Lesson # 10

Words to know:

[S] [Z]
This sound can be found at the This sound can be found at the
beginning, in the middle and at beginning, in the middle and at the end
the end of words. of words.

as in sit, basket and kiss as in zoo, busy and buzz

Beginning Middle End Beginning Middle End

sky, sad, lesson, bus, zoo, lazy, busy, as, is, his,
spin, racing, yes, zeal, zest, easy, crazy, was, buzz,
slow, listen, box, zinc, zero, razor, dozen, daze,
skip, pencil, miss, zone, dizzy, raise,
spell, custom, face, zebra, cousin, amaze,
study, basket, makes, zipper puzzle breeze
snake, answer, house,
skate, castle, course,
school history, class,
fast plus
Common Patterns: Common Patterns:
s, c, x(ks), ss z, s

Less Frequent Patterns: Less Frecuent Patterns:

z – waltz, pretzel x – xylophone, xerox
sc – scent, scene

Spelled: Spelled:
s: spy, ski, smoke, steal, desk z: zip, size, seize, lizard, sneeze
c: cell, ice, lace, cent, center s: has, eyes, rose, these, bruise
x (ks): six, fix, fox, tax, oxen
ss: kiss, less, dresser, message
[S] and [Z]
So study and practice, you´ll soon have success
with [s] and your Zs with ease!
 The consonants [s] and [z]
The consonant [s]
[s]- -[s]- -[s]
1. Sea 1. foresee 1. peace
2. Sit 2. insist 2. miss
3. Say 3. essay 3. base
4. Set 4. reset 4. less
5. Sue 5. assassin 5. pass

Sentences:

1. Excuse me, can you pass the salt?

2. I really miss my singing lessons.

The consonant [z]

[z]- -[z]- -[z]
1. Zebra 1. easy 1. ease
2. Zip 2. closet 2. is
3. Zen 3. mosaic 3. amaze
4. Zap 4. frozen 4. says
5. Zoo 5. zigzag 5. has

Sentences:

1. Zoe wants to see the zebra in the zoo.

2. I feel exhausted because I zipped up here on foot.

Contrast [s] and [z]

1. Sea z
2. Sip zip
3. Seal zeal
4. Sue zoo
5. Bus buzz
6. Racer razor

Sentences:

1. Sue didn’t see any zebra at the zoo.

2. Cell phones buzz here and there on the bus.
 When to use -s, -z and -Iz
Follow these guidelines for when to pronounce an 's' sound in a word as "s", "z" or
"Iz"

 Remember that these guidelines are based on how a word sounds,

not on how it is spelled
 Many words are spelled with a silent ‘e’ on the end. Don't count that
final ‘e’ as a vowel sound.
 These guidelines are not a complete list, but they cover
the more common occurrences of when to use 's' and
'z'.
-Iz endings
 Pronouncing Plurals

Voiceless Consonants Voiced Consonants

Sound Example Sound Example
[p] pay / apple / stop [b] boy / rabbit / tub
[t] top / return / cat [d] day / ladder / bed
[k] car / cake / book [g] go / begin / egg
[f] fun / office / if [v] very / over / save
[s] sit / basket / kiss [z] zoo / busy / buzz
[θ] think / bathtub / mouth [ð] the / father / smooth
[ʧ] chair / nature / watch [ʤ] jaw / magic / age
[ʃ] sugar / nation / English [ʒ] rouge / vision /measure
[h] home / hello / unhappy [m] me / summer / swim
[n] no / money / run
[ŋ] youngest / sing / playing
[j] you / yes / unusual
[w] we / away / someone
[l] lamp / yellow / pool
[r] red / marry / far

Plural [s] Plural [z] Plural [Iz]

The –s forming the The –s forming the The –s or –es forming
plural always sounds plural always sounds the plural always
like [s], when the last [z], when the last sounds like the new
sound in the singular sound in the singular syllable [Iz], when the
noun is voiceless [p], [k], noun is voiced [b], [h], last sound in the singular
[f], [θ], [t]. [g], [v], [ð], [z], [m], [n], noun is [s], [z], [ ʃ ], [ tʃ ],
[ŋ], [l], [r], [j], [w]. *All [ʒ], [dʒ].
vowel sounds are
voiced.
hat – hats floor – floors wish – wishes
lip – lips bag – bags place – places
stick – sticks car – cars church – churches
cake – cakes eye – eyes hedge – hedges
plate – plates song – songs prize – prizes
Watch –watched shoe – shoes cage – cages
Some Irregular Plural man – men mouse – mice
Nouns have to be child – children tooth – teeth
remembered: woman - women person - people
And add the ending sound /s/, /z/ or /IZ/.
Pronunciation
Minimal Pair /z/ /s/
Words like PEAS and PEACE
 Activity 1
Listen to your teacher saying the words in Column 1 and Column 2 below.

Column 1 Column 2
Peas Peace
Knees Niece
Phase Face
Eyes Ice
Buzz Bus
Pens Pence
Plays Place
Prize Price
Lies Lice
Raise Race
Cause Course

 Activity 2
Listen to your teacher saying one of the words from Activity 1. Say if you think the word is in
Column 1 or Column 2.
 Activity 3
Listen to your teacher saying two words from Activity 1. If the words are the same, circle S
below. If you think the words are different, circle D below.
1. S D 2. S D 3. S D 4. S D 5. S D
6. S D 7. S D 8. S D 9. S D 10. S D

 Activity 4
Listen to your teacher reading the sentences below. Circle the word you hear.

1. They want some peas / peace. 6. The prize / price is fantastic.

2. He loves her knees / niece. 7. She will not tolerate lies / lice.

3. She finds blue eyes / ice beautiful. 8. What was the cause / course?

4. Can you hear a buzz / bus? 9. He didn’t like the plays / place at all.

5. He has ten pens / pence. 10. He wasn’t happy about the raise / race.

 Activity 5
Imagine you are the teacher now! Work with a partner and repeat the activities above.
Then swap roles.
Dictation Numbers 1-50
1. _______________________

2. _______________________

3. _______________________

4. _______________________

5. _______________________

6. _______________________

7. _______________________

8. _______________________

9. _______________________

10. _______________________

11. _______________________

12. _______________________

13. ________________________

14. ________________________

15. ________________________

16. ________________________

17. ________________________

18. ________________________

19. _________________________

20. _________________________