THE PRONOUNCIATION OF ‘-S’ ENDINGS

PRONUNCIATON RULES

The ‘-s’ at the end of words is pronounced either as /s/ /z/ or /iz/. The pronounciatin used depends on the sound that comes before the final ‘-s’, like follows: 

1.      When nouns or verbs ends in the sibilant sound /s/, /z/, /S/, /tS/, /Z/, or /dZ/, the plural takes an extra syllable /iz/

2.      When nouns or verbs ends in a vowel sound after other voiced consonants /b/, /d/, /g/, /l/, /m/, /n/, /N/, /r/, /ð/ or /v/, s is pronounced /z/

3.      After other unvoiced final consonants /p/, /t/, /k/, /f/, or /T/, s is pronounced /s/

Note:  Pronunciation of –s endings for regular verbs in the third-person singular of the simple present follow the same rules as the pronunciation of -s endings for regular plural noun.

EXERCISES

1. Listen and practice

Plural noun -s
-s = /z/	-s = /s/	-s = /iz/
Telephone  - Telephones Camera      - Cameras Bag            - Bags	Desk             - Desks Map              - Maps Wastebasket - Wastebaskets	Sentence - Sentences Exercise - Exercises Watch    - Watches

Third-person singular –s
-s = /s/	-s = /z/	-s= /iz/
Take - Takes Sits Walks	Go – goes Live – lives Study – studies	Dance  - Dances Use – uses Watch – watches

2. Complete the chart with the plural form of the following nouns. Check with a friend.

Newspaper	Key		Purse		Television
Brifcase              Clock	Address		Stamp		Wallet
-s = /s/		-s = /z/		-s = /iz/

3. Listen  and repeat these sentences

Writes books	Stops trucks	Asks questions
Makes clocks	Eats chips	Visits friends
Break plates	Cooks breakfast	Tells jokes
Make cakes	Helps students	Counts heads
Cleans walls	Spells words	Washes cloths
Digs holes	Rides bicycles	Sells watches
Sing songs	Rings bells	Teaches horses
Telephones friends	Loves dogs	Watches football matches

4. Underline the odd one out in each group.

looks	sleeps	runs	cuts	hopes
finishes	includes	chooses	switches,	buys
plays	stays	rains	happens	gets
forgets	sits	speaks	touches	stops
begins	promises	drives	seems	sells

5. Tong twister: Repeat as fast as you can.

a)      She sells sea shells at the sea shore.

b)      The cook thickens the soup. The soup sickens the cook.

c)      An  endless fence across the endless fens.

A few pens costing a few