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Pronunciation of Verbs and Nouns Ending in -s and -es

These pronunciation rules apply to verbs and nouns ending in -s and -es:


The endings -s and -es are pronounced as /s/-- Iz/, or as an extra syllable liz/  at the end of third person singular verbs and plural nouns. The pronunciation depends on the final sound of the simple form of the verb or noun:



If the simple form ends with the sounds /s/, /z/, /sh/, /zh/, Ich/, /j/, /ks/, then pronounce -s
and -es as an extra syllable /iz/:
Verbs 
    slice   ----  slices (c = /s/) 

    lose    ----  loses (s = /z/) 

    wash    ----  washes 

    watch   ----  watches 

    judge   ----  judges 

    relax   ----  relaxes (x = /ks/ )
 Nouns 
    price    ---- prices (c= /s/) 

    size     ---- sizes 

    dish     ---- dishes

    garage   ---- garages (ge = /zh/ 

    inch     ---- inches

    language ---- languages
If the simple form ends with the voiceless sounds /p/, /t/, /k/, /f/, or /th/, then pronounce -s and -es as /s/
Verbs
 
    sleep        sleeps 

    hit          hits 

    work         works 

    laugh        laughs (gh = /f/)
Nouns 
    grape        grapes 

    cat          cats 

    book         books 

    cuff         cuffs 

    fifth        fifths
If the simple form ends with any other consonant or with a vowel sound, then pronounce -s and -es as /z/:
Verbs
 
    learn         learns 

    go            goes
Nouns
    name          names 

    boy           boys



Pronunciation of Verbs Ending in -ed

These pronunciation rules are for verbs ending in ed:


The ending -ed is pronounced as an extra syllable /id/, or as /t/ or /d/ at the end of the simple past and past participle forms of verbs. The pronunciation depends on the final sound of the simple form of the verb:

If the simple form of the verb ends with the sounds / t / or I d /, then pronounce -ed as an extra syllable /id/:
Verbs 
    start       started 

    need        needed 

    wait        waited 

    decide      decided
Listen to the words:
If the simple form ends with the voiceless sounds /f/, /k/, /p/, /s/, /sh/, /ch/, /ks/, then pronounce -ed as / t /:
 Verbs
    laugh        laughed (gh =/ f /

    wish         wished 

    look         looked 

    watch        watched 

    jump         jumped 

    fax          faxed (x = /ks/) 

    slice        sliced (c= /s/)
Listen to the words:
If the simple form ends with the voiced sounds /b/, /g/, /j/, /m/, /n/, /ng/, /l/, /r/, Ithl, /v/, /z/, or with a vowel, then pronounce -ed as /d/:
Verbs
    rob        robbed 

    call       called 

    brag       bragged 

    order      ordered 

    judge      judged 

    bathe      bathed 

    hum        hummed 

    rain       rained 

    wave       waved 

    close      closed (s = /Z/) 

    bang       banged 

    play       played
 Listen to the words:
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