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LISTEN |
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/z/.../z/.../z/.../z/...
zip...these...pens...lazy |
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WHAT IS IT? |
Pronunciation:
The consonant /z/ is a voiced, alveolar fricative.
The consonant /z/ is a voiced, alveolar fricative.
- Touch your alveolar ridge (the hard space behind your upper teeth) with the tip of your tongue.
- Breathe out and let air escape your mouth. This should create a buzzing sound.
- Your vocal cords should vibrate.
The sound /z/ can be in these clusters:
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Beginning of a Word |
(none) |
End of a Word |
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/zd/ (“sed”) - teased /gz/ (“gs”) - begs /bz/ (“bs” / “bes” ) - rubs, robes /dz/ (“ds” / “des” ) - lids, rides /vz/ (“ves”) - loves /ðz/ (“ths” / “thes”) - cloths, breathes |
/rz/ (“rs” / “res”) - bars, tires /mz/ (“ms” / "mbs") - seems, climbs /nz/ (“ns”) - means [ŋz] (“ngs”) - rings /vz/ (“ves”) - loves |
Spelling:
- "z"- zip, zoo
- "zz" - fizzle, buzzer
- "ze" - maze, realize
- "s" - bags, losing
- "se" - these, rise
- "es" - loves, clothes
Grammar Tip:
The “-s” ending is used to mark plural nouns, possessive nouns, and present tense 3rd person singular verbs. The “-s” ending is pronounced /z/ after a vowel or voiced consonant.
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COMPARE |
Compare /z/ with /s/:
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/z/.../s/.../z/.../s/.../z/.../s/...
These sounds are both alveolar, fricative consonants. However, /z/ is a voiced consonant and /s/ is a voiceless consonant. If you are pronouncing /z/, your vocal cords should vibrate. At the end of a word, the vowel before /z/ will be longer than the vowel before /s/ |
Listen to words with /s/ and /z/, and identify which word you hear. Choose A or B. You will hear the word twice, followed by the answer.
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Now, compare /z/ with /dʒ/:
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/z/.../dʒ/.../z/.../dʒ/.../z/.../dʒ/...
These are both voiced alveolar consonants. However, /z/ is a fricative and /dʒ/ is an affricate. If you are pronouncing /dʒ/, the air in your mouth should stop before it is released (creating a “harder” sound). |
Listen to words with /z/ and /dʒ/ and identify which word you hear. Choose A or B. You will hear the word twice, followed by the answer.
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PRACTICE |
Listen and repeat these words:
1. zone
2. zoom 3. zipper 3. zombie 4. please 5. as 6. tries 8. jobs 9. begs 10. bores |
11. bronze
12. crazy 13. easy 14. resume 15. reason 16. music 17. because 18. criticize 19. amazing 20. hazardous |
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Click the buttons below to hear the same list pronounced by other speakers.
Now, practice /z/ in sentences. Say the words first, then the sentences.
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USE IT!
Practice the task below. Then, record yourself completing that task. Give your recording to a teacher or an English-speaking friend for feedback.
Prepare:
When you choose to listen to music, you can choose from many types:. Think about how you choose the music you listen to.
Record:
Imagine you are giving advice on how to choose music to enjoy. In your recording, describe 3 different types of music and how they influence a person's mood.
© 2018, Christine Wingate
Prepare:
When you choose to listen to music, you can choose from many types:. Think about how you choose the music you listen to.
- Classical music
- Jazz music
- Blues music
- Country music
- Rock music
- Hip-hop music
- Rap music
Record:
Imagine you are giving advice on how to choose music to enjoy. In your recording, describe 3 different types of music and how they influence a person's mood.
© 2018, Christine Wingate

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