Pronunciation of S worksheet for learning plural nouns and verbs in third person, featuring rules for /iz/, /s/, and /z/ sounds.

Absolutely! Let’s solve this worksheet step by step.

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## 🎯 Goal:
Choose the word in each group whose underlined “s” is pronounced differently from the others.

The key is to understand the three pronunciations of “s” at the end of words:

✔ 1. /ɪz/ — Sibilant (hissing/buzzing sound)

Used after:
- S, X, Z, SS, CH, SH, GE
Examples: *buses, boxes, prizes, kisses, watches, dishes, changes*

✔ 2. /s/ — Voiceless (sharp, hissing sound)

Used after:
- P, K, T, F, PH, TH
Examples: *sleeps, books, hats, cliffs, graphs, myths*

✔ 3. /z/ — Voiced (vibrating/humming sound)

Used after:
- B, D, G, L, M, N, NG, R, V, Y
Examples: *crabs, words, bags, deals, dreams, fans, sings, wears, gloves, plays*

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Let’s go question by question:

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1. A. proofs B. books C. points D. days

- proofs → ends in f → /s/ ✔
- books → ends in k → /s/ ✔
- points → ends in t → /s/ ✔
- days → ends in y → /z/ ✘

👉 Answer: D. days

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2. A. asks B. breathes C. breaths D. hopes

- asks → ends in k → /s/ ✔
- breathes → ends in th → but it’s voiced th, so /z/ ✘
- breaths → ends in th → voiceless th → /s/ ✔
- hopes → ends in p → /s/ ✔

👉 Answer: B. breathes

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3. A. sees B. sports C. pools D. trains

- sees → ends in e + s → after z-sound → /z/ ✔
- sports → ends in t → /s/ ✘
- pools → ends in l → /z/ ✔
- trains → ends in n → /z/ ✔

👉 Answer: B. sports

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4. A. tombs B. lamps C. brakes D. invites

- tombs → ends in b → /z/ ✔
- lamps → ends in p → /s/ ✘
- brakes → ends in k → /s/ ✘ — wait, both B and C are /s/?

Wait — let’s double-check:

Actually, invites → ends in t → /s/ ✔

So:

- tombs → /z/
- lamps → /s/
- brakes → /s/
- invites → /s/

Only A. tombs is /z/, others are /s/

👉 Answer: A. tombs

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5. A. books B. floors C. combs D. drums

- books → /s/
- floors → ends in r → /z/
- combs → ends in b → /z/
- drums → ends in m → /z/

Only A. books is /s/, others are /z/

👉 Answer: A. books

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6. A. cats B. tapes C. rides D. cooks

- cats → /s/
- tapes → /s/
- rides → ends in d → /z/ ✘
- cooks → /s/

Only C. rides is /z/

👉 Answer: C. rides

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7. A. walks B. begins C. helps D. cuts

- walks → /s/
- begins → ends in n → /z/ ✘
- helps → /s/
- cuts → /s/

Only B. begins is /z/

👉 Answer: B. begins

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8. A. shoots B. grounds C. concentrates D. forests

- shoots → ends in t → /s/
- grounds → ends in d → /z/ ✘
- concentrates → ends in s after t → /s/ (actually, “concentrates” — ends in s after t, so /s/)
- forests → ends in t → /s/

Only B. grounds is /z/

👉 Answer: B. grounds

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9. A. helps B. laughs C. cooks D. finds

- helps → /s/
- laughs → ends in f → /s/
- cooks → /s/
- finds → ends in d → /z/ ✘

Only D. finds is /z/

👉 Answer: D. finds

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10. A. hours B. fathers C. dreams D. thinks

- hours → ends in r → /z/
- fathers → ends in r → /z/
- dreams → ends in m → /z/
- thinks → ends in k → /s/ ✘

Only D. thinks is /s/

👉 Answer: D. thinks

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11. A. beds B. doors C. plays D. students

- beds → ends in d → /z/
- doors → ends in r → /z/
- plays → ends in y → /z/
- students → ends in t → /s/ ✘

Only D. students is /s/

👉 Answer: D. students

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12. A. arms B. suits C. chairs D. boards

- arms → ends in m → /z/
- suits → ends in t → /s/ ✘
- chairs → ends in r → /z/
- boards → ends in d → /z/

Only B. suits is /s/

👉 Answer: B. suits

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13. A. boxes B. classes C. potatoes D. finishes

- boxes → ends in x → /ɪz/ ✔
- classes → ends in ss → /ɪz/ ✔
- potatoes → ends in o + es → actually, “potatoes” ends in s after vowel → /z/ ✘
- finishes → ends in sh → /ɪz/ ✔

So C. potatoes is /z/, others are /ɪz/

👉 Answer: C. potatoes

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14. A. relieves B. invents C. buys D. deals

- relieves → ends in v → /z/
- invents → ends in t → /s/ ✘
- buys → ends in y → /z/
- deals → ends in l → /z/

Only B. invents is /s/

👉 Answer: B. invents

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15. A. dreams B. heals C. kills D. tasks

- dreams → ends in m → /z/
- heals → ends in l → /z/
- kills → ends in l → /z/
- tasks → ends in k → /s/ ✘

Only D. tasks is /s/

👉 Answer: D. tasks

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## ✔ Final Answers:

1. D
2. B
3. B
4. A
5. A
6. C
7. B
8. B
9. D
10. D
11. D
12. B
13. C
14. B
15. D

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## 📝 Summary:

You’re looking for the odd one out based on pronunciation of final -s.

Use the chart:

- After S, X, Z, SS, CH, SH, GE → /ɪz/
- After P, K, T, F, PH, TH → /s/
- After B, D, G, L, M, N, NG, R, V, Y → /z/

Practice helps! You got this 💪

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