Gliding refers to the replacement of

• A. Inserting a vowel between consonants
• B. Replacing stops with fricatives
• C. Replacing liquids with glides
• D. Deleting vowels

Answer: (C)

Gliding is when a liquid consonant such as l or r is replaced by a glide, usually w or j, before a following vowel. This neutralizes the consonant into a more vowel-like sound, making the syllable easier to pronounce. A classic example is a child saying “rabbit” as “wabbit,” where the /r/ becomes /w/ before the vowel that follows. Because glides are smoother, less constricted sounds than liquids, this change fits the idea of replacing liquids with glides. Inserting a vowel between consonants, deleting vowels, or replacing stops with fricatives describe different sound processes and aren’t what gliding refers to.