Which place of articulation describes consonants produced with the lower lip and upper teeth?

• A. Labiodental
• B. Bilabial
• C. Dental
• D. Alveolar

Answer: (A)

Consonants are described by where in the vocal tract the constriction occurs. When the lower lip touches the upper teeth to create the sound, that place of articulation is labiodental. The most familiar labiodental sounds are f and v, produced with the lip and teeth contact.

This differs from other places of articulation: bilabial uses both lips (like p, b, m); dental uses the tongue against the teeth; and alveolar uses the tongue against the ridge just behind the teeth (like t, d, n, s, z).