The Plural “s” [s], [z] or [ɪz] in English Pronounciation

[s]

After a voiceless sounds, that cause the plural “s” to be pronounced as /s/ include:
IPA[p], [t], [k], [f], [θ]

---

RA [p], [t], [k], [ph],[th].

Example:

p	sleeps	/sliːps/
t	bits	/bɪts/
k	weeks	/wiːks/
f	briefs	/briyfs/
ph	graphs	/ɡræfs/
th	myths	/mɪθs/

→	sleeps	/s/
→	bits	/s/
→	weeks	/s/
→	briefs	/s/
→	graphs	/s/
→	myths	/s/

[z]

After a voiced sound that cause the plural “s” to be pronounced as /z/ include:
IPA[b], [d], [g], [l], [r], [w], [m], [n][ŋ], [v],[y],[ð],[ If the word ends in Vowels Sound],

---

RA[b], [d], [g], [l], [r], [w], [m], [n][ng],[v],[y],[th],[If the word ends in Vowels Sound],

Example;

b	webs	/wɛbz/
d	beds	/bɛdz/
g	bags	/bægz/
l	bells	/bɛlz/
r	jars	jɑrz
uw	canoes	/kəNUWZ/ | (note the [uw] vowel sound ends in a [w])
w	straws	/stʃrɑwz/
m	limbs	/lɪmz/
n	fans	/fænz/
ŋ	Kings	/kɪŋz/
v	doves	/dʌvz/
y	delays	/dəLeYZ/
th	clothes	/kloʊðz/
VOWEL SOUND	sees	/siːz/

→	webs	/z/
→	beds	/z/
→	bags	/z/
→	bells	/z/
→	jars	/z/
→	canoes	/z/ | (note the [uw] vowel sound ends in a [w])
→	straws	/z/
→	limbs	/z/
→	fans	/z/
→	Kings	/z/
→	doves	/z/
→	delays	/z/
→	clothes	/z/
→	sees	/z/

[ɪz]

After a sibilant sounds that cause the plural “s” to be pronounced with an additional syllable /ɪz/ or /əz/ include:
IPA [c],[s],[x],[z],[ss],[tʃ],  [ʒ]   [ʃ]   [dʒ]

---

RA [c],[s],[x],[z],[ss],[ch], [gi or ge]  [sh] [j or "dge"]

Example:

c	races	(sounds like "race-iz")
s	pauses	/pɑːzɪz/
x	fixes	/fɪkzɪz/
z	blazes	/BLeY zɪz/
ss	kisses	/kɪ zɪz/
tʃ	watches	/WA tʃɪz/
ʒ	massage	/məˈsɑːʒ/
ʃ	dishes	/WA tʃɪz/
dʒ	bridges	/Brɪ dʒɪz/

→	races	/iz/
→	pauses	/ɪz/
→	fixes	/ɪz/
→	blazes	/ɪz/
→	kisses	/ɪz/
→	watches	/ɪz/
→	massages	/ɪz/
→	dishes	/ɪz/
→	bridges	/ɪz/

Pronunciation Help
How we spell it	How we say it
name is	nameiz
address is	addressiz
number is	numberiz
live in	livin
have a	hava
it's nice	itsnice

1. My name is Tim.
2. My e-mail address is timr@tmail.com.
3. I live in New York.
4. I have a reservation for tonight.

Book Tactics for Listening by Jack C Richards with Grant Trew.

Pronouncing (s) in some words.

Rule Numer one: (s) between two vowels

(s) is usually pronounced /z/ when it occurs between two vowels sounds:

music	/z/
eason	/z/
season	/z/
cousin	/z/
disease	/z/
easy	/z/

Rule Numer Two: (se) after a vowel

When the spelling Pattern (se) comes after a vowel, it is usually pronounced /Z/

use	/z/
these	/z/
lose	/z/
cause	/z/
choose	/z/
phase	/z/
tease	/z/

NOTICE: There are some exception to this: There are words that (se) came after a vowel but (se) is pronounced /s/

promise	/s/
house	/s/
mouse	/z/
lease	/s/

Rule Number Three: Final (s) as the plural form or third person singular form

If we add (s) to a noun it becomes plural:

Singular		plural
one car		two cars /z/

In addition,if we add (s) to a verb, it is in the third person singular
e.g.,
loves
She loves /z/
it loves /z/
This final (s) in "loves" is pronounced /z/.
However final (s) is not always pronounced /z/ in all cases. Final (s) is also sometimes pronounced /s/ as in:
"cups" /s/ or "dates" /s/
The same may be true for final (s) in the third person singular as in:
He takes /s/
She waits /s/
It also sometimes pronounced with an extra syllable as in:
She chooses /s/

Some Important Exception
In addition to the rules we have discussed there are some important words in English in which (s) is pronounced /Z/
Althoungh the following words do not follow the rules we have just discussed. It is important to memorized these words and to remember that the letter (s) is pronounced /z/ as they are very common grammatical structure words.
is    was     has   as

Some sounds are "voiceless". You don't use your voice box. You push air through your teeth and lips. for example, the sound /p/ comes from air through your lips. The final sound in(a) are voiceless commond voiceless sounds are f,k,p,t,sh,ch, and voiceless th.

Final-s is pronounced /s/ after voiceless sound as in (c) Final -s is pronounced /z/ after voiced sound as in /d/

Some sounds are "voiced". You use your voice box. to make voiced sounds. For example, the sound /b/ comes from you voive box. The final sounds in (b) are voiced. Commond voiced sounds are b,d,g,j,l,m,n,r,v, and voiced th.

