#08. Improve Your Pronunciation - Study Session 8

Voiceless and Voiced Consonants

Consonant Sounds /s/ and /z/

[ Click on the image to see it on a large scale! ]

(Click HERE to check the position of the tongue for the consonant pair /θ/ ... /ð/ and compare with the above pair /s/ ... /z/. Make sure that your /θ/ doesn't sound like /s/ or the /ð/ like /z/.)

Step 1: Watch the videos - VERY IMPORTANT

(I've given the transcript for an easy grasp of the speech.)

First, while you are watching a video, make the consonant sound and pronounce

the words as instructed by Alex.

Second, play the video again but this time look at the transcript while listening to Alex.

Again, don't forget to make the consonant sound and pronounce the words.

Voiceless Consonant /s/

(Video 1 - Watch in 'Full Screen')

This is a voiceless consonant.

You can hear it at the beginning .of .the word ‘soon’ /su:n/;

In the middle of the word ‘mister’ /ˈmɪstə/;

At the end of the word ‘hiss’ /hɪs/;

And, at the beginning and end of the word ‘cease’ /si:s/.

Now, you try. Listen and repeat.

soon /su:n/

mister /ˈmɪstə/

hiss ../hɪs/

cease /si:s/

Similar Sounds: /s/ and /z/

To speakers of some languages it may be difficult to tell the difference between the voiceless sound

/s/ and it's voiced partner /z/. Listen carefully to hear the difference. For each example, .I'll say the

word with the voiceless sound /s/ first.

hiss ./hɪs/ his ./hɪz/

course ./kɔːs/ ..cause /kɔːz/

place /pleɪs/ plays /pleɪz/

gross ./grəʊs/ .grows ./grəʊz/

Now, you try. Listen and repeat. (refer to the above list)

..........................................................................................................

Voiced Consonant /z/

(Video 2 - Watch in 'Full Screen')

This is a voiced consonant.

You can hear it at the beginning .of .the word ‘zero’ /ˈzɪərəʊ/;

In the middle of the word ‘music’ /ˈmjuːzɪk/;

At the end of the word ‘buss’ /bʌz/;

And, in the middle and end of the word ‘roses’ /ˈrəʊzɪz/.

Now, you try. Listen and repeat.

zero ./ˈzɪərəʊ/

music ../ˈmjuːzɪk/

buss /bʌz/

roses /ˈrəʊzɪz/

Similar Sounds: /z/ and /s/

To speakers of some languages it may be difficult to tell the difference between the voiced sound /z/ and it's voiceless partner /s/. Listen carefully to hear the difference. For each example, I'll .say the

word with the voiced sound /z/ first.

buss /bʌz/ bus ./bʌs/

rise /raɪz/ ..rice ./raɪs/

zip ../zɪp/ .sip /sɪp/

lazy ../ˈleɪzi/ lacy /ˈleɪsi/

Now, you try. Listen and repeat. (refer to the above list)

..........................................................................................................

SUPPLEMENTARY VIDEO

(Video 3 - Watch in 'Full Screen')

..........................................................................................................

Step 2: Do these activities - VERY IMPORTANT!

(a) ..Click on the image below for the animation of the speech organs. Watch the front of the

tongue when the voiceless consonant /s/ and voiced consonant /z/ are made.
.

(b) . Follow the links to our EC minimal pairs page. Practise saying the words in pairs. Make

a clear difference between the consonant sounds in focus.

Minimal pairs: /s/ and /θ/

http://www.englishclub.com/pronunciation/minimal-pairs-s-th.htm

Minimal pairs: /z/ and /ð/

http://www.englishclub.com/pronunciation/minimal-pairs-th-z.htm

.
..........................................................................................................

Step 3: Your Audio Assignment - COMPULSORY

Record . the following as per the instructions given and embed your recorded audio in the

comment box below.

1. . Say the phonemes the number of times they appear.

(Raise the front of your tongue towards the upper gum for both the sounds /s/ and /z/)

Voiceless consonant /s/ /s/ /s/ /s/ /s/ ............ say slowly

Make a hissing sound like steam escaping: / s s s s / Listen to mine first, then create your own pattern.

Voiced consonant /z/ /z/ /z/ /z/ /z/ ............ say slowly

Make a buzzing sound like playing with a blender: / z z z z / Listen to mine first, then create your own pattern.

D2. Read the list of words in pairs.

.a) Minimal pairs: voiceless /s/ and voiceless /θ/

(Make sure your tongue is in position as required by both the consonants!)

sank /sæŋk/ ..thank /θæŋk/ .truce /truːs/ ..truth /truːθ/

sought ./sɔːt/ ..thought ./θɔːt/ ....mouse /maʊs/ mouth /maʊθ/

sigh /saɪ/ ..thigh /θaɪ/ .force ./fɔːs/ forth ./fɔːθ/

sawn .../sɔːn/ .thorn ../θɔːn/ pass ./pɑːs/ .path /pɑːθ/

sum ./sʌm/ thumb ./θʌm/ worse /wɜːs/ ..worth .../wɜːθ/

.b) Minimal pairs: voiced /z/ and voiced /ð/

(Make sure your tongue is in position according to the requirements of these two consonants!)

