This document discusses the different pronunciations of the -s ending on plural words in English. It outlines three rules for how the -s is pronounced based on whether the final sound of the singular word is voiceless, voiced, or ends in certain consonant sounds. For voiceless endings like cats, -s is pronounced /s/. For voiced endings like dogs, -s is pronounced /z/. And for endings like watches and judges, -es is pronounced /ɪz/ to accommodate an extra syllable. The document provides numerous examples for each rule regarding how the plural is pronounced.

1. Plural Word
pronunciation in
English.
By Luis Ricardo Rojas

2. Three different pronunciations
 cats dogs bridges
 The three previous words end in -s. However,
the 3 -s ending sounds are pronounced
differently.

3. -S Pronounced like /s/
 Rule 1 "when the last sound of a word is
voiceless, the ¨s¨ consonant will continue the
lack of vibration and sound like a /s/.“
 A voiceless sound is the one that does not
make your vocal cords vibrate when
producing a consonant.

4. Voiceless sounds
Phonetic Symbols Consonant Example
/p/ P Pops //
/k/ K weeks //
/t/ T bits
/f/ F briefs //

5. -s Pronounced like /s/
Helmet
Ship
bank
Helmets
Ships
banks

6. -S Pronounced like /z/
 Rule 2, “Anytime the last ended sound of a
word is voiced, the vibration will carry forward
and transform the letter -s into a /z/ sound."
 A voiced sound is the one that makes the
vocal cords vibrate when producing a sound.

7. Voiced Sounds
Phonetic Symbols Consonant Example
/d/ D hands //
/m/ M systems
/v/ V doves //
/l/ L bells //
/r/ R cars //
/ɡ/ G bags
/n/ N questions
/y/ Y delays
/W/ W Strows
/b/ B cabs

8. -es Pronounced like /ɪz/
Rule 3: There are also some sound that required and
extra syllable to be articulated –es
"When the last sound of a word are /dʒ/ /tʃ/ /s/ and
/z/, the -es syllable is pronounced like /ɪz/“
Watches
Judges
Slices
Blazes