Pronouncing Plurals, Third-Person Verbs, Possessives, and Contractions

When you are writing English, the letter s at the end of words serve many different purposes, The letter s is used to form plurals nouns (hats, dogs), third- person present tense regular verbs (he likes; she eats); possessive nouns (my friend's house; the dog's collar); and contractions (it's late; he's here). As you can see, s is a very versatile letter in English. Ir is important to learn its many defferent sounds!

    When you are speaking English, the -s ending can have three differnt pronounciations. It can sound like [s], as in hats [hæts]; [z], as in tells [tɛlz]; or like a new syllable, [ɪz]; jor like a new syllable, [ɪz], as in roses [rʊozɪz].

Possible Pronunciation Problems

EXAMPLES
	Once again, the tendency to drop final consonants results in omissions or incorrect pronounciation of -s at the end of words. This will make you difficult to understand and confuse your listeners.
	Plural nouns will sound like singular nouns;	Two books will sound like two book
	Third-person present tense verbs will be incorrect:	He eats will sound like he eat. She sings will sound like she sing
	Possessives and contractions will be omitted:	Bob's house will sound like Bob house. He's right will sound like he right
	You will not be dsaying your target word:	My eyes will sound like my ice. Sue sings will sound like Sue sinks.
	You are probably wondering if there any rules to help you correctly pronounce -s in all these defferent situation The answer is YES! in this lesson,you will learn how to pronounce s when it forms plurals. third-person present tense verbs, possessives, and contractions, Study the rules and listen to the MP3 carefully. You will soon notice a big improvement in your pronounciation!

-s PRONOUNCED [s]

The -s forming the plural always sounds like [s] when the last sound in the singular noun is voiceless

EXAMPLES   hats [hæts]  lips [lɪps]  sticks [stɪks]

The -s forming the third-person present always sounds like [s] when the last sound in the base form of the verb is voiceless.

EXAMPLES   he likes [laɪks]  she talks [tɔks]  it floats [floʊts]

The -s forming the possessive always sounds like [s] when the last sound in the noun is voiceless.

EXAMPLES   Pat's [pæts] car  the book's [bʊks] binding

The -s forming contractions always sounds like [s] when the last sound in the word being contracted is voiceless.

EXAMPLES   It's s [ɪts] true  That's [ðæts] my house.

🎧 Listen and repeat the phrases. The final -s will sound like [s]. (Do NOT add a new syllable to any word!).

Plural Noun Phrases	Third-Person Verb Phrases	Possessive/Contraction Phrases
Bake the cakes	He smokes too much.	the cat's milk.
Wash the plates	She sleeps late.	Ralph's friend.
Stack the cups	It tastes good.	the plant's leaf.
Clean the pots	My mother makes tea.	Let's eat now.
Darn the socks	The dog eats.	What's wrong?
Feed the cats	He jumps high.	It's time to go.

-s PRONOUNCED [z]

The -s forming the plural always sounds like [z] when the last sound in the singular noun is voiced.

EXAMPLES   floors [flɔrz]  bags [bæɡz]  cars [kɑrz]

The -s forming the third-person present always sounds like [z] when the last sound in the base form of the verb is voiced.

EXAMPLES   He swims [swɪmz]  The bird flie s [flaɪz].  She sings [sɪŋz]

The -s forming the possessive always sounds like [z] when the last sound in the noun is voiced.

EXAMPLES   Tim's [tɪmz] house  My friend's [frεndz] cat

The -s forming contractions always sounds like [z] when the last sound in the word being contracted is voiceled.

EXAMPLES   She's [ʃiz] my sister.  He's [hiz] leaving.

🎧 Listen and repeat the phrases. Remember, the -s ending must sound like [z].

Plural Noun Phrases	Third-Person Verb Phrases	Possessive/Contraction Phrases
Close your ayes	He saves money.	Sue's pencil.
Kill the fleas	The man lives here.	The baby's milk.
Sing the songs	Dad reads books.	our teacher's desk.
lost 30 pounds	The boy listens.	my friend's house.
Open the letters	It smells good.	Here's a pencil
Buy some shoes	She sees me.	There's a note.

-s PRONOUNCED [ɪz]

The -s or es forming the plural always sound like the new syllable [ɨz] when the last sound in the sngular noun is [s], [z], [ʃ], [ʃt], [ʒ], or [dʒ].

EXAMPLES   wishres [ˈwɪʃ·ɪz]  churches [tʃɝtʃɪz]  places [pleɪsɨz]

The -s or es forming the plural always sounds like the new syllable [ɪz] when the last sound in the base form of the verb is [s], [z], [ʃ],[tʃ], [ʒ] or [dʒ],.

EXAMPLES   He watches [wɑʃɪz]  The bee buzzes [bʌzɪz]. 

The -s or -es forming the possessive always sounds like the new syllable [ɪz] when the last sound in the noun is [s], [z], [ ʃ], [tʃ], [ʒ. or [dʒ].

EXAMPLES   the rose's [rɑʊzɪz] stem  the church's [tʃɝːtʃɪz] altar

🎧 Listen and repeat the phrases. NOW you should pronounce -s or es like the new syllable [ɪz].

Plural Noun Phrases	Third-Person Verb Phrases	Possessive/Contraction Phrases
two new dresses	He wishes.	the church's steeple.
Trim the hedges	She watches him.	the witch's broom.
Buy the watches	He judges the contest.	Mr. Jones's pen.
Win the prizes	Mother washes clothes.	the mouse's cheese.
in the cages	The bee buzzes.	the bus's tires