Which phoneme is the alveolar nasal?

• A. /m/
• B. /n/
• C. /ŋ/
• D. /b/

Answer: (B)

Think about where the sound is formed and how the airflow is directed. Nasal consonants require lowering the velum so air can escape through the nose, while the tongue creates a specific place of articulation. The alveolar nasal uses the tongue at the alveolar ridge (the bony ridge just behind the upper front teeth) with the velum lowered to allow nasal airflow. That combination produces the sound /n/. The other options correspond to different places or manners of articulation: /m/ is produced with both lips (bilabial) and is nasal, /ŋ/ is produced with the tongue at the velum (velar nasal), and /b/ is a bilabial stop, not nasal.