Learning American Accent: Words that End with S

A common issue for non-native English speakers is the pronunciation of words that end in the letter “s.”  Written words can lead us astray, as letters stand for different sounds in different contexts.  When a word ends with the letter “s,” it is frequently pronounced with voicing, or what we think of as the “z” sound.  Here are some guidelines for knowing when to say “sss” and when to say “zzz.”

The word ends with “ss”:  Pronounce “sss.”  Examples:  glass, across, less, miss

The word ends with “ce”:  Pronounce “sss.”  Examples:  ice, face, space

 

The word ends with “se”:  These words are split. 

For some, pronounce “zzz.”  Examples: because, these, close

For others, pronounce “sss.” Examples:  house, goose, lease

When in doubt, use your online dictionary resources to listen to the correct pronunciation of the word.

The word ends with “s”:  These words are split. 

For most, pronounce “zzz.”  Examples: is, was, has, says, goes

For some, pronounce “sss.”  Examples: us, yes

When in doubt, use your online dictionary resources to listen to the correct pronunciation of the word.

For plurals, the “s” or “z” sound depends on the voicing of the letter preceding the “s.”  So the word “goods” has a “z” pronunciation, because the “d” is voiced.  But the word “gets” has an “s” pronunciation because the “t” is voiceless.

 

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