/

This time the song So called friend, composed by the Scottish band Texas, is going to help us identify the phonemes /s/ and /z/ through a gap-fill activity you can do as you listen to the song.

• Read the instructions in the gap-fill activity below, then listen to the song and write your answers in the gaps provided. Use the bar on the right of the box to move the text up or down.

• Send a comment if you haven't been able to get all the words.
• The song is about a friend, is the friend a good one? Think about the 5 most important qualities a friend should have in your opinion, use the following structure:

           ie, a friend is someone who listens to you

• Some more on /s/ and /z/ click here