Which IPA symbol represents a voiced dental fricative?

• A. /θ/
• B. /f/
• C. /ð/
• D. /s/

Answer: (C)

A voiced dental fricative is made by vibrating the vocal cords while producing air through a narrow gap between the tongue and the upper teeth, creating continuous friction. The IPA symbol that represents this exact sound is /ð/. It’s the voiced counterpart of the voiceless dental fricative /θ/ (as in think), sharing the same place and manner of articulation but with voicing.

The other options don’t fit this combination: /θ/ is the voiceless dental fricative (think), /f/ is a voiceless labiodental fricative (lower lip with upper teeth), and /s/ is a voiceless alveolar fricative (tip of the tongue near the alveolar ridge).