Handshape 5 represents the consonant phonemes /mmmmmmmmm, fffffffff, ttttttttt/. It is produced with all five fingers fully extended. Handshape 5 is unique because in addition to representing a group of consonant phonemes, it is also used when no consonant is present. For example, to cue the name of the letter "E", one must make contact with the mouth placement. In that example, handshape 5 is used to contact the mouth indicating that no consonant preceded the vowel.
Alternate names for handshape 5 include the open handshape and the null handshape.
Mnemonic Phrases
- too many fish
- my taffy
- miffed
Practice
Practice with Handshape 5 and Vowels
a, am, after, at, autumn, fat, fate, fatter, fee, feet, Fifi, firm, firmer, fit, foot, fur, furry, if, it, mama, Matt, matter, may, meet, meter, might, murmur, mutt, out, owe, taught, tea, term, time, toe, tofu, Tom, tomb, tot, tough, tougher, tower, turf, two
Practice with Handshape 5 and Other Consonant Handshapes
coughed, craft, crate, drums, fast, forth, five, hurt, limp, mimes, moose, myth, picked, roots, soot, traced, tree, trip, waste
More Practice
22,000+ Word that Use Handshape 5 - created by the Word List Generator
See Also