/s/ or /z/?

Compiled by Prof. Graciela C. Moyano. Revised in 2021

Sofia Chas, Maximiliano Antonacci, Angel Gue vara and Fiorella Quintana collaborated in
providing the phonetic script.

In English, the letter <s> represents a sibilant, alveolar fricative, which can be both, voiceless
and voiced /s/ or /z/, depending on its distribution.

a. at the beginning of a word <s> is always voiceless:

sand /sænd/, sense /sens/, song /sɒŋ/, school /skuːl/, slow /sləʊ/, snake /sneɪk/,
spider /ˈspaɪdə/, stay /steɪ/, swim /swɪm/

Exception: sugar /ˈʃʊgə/, sure /ʃɔː/

b. Between vowels, <s> is normally voiced /z/: bosom /ˈbuːzᵊm/, cousin /ˈkʌzᵊn/, busy /ˈbɪzi/,
easy /ˈiːzi/, visit /ˈvɪzɪt/ , opposite /ˈɒpəzɪt/, present /ˈprezᵊnt/

Notice: /s/ in admissible /ədˈmɪsəbl/, blossom /'blɒsᵊm/, gossip /ˈgɒsɪp/, lesson

/'lesᵊn/, possible /'pɒsəbl/, when spelling is <ss>. But it is /z/ in scissors /ˈsɪzəz/,
possess /pəˈzes/, dissolve /dɪˈzɒlv/, dessert /ˌdɪˈzɜːt/, brassiere /ˈbræziə/, hussar
/hʊˈzɑː/

Intervocalic <s> is voiceless /s/ in basin /ˈbeɪsn/, mason /ˈmeɪsn/, sausage /ˈsɒsɪdʒ/
(form earlier French letter ‘c’: basin, maçon, saucisse.

<s> is also voiceless in ending –osity: curiosity /ˌkjʊərɪˈɒsɪti/, luminosity

/ˌluːmɪnˈɒsɪti/.

Medial <s> is also voiceless in Greek derived words: analysis /əˈnæləsɪs/, asylum
/əˈsaɪləm/, crisis /ˈkraɪsɪs/, dose /dəʊs/, episode /ˈepɪsəʊd/, thesis /ˈθiːsɪs/.
Exceptions: music /ˈmjuːzɪk/, physics /ˈfɪzɪks/

c. After medial consonants <s> is usually voiceless: parsley /ˈpɑːsli/, balsam /ˈbɔːlsəm/,
arsenal /ˈɑ:sɪnl/, gipsy /ˈdʒɪpzi/ but note clumsy /ˈklʌmzi/, crimson /ˈkrɪmzn/,
damsel /ˈdæmzəl/.

There is variation after n: /s/ in answer /ˈɑːnsə/, ransom /ˈrɑːnsm/, compensate

/ˈkɒmpənseɪt/, consul /ˈkɒnsl/ but /z/ in Kansas /ˈkænzəs/, pansy /ˈpænzi/,
Kensington /ˈkenzɪŋtən/.

<s> is usually voiceless before voiceless medial consonants: asphalt / 'æs.fɔ:lt /,

basket / 'bɑːs.kət /, hospital / 'hɒs.pɪ.tᵊl /, sister / 'sɪs.tə /, whistle / 'wɪs.ᵊl /
but otherwise voiced: cosmetic / 'kɒz.metɪk /, dismal / 'dɪz.mᵊl / , measles / 'mi:.zᵊlz
/ , husband / 'hʌz.bənd / , Tuesday / 'tʃu:z.deɪ /, Glasgow / 'glɑ:z.gəʊ /.

d. At the beginning of the root, after a prefix ending in a consonant, <s> is always voiceless
/s/: absolute / 'æb.sə.lu:t /, absurd /
əb’sɜ:d / , consider / kən'sɪ.də /, consume /
kən'sju:m /, obsolete / 'ɒb.sə.li:t /. Exceptions: absolve / əb'zɒlv /, dissolve /
dɪ'zɒlv /, observe / əb'zɜ:v /.
e. At the beginning of the root, after a prefix ending in a vowel, <s> is voiced in the following
word groups: deserve / dɪ'zɜ:v /, desert / dɪ'zɜ:t /, design / dɪ'zaɪn /,
designate / 'de.zɪg.neɪt /, desire / dɪz'aɪ.ə /, desist / dɪ'zɪst / ,
presence / 'pre.zᵊns /, present /´pre.zᵊnt /, resemble / rɪ'zem.bᵊl /
reserve / rɪ'zɜ:v /, reside / rɪz'aɪd /, resort / rɪ'zɔ:t /, result / rɪ'zʌlt /, etc.