whizz ./wɪz/ .with ./wɪð/ .laze . ./leɪz/ .lathe /leɪð/

bays /beɪz/ ...bathe ./beɪð/ .she’s /ʃ.iːz/ sheathe /ʃ.iːð/

tease /tiːz/ ..teethe ./tiːð/ rise ../raɪz/ ..writhe ../raɪð/

close* /kləʊz/ ..clothe /kləʊð/ .sues ../suːz/ soothe /suːð/

breeze /briːz/ ..breathe../briːð/ lies ./laɪz/ lithe /laɪð/

.c) Minimal pairs: voiceless /s/ and voiced /z/

singer ./ˈsɪŋə/ zinger /ˈzɪŋə/ loose ../luːs/ ..lose ./luːz/

sewn /səʊn/ .zone /zəʊn/ ..price /praɪs/ prize ./praɪz/

sink /sɪŋk/ .zinc ../zɪŋk/ ..niece ../niːs/ ..knees ./niːz/

racer ../ˈreɪsə/ razor ../ˈreɪzə/ advice ../ədˈvaɪs/ advise /ədˈvaɪz/

muscle /ˈmʌsl/ muzzle../ˈmʌzl/ face /feɪs/ .phase ./feɪz/

fussy /ˈfʌsi/ fuzzy .../ˈfʌzi/ decease /dɪˈsiːs/ disease /dɪˈziːz/

D3. (A) Read the short paragraph once! (Focus on the consonants /s/ and /z/
(The colour indicates the sound value of the letter or combination of letters in that particular word.)

red = /s/ as in 'nice' ; blue = /z/ as in 'nose'; green = /ʃ/ as in 'show'

Six noisy bees were busily buzzing in a rose bush. Seven silly shy boys, not seeing the six

busily buzzing bees, sat in the shade of the rose bush and were shamefully stung by the

sharp stings of the six noisy bees.

D4. (A)Read each tongue-twister fast four times in a row! (Focus on the consonants /s/ and /z/)

I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice-cream

On a lazy laser raiser lies a laser ray eraser

Six sleek swans swam swiftly southwards

Scissors sizzle, thistles sizzle

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Attention!

I've a suggestion and a question for you this time:

My Suggestion:

My suggestion has a direct relation to what the quote for this study session says!.The speech sounds that you have learned will yield result only when you put them into use. Here's something that you

could do. You leave 'text messages' on your friends' walls every now and then, don't you? I want you

to make it a habit to send them 'voice messages' as well - at least once a week! You can begin with wishing them happy weekend, Sunday, etc. (Simply write your text on a piece of paper and record it!). Voki (talking avatar) and AudioPal are the ideal voice recorders for this purpose. Have fun!

My Question:

"What do you understand about the English pronunciation after learning the /s/ and

/z/ consonant sounds?"

Your answer could be anything but must be relevant to the English pronunciation! You can give me your answer now and do the audio assignment later.

This Study Session is moderated by G & G: Gabriel | Galina

" It's what you learn after you know it all that counts. "
~ Harry S Truman ~

~* GS *~
September, 21st. 2012

Study Session 7 Study Session 9

Don't forget to click the 'Like' button if you find the posting useful!

Tags: English, Gabriel Sowrian, Pronunciation

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Comment by JayVee on January 28, 2013 at 15:38: Hi teacher Gabriel... for me, learning this session is really useful because I know better about pronouncing words, especially ones with /s/and /z/. In this session, I also found my mistakes in pronunciation - then I know I have to learn so much more, hehe... Now, I am just waiting for your assessment - please let me know everything that I should know better. Below is my audio assignment... still, I have a weird back sound here and there and I really need your understanding, hehe...

Record music and voice >> Thank You and Best Regards

Comment by Asm@ on October 11, 2012 at 15:09: Hi teacher Gabriel,

I appreciate all your work,we will always be thankful to you for all the hard work and efforts you have put in.

To answer your question,

/s/ and /z/ sound are articulated in the same area,that's why some times I substitude S sound instead of Z like in " please,these " even in the word "describes" So,the difference is more difficult to make out at the end of words.According to me,to recognizing voiced consonants in English is to pay particular attention to the part of the sound next to the vowel,

I'd say good pronunciation should be one of the first things that you learn in English, good pronunciation will make people understand you easily and be willing to listen to you.We should train our mouth to pronunce good English words.

Comment by Asm@ on October 10, 2012 at 18:42: Hello dear teachers Galina ,Gabriel,

In my first audio assignment the volum was very low,I'm sorry.So, I'm posting it again.

Thanks in advance,and good luck all :)

Comment by selma on October 9, 2012 at 12:59: Hi Galina and Gabriel,

Please forgive me, usually I am running late. Finally, I am able to add mine.

I hope you can't catch a lot of mistakes :))

Warm Regards, Selma

SpamBuster Comment by Rajesh on October 1, 2012 at 20:20: Here is mine:

Thank you and have good one all! :)

Comment by Scarlett on September 29, 2012 at 15:20: Dear teacher Gabriel,

Here is my task.

Comment by Scarlett on September 29, 2012 at 15:19: Hi Rajesh,

Thanks a lot for your kind words and wish, I'm happy to be here with you. :)

Enjoy learning!!!

Best wishes/ Scarlett.

Comment by Prostomolotova Galina on September 29, 2012 at 14:50

SpamBuster Comment by Rajesh on September 29, 2012 at 6:43: Bro, I am really surprised to see her improvement in speaking. I couldn't believe she is the same lady, I talked 30/40 days ago. :) Wish you very good luck, Scarlett!