pronunciation of s, es

English has three different pronunciations for- es & s when they are used as plural markers of nouns and singular present makers of verbs.

The pronunciation depends on the last sound of the verb or noun which is usually a consonant. Before we learn the difference ways to pronounce the final S, we must first know what voiced and voiceless consonants are as well as sibilant sounds:

A voiced consonant means that it uses the vocal cords and they produce a vibration or humming sound in the throat when they are said.

A voiceless sound is when there is no vibration in your throat and the sound comes from the mouth area.

Sibilant sound is sound which produced by forcing air out toward your teeth, as hissing sound (sssss), a buzzing sound (zzzzz) or the sound teachers make when they want you to be quiet (shhhh!).

         Voiceless: p,t,k,f, θ-  /s/

         Voiced: b,d,g,v, ð,l,m,n, ŋ, vowel sounds-  /z/

         Sibilant:  s,z, ʃ, tʃ, dʒ-  /iz/

1. The /ɪz/ sound

If the last consonant sound of the word is a sibilant sound, the final S is pronounced as /ɪz/.

buses	/ bʌsiz /
chooses	/ tʃuːziz /
washes	/ wɒʃiz /
watches	/ wɒtʃiz /
matches	/ mætʃiz /
uses	/juːziz /
teaches	/ tiːtʃiz /
messages	/ ˈmesɪdʒiz /

2. The /s/ sound

If the last consonant of the word is voiceless, then the S is pronounced as /s/. The consonants c, s, sh, ch and x are voiceless though they use the sibilants ending seen above.

stops	/ stɒps /
attacks	/ əˈtæks /
maths	/ mæθs /
wants	/ wɒnts /
hates	/ heɪts /
laughs	/ lɑːfs /
cooks	/ kʊks /
graduates	/ɡrædʒuəts /

3. The /z/ sound

If the last letter of the words ends in a voiced consonant, then the S is pronounced like a /z/ .

We also use this ending when the word ends in a vowel sound.

leaves	/ liːvz/
lives	/laɪvz /
goes	/ ɡəʊz /
loves	/ lʌvz /
wears	/ weə(r)z /
earns	/ ɜːnz /
bags	/ bæɡz /
dogs	/ dɒɡz /