NYSTCE English to Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) Practice Test

Disable ads (and more) with a membership for a one time $2.99 payment

Prepare for the NYSTCE ESOL exam with our practice quizzes. Study with flashcards and multiple choice questions, each with hints and explanations to enhance your readiness. Master the test!

Practice this question and more.

What characterizes a voiced sound?

Sound produced without vocal cord vibration
Sound made by vibrating the vocal chords
Sound that is produced only in writing
Sound that conveys no meaning

The correct answer is: Sound made by vibrating the vocal chords

A voiced sound is characterized by the vibration of the vocal cords during the production of a sound. When a speaker articulates sounds that are voiced, such as the letters "b," "d," and "g," the vocal cords come together and vibrate as air passes through them. This vibration gives the sound its unique tonal quality, distinguishing it from unvoiced sounds where the vocal cords do not vibrate, like "p," "t," and "k." Understanding this concept is crucial in various fields, such as linguistics and language instruction, because it helps in explaining phonetic differences and teaching pronunciation, especially for English language learners. The other choices do not accurately describe characteristics of voiced sounds; one addresses the absence of vocal cord vibration while another refers to written sound, which is unrelated to the phonetic characteristics of voiced and unvoiced sounds.