Final answer:
The English language has at least 24 consonant phonemes, including stops, fricatives, and affricates. If counting all variants, such as nasals, liquids, and glides, as well as voiced and voiceless versions, this number can reach about 31. The option listing 44 consonant phonemes is not standard.
Step-by-step explanation:
There is some debate over the exact number of consonant phonemes in English, as this can vary according to dialect and the precision of classification. However, most linguists agree on the presence of at least 24 consonant phonemes, which include stops (like [p] and [d]), fricatives (like [f] and [sh]), and affricates (like [ch]). In addition to these, there are also nasals (like [m] and 'Eng'), liquids (like [r] and [l]), and glides (like [w] and [y]). The total count can reach approximately 31 if all variants, such as voiced and voiceless versions of the same sound, are included.
The correct answer to the student's question about the number of consonant phonemes in English, including stops, fricatives, and affricates would be 'a. 24 (including stops, fricatives, and affricates)'. However, if considering variants and the full range of sound types such as nasals, liquids, and glides, then option 'b. 31 (including nasals, liquids, and glides)' is also valid. The option 'c. 44 (including voiced and voiceless)' is not typically used to describe the number of consonant phonemes in English.