"S" Endings
The pronunciation of S at the end of plural nouns, verbs in third person and as a part of the possessive case sometimes causes problems for non-native speakers because it can be pronounced in three different ways: /ɪz/, /s/ or /z/.
Note: Whenever you see letters or symbols between two slash marks (/ /), it refers to the pronunciation of that letter or sound
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.
The pronunciation of the final S in plural words and verbs in the third person depend on the final consonant sound before that S.
The ending is pronounced /s/ after a voiceless sound, it is pronounced /z/ after a voiced sound and is pronounced /ɪz/ or /əz/ after a sibilant sound:
- Voiceless: Helps /ps/ → Sits /ts/ → Looks /ks/.
- Voiced: Crabs /bz/ → Words /dz/ → Gloves /vz/.
- Sibilant: Buses /sɪz/ or /səz/ → Bridges /dʒɪz/ or /dʒəz/ → Wishes /shɪz/ or /shəz/
The /ɪz/ sound (or /əz/ sound)
Sometimes this sound is written as /əz/ and uses the symbol schwa or "upside down e" before the z. For ease we will write this sound as /ɪz/ or /iz/.
If the last consonant sound of the word is a sibilant sound (a hissing or buzzing sound), the final S is pronounced as /ɪz/. This /ɪz/ sound is pronounced like an extra syllable (e.g. the word buses has two syllables).
If the sound has a J sound (/dʒ/ like the letter J at the beginning of the word jacket or /ʒ/ like the S in pleasure), then the final S is also pronounced as /ɪz/.
Remember: After verbs ending in -sh, -ch, -ss and -x, we add the -es to the end of the verb (in third person) and the pronunciation is /iz/ as an extra syllable.
The /s/ sound
If the last consonant of the word is voiceless, then the S is pronounced as /s/. Be careful not to create an extra syllable.
Note: The consonants c, s, sh, ch and x are voiceless though they use the sibilants ending seen above.
The /z/ sound
If the last letter of the words ends in a voiced consonant (or sound), then the S is pronounced like a Z /z/ (without creating another syllable). This Z sound is similar to the sound a bee makes zzzz.
We also use this ending when the word ends in a vowel sound (e.g. bees, flies etc.).
References
Woodward. (n.d.). Pronunciation of S in English. Grammar. https://www.grammar.cl/english/pronunciation-final-s.htm