In all other cases <s> is voiceless: aside / ə'saɪd /, antiseptic / ænti'septɪk /,

desolate / ‘des.əl.ət/, prosecute / 'prɒ.sə.kju:t / , research / 'ri:.sɜ:tʃ /,
resurgent / rɪ'sɜ:. dʒᵊnt/.
f. The prefixes dis-, and mis- are pronounced /s/ even before voiced consonants and before
vowels: disappear / 'dɪs.ə.pɪə /, disband / dɪs'bænd /, disdain / dɪs'deɪn /,
disorder /dɪ'sɔ:.də / , misgiving / mɪs'gɪvɪŋ /, mislay / mɪs'leɪ /,
misuse / mɪs'ju:z /. Exceptions: disaster / dɪ'zɑ:stə / , disease / dɪz' i:z /.

The prefix trans- is generally pronounced /z/ before voiced consonants and before vowels:
transact / træn'zækt /, transit / 'træn.zɪt /, transliterate / trænz'lɪtə.reɪt /,
transmit / trænz' mɪt /, transoceanic / ˌtrænz.əʊ'ʃi.ænɪk /,
transient / 'trænziənt /; but /s/ before voiceless consonants: transport / 'træns.pɔ:t /,
transcription / træns'krɪp.ʃᵊn /, transform / træns'fɔ:m / .

Notice: transition /træn'zɪ.ʃᵊn /, translation / trænz'leɪ.ʃᵊn /

g. The suffixes -sive, -sory, -some, -osity, -sy all have /s/: abusive / ə'bju:.sɪv /,
adhesive / 'ədˈhiːsɪv /, expensive / ɪks'pen.sɪv /, incisive / ɪn'saɪ.sɪv /,
compulsory / kəm'pʌl.sə.ri /, derisory / dɪ'raɪ.sə.ri /, handsome / 'hæn.səm /,
toilsome / 'tɔɪl.səm /, virtuosity / vɜːtjʊˈɒsɪti /.

Exceptions: daisy / 'deɪ.zi /, advisory / əd'vaɪ.zə.ri /, poesy / 'pəʊɪzi / .

2
h. Final <s> is pronounced differently depending on the final sound, in the plural and the
genitive case of nouns and in the 3rd person of the simple present tense of verbs:

/s/ after voiceless consonants: ships / ʃɪps/ , hats / hæts/ , Jack’s / dʒæks /,
puts / pʊts / , laughs / lɑ:fs /

/z/ after voiced consonants: heads / hedz /, lives / laɪvz / , / lɪvz /, Tom’s / tɒmz /

/z/ syllabic, after sibilants: losses /’lɒsɪz /, judges / 'dʒʌdʒɪz /, ceases / 'si:. sɪz /.

i. Final <s> is voiceless in endings of Romance or Greek origin: -as, atlas / 'æ.tləs /;
-is, crisis / 'kraɪ.sɪs /; -os, chaos / 'keɪ.ɒs /; -ous, nervous / 'nɜ:.vəs /;
-us, focus / 'fəʊ.kəs /.

j. Final <s> in monosyllables is voiced in: as / əz /, is /

ɪz /, has / həz /, his / hɪz/ ,
was / wəz / but not in gas / gæs /, yes / jes /, this / ðɪs / nor after u as in us / ʌs /,
bus / bʌs /, pus / pʌs /, thus / ðʌs / .

k. Final double <s> is always voiceless: mass / mæs /, kiss / kɪs /, less / les /, puss /
pʊs /, loss / lɒs /

