Stops are consonant sounds produced by one push of breath and then stopping the air, including /p/, /b/, /t/, /d/, /k/, and /g/.

• A. Nasals
• B. Stops
• C. Fricatives
• D. Affricatives

Answer: (B)

Stops, or plosives, are consonants created by a complete closure in the oral tract that momentarily stops the airflow and then releases it in a burst. The sounds p, b, t, d, k, and g fit this pattern because each involves a full stop of air followed by a quick release, with some voiced (b, d, g) and some voiceless (p, t, k) varieties at different places of articulation (bilabial, alveolar, velar).

Understanding how stops differ from other manners helps solidify the idea: nasals (like m, n, ŋ) also have a closure, but air escapes through the nasal cavity rather than releasing orally; fricatives (like f, s, z) produce a continuous, noisy stream of air through a narrow constriction rather than a single burst; affricates (like t͡ʃ, d͡ʒ) start with a stop release followed by a fricative release.