How To Pronounce Words When The Letter āsā Says /z/
Hi from Speak More Clearly! At Speak More Clearly, we train you to speak clearly and naturally.Ā
In this video, Iām going to talk about words that are spelt with an ‘s’ but we say a /z/ instead.
In this training lesson, weāre also going to practice your listening ability to hear if a word is said with an ‘s’ or /z/ in it, so you can hear it for yourself.Ā
One way is to say the word with an ‘s’ one time, and then say it again with the /z/ sound.
For example:
Letās use the word LOOSEN. Iāll say it 2 ways. Which way sounds correct ā number 1 or number 2?
Correct Pronunciation:
#1 Loosen /ĖlusÉn/ (where the āsā says /s/)Ā
I say – I āloohsuhn my belt
When you develop the ability to hear whatās in a word, then you can pronounce it correctly, or at least you know how to say it correctly and can give your mouth practise.
More examples:
Iāll say the word with an unvoiced /s/ first, and then a voiced /z/ second
Correct Pronunciation:
#2 husbandĀ /ĖhŹzbÉnd/ (the /s/ says /z/)
say ‘huzbuhnd
Correct Pronunciation:
#2 visibleĀ /ĖvÉŖz.É.bÉl/ (the /s/ says /z/)
say āvizuhbuhl
Correct Pronunciation:
#1 consistĀ /kÉnĖsÉŖst/ (the /s/ says /s/)
say ‘kuhn-sist
Correct Pronunciation:
#2 presentationĀ /Ėprez.ÉnĖteÉŖ.ŹÉn/ (the /s/ says /z/)
say ‘prez-uhn-tey-shuhn
Correct Pronunciation:
#1 diverseĀ /daÉŖĖvÉĖs/Ā (the /s/ says /s/)
say ādih-vurs
Correct Pronunciation:
#2 accusationĀ /ĖƦk.jÉĖzeÉŖ.ŹÉn/ (the /s/ says /z/)
say āak-yoo-zey-shuhn
Correct Pronunciation:
#2 losingĀ /luĖz.ÉŖÅ/ (the /s/ says /z/)
say loo-zing
Correct Pronunciation:
#1 personĀ /ĖpÉĖ.sÉn/ (the /s/ says /s/)
say āpur-suhn
Correct Pronunciation:
#2 proposeĀ /prÉĖpÉŹz/ (the /s/ says /z/)
say āpruh-pohz
Correct Pronunciation:
#2 designĀ /dÉŖĖzaÉŖn/ (the /s/ says /z/)
say ādih-zahyn
Correct Pronunciation:
#2 positionĀ /pÉĖzÉŖŹ.Én/ (the /s/ says /z/)
say āpuh-zish-uhn
Correct Pronunciation:
#2 roseĀ /roŹz/ (the /s/ says /z/)
say ārohz
By the way, the rose that smells beautiful and āthe spaceship rose upā are said and spelt the same way
Correct Pronunciation:
#2 wasĀ /wÉz/ (the /s/ says /z/)
say āwuhz
Correct Pronunciation:
#1 choice Ā /tŹÉÉŖs/ (the s says /s/)
say āchois
Here the rule is /c/ always says the unvoiced /s/ when the /c/ is followed by an e, i or y. So itās not āchoiz, but āchois
Correct Pronunciation:
#2 as āĀ like in āas well asāĀ /Ʀz/ (the /s/ says /z/)
say āaz
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For more pronunciation tips, check this video lesson on how to pronounce words when /ch/ says /k/.