When is S pronounced as Z at the end of the word
Pronunciation of 's' in Words Ending with Consonant and 's'
For words that end in a consonant and 's', the pronunciation of the 's' is influenced by the preceding consonant and whether it is voiced or unvoiced.
- If the consonant is unvoiced, the 's' is pronounced as an 's' (unvoiced).
- If the consonant is voiced, the 's' is pronounced as a 'z' (voiced).
The following table illustrates this rule with examples of animal words:
| Word | Pronunciation | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| ducks | /dʌks/ | 'ck' /k/ is unvoiced, so 's' is also unvoiced /s/ |
| dogs | /dɔːgz/ | 'g' /g/ is voiced, so 's' is also voiced /z/ |
| cats | /kæts/ | 't' /t/ is unvoiced, so 's' is also unvoiced /s/ |
| toads | /toʊdz/ | 'd' /d/ is voiced, so 's' is also voiced /z/ |
Pronunciation of 's' in Words Ending with Vowels or 'w' or 'y' and 's'
For words that end in vowels or 'w' or 'y' and 's', the 's' is pronounced as a 'z' because all vowels are voiced. Here are some examples:
| Word | Pronunciation | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| cows | /kaʊz/ | 'ow' /aʊ/ is a diphthong (voiced), so 's' is also voiced /z/ |
| boys | /bɔɪz/ | 'oy' /ɔɪ/ is a diphthong (voiced), so 's' is also voiced /z/ |
| toes | /toʊz/ | 'oe' /oʊ/ is a diphthong (voiced), so 's' is also voiced /z/ |
| flies | /flaɪz/ | 'ie' /aɪ/ is a diphthong (voiced), so 's' is also voiced /z/ |
| knees | /niːz/ | 'ee' /i:/ is a vowel (voiced), so 's' is also voiced /z/ |
Note that this rule also applies to other 's' endings, such as 'cases' /keɪsɪz/, where the voiced /ɪz/ results in a 'z' sound.