/s/ vs /z/

Practice the voiceless /s/ sound

Practice the voiceless /s/ sound by saying these words:

 say  practice

 sad  bounce

 so  mouse

 sits  house

 sound  mice

 sister  box

 its  fox

 cats  science

 cross  city

 miss  circle

 boss  fence

 this  scare (s + k sound)

 lips  score (s + k sound)

 misty  Saturday

 face  Sunday
Now practice the voiced /z/ sound

Now, let's practice the voiced /z/ sound. Remember, your vocal cords should
vibrate when you make this sound because it is a voiced sound.

 zip  rose

 zoo  roses

 zap  bags

 zebra  frogs

 quiz  boys

 buzz  girls

 freeze  friends

 dozen  lies

 is  busy

 was  noisy

 his  nosy

 hers  exist

 nose  Tuesday

 noise  Wednesday

 noises  Thursday
Finally, practice the sounds side-by-side

Remember to voice the /z/ sound and use only air for the /s/
sound!

Z S
is its
exist fox
zag sag
boys cats
Tuesday Sunday

Challenge words!

These are more challenging words. Some of these words even have both
sounds! Practice them slowly.

The /s/ sounds are in blue. The /z/ sounds are in green.

 sizes  noisiest

 sounds  because

 science  anxiety

 quizzes
 business
 descend
 freezers
 oxygen
 zippers
 license
 scientists
Now say these sentences aloud.

The /s/ sounds are in blue. The /z/ sounds are in green:

1) Is Sally his sister?

2) Sam was my son.

3) The seven dogs and cats stay inside the house.

4) He was so sad last Sunday.

5) The sun is so high in the sky.

6) Six boys and girls sat on the fence outside the store.

7) The science quiz was easy.

8) Please sit beside your friends.

9) Is this house hers?

10) CHALLENGE:

The seven students took the first test for their driver's licenses on the
last Thursday in December.

*Taken and modified from: https://www.really-learn-english.com/english-pronunciation-lesson-

25-s-and-z-sounds.html