2. Rules for the correct pronunciation
of the –s ending
The sounds /s/ /z/ or /ɪz / (plural nouns
and third person singular -s)
If a word ends with the sounds /s/, /z/, /ʒ/, // /t/ or
Rule 1
/dʒ/ the final -s is pronounced //.
If a word ends with any other voiceless
Rule 2 consonant sound (/p/, /t/, /k/, /f/, or /θ/), the
final -s is pronounced /s/.
If a word ends with any other voiced consonant
sound (/b/, /d/, /g/, /v/, /d/, /l/, /r/, /m/, /n/, or
Rule 3
/ŋ/), or a vowel sound, the final -s is pronounced
/z/.
3. Rules for the correct pronunciation
of the –s ending
Exercise 1:
How are these verbs pronounced?
reaches // Hopes /s/
Watches // Fixes //
Remembers /z/ Kisses //
rises // Expects /s/
Tries /z/ Drives /z/
Wishes // Works /s/
4. Rules for the correct pronunciation
of the –s ending
Exercice 2 :
Pronunciation in [z] and [s]
All vowels (plays, sees, goes)
[p] (stops) /s/ [k] (talks) /s/
[] (Georges) // [l] (calls) /z/
[m] (rams) /z/ [n] (learns) /z/
[r] (blurs) /z/ [g] (bangs) /z/
[v] (receives) /z/ [b] (robs) /z/
[r] (measures) /z/ [g] (hangs) /z/
5. Rules for the correct pronunciation
of the –s ending
Exercice 3
Question : try to pronunce correctly these words :
Samuel doesn’t like to go to school because:
• His mother keeps him at home to give him kisses
• He watches naked women on television late at night
• His girlfriend always calls him to wash the dishes
• He drinks too many bottles of whisky before sleeping
• He misses the bus every morning
• He goes to too many house parties and never knows
where he will wake up in the morning
6. Pronunciation of word ending in
ed
• When an infinitive verb finishes with the
sound [] or [] then, we have to add the
syllable of the past participle []
Wanted[], regarded[], calculated[],
added[]
7. Pronunciation of word ending
in ed
• When the last sound of the word vibrates
in vocal cord, we have to pronounce the
« ed » like a sound [d]
Ruled[], died[], fined[], arranged[]
8. Pronunciation of word ending in
ed
• When the last sound of the word doesn’t
vibrate in vocale cord, then it is
pronounced []
Hoped[], hacked[],
focused[], wished[]
9. Exercises
The policeman arrested[id] the man who is considered[d] to be the
one who had hacked[t] the government server
Judges called[d] boys who purchased[d] a lot of drugs
They decided[id] to buy mathematics books
He was expected[id] to have added[id] something
raised[d], focused[t] introduced[t] picked[t]
