/** Displays an English letter's basic sound type. */
public static void englishPhonics(char letter) {
    String sound; //letter's basic sound category

    letter = Character.toUpperCase(letter);
    switch (letter) {
        case 'A':
        case 'E':
        case 'I':
        case 'O':
        case 'U': sound = "vowel"; break;
        case 'B':
        case 'C':
        case 'D':
        case 'G':
        case 'K':
        case 'P':
        case 'Q':
        case 'T': 
        case 'X': sound = "plosive"; break;
        case 'F': 
        case 'H':
        case 'V': sound = "fricative"; break;
        case 'J': sound = "affricate"; break;
        case 'M':
        case 'N': sound = "nasal"; break;
        case 'S':
        case 'Z': sound = "sibilant"; break;
        default: sound = "approximant";
    }
    System.out.println(letter + " is a(n) " + sound);
}