Which term focuses on the production of speech sounds and their articulation?

• A. Phonetics
• B. Phonology
• C. Morphology
• D. Semantics

Answer: (A)

Phonetics is the study of how speech sounds are produced and articulated. It looks at the physical side of sounds—the movements of the lips, tongue, teeth, jaw, and vocal cords, how air flows, and whether sounds are voiced or voiceless. This is different from phonology, which focuses on how sounds function in a language to distinguish meaning. Morphology deals with word structure, and semantics deals with meaning. In practice, understanding phonetics helps explain why learners may have difficulty with certain sounds and how to guide their pronunciation through mouth-position and articulation cues.