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

Which of the following is a characteristic of voiceless sounds?

1. They are voiced with vibration of vocal cords

2. They involve only breath without vocal cord vibration

3. They produce high-frequency sounds

4. They are limited to consonants

The correct answer is: They involve only breath without vocal cord vibration

Voiceless sounds are defined by their production mechanism, which involves airflow without any vibration from the vocal cords. When producing these sounds, the vocal cords remain open, allowing air to pass freely without the typical source of sound generated by vibrations. This characteristic clearly distinguishes voiceless sounds from voiced sounds, where vocal cords vibrate to create sound. The other characteristics mentioned in the other choices do not apply to voiceless sounds or are too narrow. For example, while some voiceless sounds can be high-frequency, frequency is not an inherent characteristic of them, as it can vary based on multiple factors, including the specific sound and its context. Additionally, voicelessness is not confined to consonants; while many voiceless sounds are consonantal, vowels can also be voiceless in certain contexts. Therefore, the correct characteristic that encapsulates what voiceless sounds are is that they involve only breath without any vibration of the vocal cords.