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’ /s/;

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

Now, you try. Listen and repeat.

           soon    /su:n/
           mister  /ˈs/
           hiss    ../s/

           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     ./s/           his      ./z/
            course ./ːs/        ..cause  /ːz/
            place    /pleɪs/        play  /pleɪz/
            gross   ./grəʊs/      .grow./grəʊz/
.
Now, you try. Listen and repeat. (refer to the above list)

 

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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’ /z/;

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

Now, you try. Listen and repeat.

           zero    ./ˈzɪərəʊ/
           music ../ˈmjuːzɪk/
           buss    /z/

           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  /z/          bu./s/
           rise    /raɪz/        ..rice ./raɪs/
           zip    ../zɪp/          .sip   /sɪp/
           lazy  ../ˈleɪzi/        lacy  /ˈleɪsi/
 
Now, you try. Listen and repeat. (refer to the above list)

 

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SUPPLEMENTARY VIDEO

(Video 3 - Watch in 'Full Screen')

 

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.
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/
             Minimal pairs: /z/ and /ð/
.
..........................................................................................................
.
.
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      /s/       ..thigh      /θ/                .force    ./ːs/       forth     ./ːθ/
                 sawn  .../sɔːn/      .thorn    ../θɔːn/               pass    ./ːs/     .path      /ːθ/

                 sum     ./sʌm/       thumb   ./θʌm/               worse   /ːs/    ..worth  .../ːθ/

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

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

                 whizz   ./z/       .with       ./ð/               .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  /dɪˈss/      disease  /dɪˈzz/

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 beessat 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 

      Animated Arrow photo: icon-arrow-dwn.gif   Don't forget to click the 'Like' button if you find the posting useful! 

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Comments

  • 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
  • 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.

     

  • 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 :)

  • 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

  • Here is mine:

    Thank you and have good one all! :)

  • Dear teacher Gabriel,

    Here is my task.

    dCZnPTEmbz*4NGJkYjdjOWM1Nzg*N2QyOWI2MjVhYWY4ZjZjOTEyNSZvZj*w.gif

  • Hi Rajesh,

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

    Enjoy learning!!! 

    Best wishes/ Scarlett.

  • dCZnPTEmbz1mNjJjY2M2NjU4ZmY*YWI4YTJjN2VjMjdlNTY*NmIzZiZvZj*w.gif

  • 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!

  • Hi my dear teacher,

    Thank you very much for your appreciation. Oh, this is Sakshi Sis, I really happy to receive her voice message. Her voice is very special, I love it. Yes, distinctive accent dear Gabriel.

    Best regards.

    Scarlett.

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