HANOI PEDAGOGICAL UNIVERSITY 2

FACULTY OF ENGLISH

ERRORS IN THE PRONUNCIATION OF “-S” AND “-ED”

ENDINGS IN ENGLISH MADE BY STUDENTS AT

HANOI PEDAGOGICAL UNIVERSITY 2

CLASS: ENG101.46nna.2_LT

Supervisor: Nguyễn Văn Đen

Name of student: Nguyễn Phí Thu Hạnh – Group 1

Student code: 207220201023

Phuc Yen, 25 December 2022

 Table of Contents
ABSTRACTS.........................................................................................................................................1
PART ONE: INTRODUCTION............................................................................................................2
I. The rationale of the research...........................................................................................................2
II. Research task.................................................................................................................................5
III. Research scope.............................................................................................................................5
IV. Research method..........................................................................................................................6
V. Meaning of research......................................................................................................................6
VI. Desinged of Research work..........................................................................................................7
PART TWO: INVESTIGATION...........................................................................................................8
I. Literature review.............................................................................................................................8
1. English pronunciation.................................................................................................................9
2. The importance of pronunciation..............................................................................................12
II. Definition of ending sound..........................................................................................................13
1. Ending sounds pronunciation....................................................................................................13
2. Classification of ending sounds in English...............................................................................13
3. The significance of pronoun the ending “-s” “-ed” sound correctly..........................................19
III. Root of ending sound error.........................................................................................................20
1. Common pronunciation errors -s..............................................................................................21
2.Common pronunciation errors -ed.............................................................................................23
PART THREE: SURVEY....................................................................................................................30
I. Participants....................................................................................................................................30
II. Data collection instrument...........................................................................................................30
1. Questionnaire............................................................................................................................31
2. The rationale of the questionnaire.............................................................................................31
3. Result of the survey:.................................................................................................................35
PART FOUR: CORRECTIVE METHODS.........................................................................................38
I. Pronouncing ending sounds most effectively................................................................................38
II. Use the dictionary........................................................................................................................39
III. Practice pronouncing each sound clearly....................................................................................40
IV. Practice speaking in front of the mirror......................................................................................40
V. Record your speaking then listen to it again................................................................................41
VI. Avoid speaking at too fast a pace...............................................................................................42
VII. Listen more...............................................................................................................................42
VIII. Watching movies and listening to music..................................................................................43
IX. Shadowing..................................................................................................................................44
CONCLUSION....................................................................................................................................45
REFERENCES.....................................................................................................................................47
 ABSTRACTS

English is now widely spoken around the world. Admittedly, this language is the
link that binds us and gives us a lot of chances to lead great lives. As a result,
being able to utilise English is becoming an increasingly important ability in
school, employment, and life... Learning this skill appears to be tough for non-
English-speaking countries due to the numerous typical misconceptions that
learners make. And speaking is among those critical abilities in which learners
often make mistakes. Many people still make mistakes in pronouncing or not
pronouncing the final sounds in English vocabulary while practising speaking
and it hampers developing a speaking competence in English. This is claimed to
be the most common error made by English learners, particularly students.
There will be numerous negative repercussions if there is no means to practise
and perfect pronunciation, such as listeners who do not comprehend, do not
understand or misinterpret the speaker's meaning.
As a result, the purpose of this study is to analyse faults in pronouncing ending
sounds in English so that learners may comprehend why such errors occur. The
research will also offer some solutions. Learners may then determine for
themselves how to practise pronunciation accurately and appropriately. The
study comprised 30 students from Hanoi Pedagogical University 2. All pupils
will be interviewed and requested to practise the pronunciation of some English
words. Following that, the results will be reviewed, mistakes will be highlighted,
and pupils will be asked to repeat the pronunciation using the standard
pronunciation. As a consequence, pupils will be aware of problems in their
English pronunciation of tail sounds. They will also have a better understanding
of how to pronounce the last consonants in English. From then, pupils'
pronunciation will become more evident and better.

