Chapter 10: S or Z ?
The sound of the letter S is [s] only if it follows an unvoiced consonant. Otherwise, it becomes a Z in disguise. When an S follows a vowel, a voiced consonant, or another S, it turns into a [z]. The following exercise will let you hear and practice S with its dual sound. There are many more Z sounds than S sounds.
Exercise 10-1: when S becomes Z
Under contrast, in the list that follows, notice how the voiced word is drawn out and then repeat the word after me. Both voiced and unvoiced diphthongs have the underlying structure of the tone shift, or the double stairstep, but the shift is much larger for the voiced ones.
S Z
1. price prize
2. peace peas
3. place plays
4. ice eyes
5. hiss his
6. close to close
7. use to use
8. rice rise
9. pace pays
10. lacey lazy
11. thirsty Thursday
12. bus buzz
13. dust does
14. face phase
15. Sue zoo
16. loose lose
The sound of the letter S is [s] only if it follows an unvoiced consonant. Otherwise, it becomes a Z in disguise. When an S follows a vowel, a voiced consonant, or another S, it turns into a [z]. The following exercise will let you hear and practice S with its dual sound. There are many more Z sounds than S sounds.
Exercise 10-1: when S becomes Z
Under contrast, in the list that follows, notice how the voiced word is drawn out and then repeat the word after me. Both voiced and unvoiced diphthongs have the underlying structure of the tone shift, or the double stairstep, but the shift is much larger for the voiced ones.
S Z
1. price prize
2. peace peas
3. place plays
4. ice eyes
5. hiss his
6. close to close
7. use to use
8. rice rise
9. pace pays
10. lacey lazy
11. thirsty Thursday
12. bus buzz
13. dust does
14. face phase
15. Sue zoo
16. loose lose