Similar to my last post on the pronunciation of the suffix -ed, the following is another pronunciation rule that ESL students appreciate. This rule teaches how to properly pronounce plurals. Pronouncing plural endings correctly is important for non-native English speakers to develop comprehensible, natural sounding speech.
What is a Plural?
One object (e.g., one hat, one pen) is referred to as singular because it is one single object. If we want to refer to more than one (e.g., three hats, five pens), an s is added to the word (hats, pens), and we call it plural.
Pronouncing Plural Endings
The sound of a plural s changes from /s/ to /z/ depending on whether it follows a voiced or voiceless consonant.
Plural S says /s/:
All the final consonants in the singular form of the following words are voiceless; therefore, the sound for s is /s/.
Examples: rats, cuffs, cups, kits
When s is added to words ending in the voiceless consonant sounds f, k, p, t, and ck, the plural s will have the sound of voiceless /s/.
Examples: cuffs, parks, pups, cats, stacks, etc.
Plural S says /z/:
The final consonant in the singular form of the following words are voiced; therefore, the sound of the plural s is /z/.
Examples: flags, jobs, fans, pads
Examples: flags, jobs, fans, pads
When an s is added to words ending in the voiced consonant sounds b, d, g, l, m, n, r, and v, the plural s will have the sound of voiced /z/.
Examples: cubs, hands, dogs, calls, clams, bins, cars, gloves
Plural S says /iz/:
If a word ends in double s, double z, x, sh, or ch, -es must be added to form the plural. The sound for -es is /iz/.
Examples: classes, buzzes, boxes, wishes, matches
Note:
These pronunciation rules also apply to verbs that have an -s or -es added.
Examples: clap/claps, tap/taps, run/runs, sob/sobs, pass/passes, miss/misses
Examples: clap/claps, tap/taps, run/runs, sob/sobs, pass/passes, miss/misses
Application Activity:
Write the following words on the board and have students determine whether they should add -s or -es to form the plural:
(For more information about how to teach students to recognize voiced and voiceless sounds, click here.)
Teaching tip adapted from the Reading Horizons method found in the Decoding Strategies for Literacy Development manual published by Reading Horizons. Used with permission.
For additional ESL teaching tips:
Click here to read about the pronunciation of -ed.
Click here to read about rising and falling intonation in questions.
Click here to read about syllable stress and the schwa.
Click here to read about adding the suffixes -ing, -ed, -er, and -est.
Click here to read about teaching common suffixes.
Click here to read about teaching common prefixes.
Click here to read about decoding multi-syllabic words.
Click here to read about spelling words that end in S, F, and Z.
Click here to read about other sounds for c and g.
Click here to read about adding the suffixes -ing, -ed, -er, and -est.
Click here to read about teaching common suffixes.
Click here to read about teaching common prefixes.
Click here to read about decoding multi-syllabic words.
Click here to read about spelling words that end in S, F, and Z.
Click here to read about other sounds for c and g.
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