FTCE Reading K-12 Practice Exam 2026 – All-in-One Study Guide for Guaranteed Success!

A vowel sound is characterized by the production of sound through the vocal cords without any significant obstruction in the airflow as it travels through the oral cavity. This means that when vowels are spoken, the tongue, lips, and jaw may change position, but they do not create a blockage that alters the airflow to the extent seen with consonants.

The ability of vowel sounds to serve as the nucleus of a syllable is also important; they are essential to the formation of words and can exist in isolation, unlike consonants which typically require the support of vowels to create syllabic structures. Thus, the choice that correctly identifies a vowel sound relates to the freedom of airflow experienced when producing these sounds. This understanding forms the basis of phonetics and is crucial in distinguishing vowels from consonants in linguistic studies.