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.