Which sounds are articulated with the tongue positioned behind the alveolar ridge?

The sounds articulated with the tongue positioned behind the alveolar ridge are classified as post-alveolar sounds. This area is slightly further back in the mouth than the alveolar ridge itself, which is the bony ridge located just behind the upper front teeth. In post-alveolar sounds, the tongue curls back slightly, making contact in this area to create the sounds.

Examples of post-alveolar sounds in English include "sh" as in "shoe" and "zh" as in "measure." Understanding this articulation helps to distinguish these sounds from others produced in different parts of the mouth. Other choices, such as palatal and dental sounds, involve different tongue placements—palatal sounds are articulated with the body of the tongue raised against the hard palate, while dental sounds are produced with the tongue making contact with the teeth. Fricatives, on the other hand, refer to a manner of articulation characterized by the turbulent airflow created, rather than a specific place of articulation. Thus, the emphasis on the location behind the alveolar ridge uniquely identifies post-alveolar sounds as the correct answer.