<s> is voiced after long vowels: series / 'sɪə.ri:z /, species / 'spi:.ʃi:z /, yours / jɔ:z /,
hers / hɜ:z /, theirs / ðeəz /, theses / ˈθiːsiːz /, Hercules / 'hɜ:.kju:.li:z /
l. The word ending -se is pronounced:

/s/ immediately after a stressed syllable: practise / 'præk.tɪs /, promise / 'prɒ.mɪs /,

purchase / 'pɜ:.tʃəs /, purpose / 'pɜ:.pəs /

/s/ in the case of all adjectives which end in a vowel + -se: concise / kən'saɪs /,
precise / prɪ'saɪs /, profuse / prə'fju:s / , verbose / vɜ:'bəʊs / .

/s/ in the combinations -lse, -nse, -rse: impulse / ˈɪmpʌls / immense /ɪ'mens /,
rinse / rɪns /, tense / tens /, adverse / əd'vɜ:s /, coarse / kɔ:s /, nurse / nɜ:s /.

Exception: to cleanse / tə 'klenz /

/z/ in all verbs, in so far as they do not belong to another group:

advise / əd'vaɪz /, comprise / kəm'praɪz /, premise / prɪˈmaɪz /,

despise / dɪs'paɪz /, advertise / 'æd.və.taɪz /, compose / kəm'pəʊz /,
oppose / ə'pəʊz /, refuse / rɪ'fju:z /, accuse / ə'kju:z /, choose / tʃu:z /, ease / i:z /,
please / pli:z /, rise / raɪz /, surprise / sə'praɪz / .

3
Exceptions: abase / ə'beɪs /, debase / dɪ'beɪs /, cease / si:s /, chase / tʃeɪs /
crease / kri:s /, increase / ɪn'kri:s /, lease / li:s /, release / rɪ'li:s / .

Homographs (pairs of words spelled in the same way):

/s/ /z/

the use / ðə 'ju:s / to use / tə 'ju:z /

the house / ðə 'haʊs / to house / tə 'haʊz /

the louse / ðə 'laʊs / to louse / tə 'laʊz /

the mouse / ðə 'maʊs / to mouse / tə 'maʊz /

diffuse (adj) / dɪf'ju:s / to diffuse / tə dɪf'ju:z /

Note that surprise (noun) and to surprise (verb) take a final /z/ in both cases / sə'praɪz /

The following are considered homographs, however it is interesting to note their

pronunciation:

/s/ /z/

the advice / ði əd'vaɪs / to advise / tu əd'vaɪz/

the brass / ðə 'brɑ:s / to braze / tə 'breɪz /

the grass / ðə 'grɑ:s / to graze / tə 'greɪz /

the loss / ðə lɒs / to lose / tə 'lu:z /

/z/ in all other words: cheese / tʃi:z /, disease / dɪ'zi:z /, enterprise / 'en.təˌpraɪz/,
exercise / 'ek.sə.saɪz /, noise / nɔɪz /, rose / rəʊz /, vase / vɑ:z / .

Silent <s> Post vocalic <s> is often silent in French-derived words: isle / aɪl /,
apropos / 'æp.rə.pəʊ /, chamois / 'ʃæ.mwɑ: / , chassis / 'tʃæ.si /, corps / kɔ:r / ,
debris / 'de.bri: /, fracas / 'fræ.kɑ: /, précis / 'prei.si: /,
viscount / 'vaɪ.kaʊnt / ,Grosvenor / 'grəʊ.və.nə /, Illinois / ɪ.li.'nɔɪ /, or were inserted
with false analogy with French: island / 'aɪ.lənd /, (unrelated to isle), aisle / aɪl / (compare
French aile), which probably acquired its s by confusion with isle / aɪl / , demesne, cognate
with domain / də'meɪn /.

Friederich, W. ENGLISH PRONUNCIATION. Great Britain: Longman, 1968.

4
McArthur, Tom (1998). The Oxford Companion of the English Language. "S, is [called “ess”]".

Pronouncing the Letter S. The Free Dictionary.

https://www.thefreedictionary.com/Pronouncing-the-Letter-S.htm