Which sounds are identified as glides in the material?

• A. /h/, /w/, and /y/
• B. /l/ and /r/
• C. /s/ and /f/
• D. /d/ and /t/

Answer: (A)

Glides are sounds that slide from a tongue or lip position toward a following vowel, creating a smooth transition into the next vowel. They act like consonants at the start of syllables but are produced with relatively little constriction, allowing the mouth to move quickly into the vowel that follows.

In this set, the sounds /h/, /w/, and /y/ are identified as glides because they function as quick, transitional sounds that lead smoothly into a vowel. The /w/ sound involves lip rounding and a quick glide into the vowel, and the /y/ sound (the “y” as in yes) is a semivowel that glides into the next vowel. The /h/ sound is treated here as a glide because it is a light, open airflow that can set up a smooth slide into a vowel rather than forming a strong, separate consonant with obstruction.

The other sounds—/l/ and /r/ are liquids, which have a more defined, blocking shape in the mouth and do not glide into a following vowel in the same transitional way. /s/ and /f/ are fricatives with continuous friction, not transitions into a vowel. /d/ and /t/ are stops, producing a clear closure before releasing into a vowel, not a glide.