1
 PART ONE: INTRODUCTION

I. The rationale of the research

Pronunciation is very important in English. Pronunciation is constantly with

English learners throughout the learning process, from beginner to advanced. A
person with good pronunciation will find it easy to comprehend and converse in
English. It is apparent that active communication and fluency are the main
priorities of students at Hanoi Pedagogical University 2. According to the
AMEP Fact sheets, learners with good English pronunciation are more likely to
be understood even if they make mistakes in other areas, whereas learners with
difficult to understand pronunciation will only be understood if their grammar is
perfect. A poll of foreign professors at Hanoi Pedagogical University 2 found
that "many students at this university can generally speak English, but the
number of students who can converse successfully with them and the accurate
pronunciation is relatively small." So, what is the pronunciation? The term
"pronunciation" relates to how we produce the sound of words.

To pronounce words, we push air from our lungs up down our neck and vocal
cords, through our mouth, past our tongue, and out between our teeth and lips.
(Occasionally, air passes via our nostrils.) To adjust the sound we make, we
primarily utilise the muscles of our mouth, tongue, and lips to manipulate the
shape of our mouth and the flow of air. If we can regulate the contour of our lips
and the movement of air appropriately, our pronunciation will be clearer and
more readily understood by others.

Distinct languages cause different mouth muscles to develop for speech. When
we speak a foreign language, our muscles may not be fully formed, making
pronunciation more challenging. Our muscles grow and our pronunciation
improves when we practise foreign language pronunciation. Along with making

2
precise vowel and consonant sounds with our mouth, tongue, and lips, there are
other crucial components of pronunciation to consider, such as:

- Word stress - emphasis on certain syllables in a word

- Sentence stress - emphasis on specific words in a phrase
- Linking - connecting certain phrases
- Intonation - the rise and fall of our voice as we talk.

The last sound of a word is referred to as "the ending sound" in English. These
ending sounds are generally the sound of the word's last consonant. "-s" and "-
es" are two basic suffixes that arise often in numerous contexts. The ending
sound "-s" appears in plural nouns, third-person singular verbs in the present
tense, and so on, whereas the sound "-ed" appears at the end of normal verbs in
the past tense, and occasionally at the ending sounds of adjectives, etc.. Many
English students in Vietnam frequently fail to articulate these sounds. In some
situations, the last consonants are dropped, while in others, they are
mispronounced. So, why do these errors occur so often among Hanoi
Pedagogical University 2 students? It is simpler for students to learn new
information and comprehend the issue when they are aware of what caused this
circumstance. Furthermore, after pupils have mastered the understanding of
these difficulties, they will be able to practise and speak them more effortlessly.

Some of the goals of this research are to identify and correct faults in
pronouncing the ending sounds "-ed" and "-s" in English intends to offer
strategies to enhance the pronunciation of students at Hanoi University of
Education 2. After all, speaking is one of the four most fundamental and vital
English abilities. For that reason, accurate pronunciation is equally crucial, as it
affects whether or not the learners' speaking abilities are successful, particularly
for English learners and those who are just beginning English majors.
Standardized pronunciation is becoming increasingly important because
incorrect pronunciation for a long time due to habit can lead learners to believe

3
that their pronunciation is correct, and when it has to be modified to correct the
pronunciation, it will be an issue. They will find it increasingly tough to adjust.
Hence, studying and reading about the fundamentals of pronunciation will
provide students with a firm basis for practising their pronunciation.

In this work, we aimed to identify the causes of these typical errors and discuss
training strategies for correcting errors in pronouncing the final sound. One of
the primary reasons is because English is not our native language; ending sounds
exist in English but not in Vietnamese. The second issue is that pupils speak too
quickly, which causes last sounds to be dropped. The primary explanation stems
from the way of teaching English in Vietnamese high schools and colleges.
Because class time is limited, teachers frequently focus on teaching grammar;
other abilities appear to be taught in a broad manner. Pronunciation practise and
correction are not covered in lessons due to a high number of students and
inadequate time; students are frequently required to practise at home.
Pronunciation mistakes appear to have persisted since students began studying
English. In addition, a lack of practise and correction from experienced and
skilled English teachers has resulted in the pupils' English pronunciation being
significantly distorted. Therefore, we seek to find some solutions to the errors of
mispronouncing the ending sound and not pronouncing the finishing sound in
this study. Students can then practise at home to acquire the result.

This research was also carried out to assess the impact of the analysis on the
right way to pronounce the ending sound in English, as well as the effectiveness
and appropriateness of the methods for overcoming mispronunciation and
unpronounceable errors in English that we give students at Hanoi Pedagogical
University 2. The findings and approaches will be shared with 30 students
at Hanoi Pedagogical University students from various majors. They have
difficulty pronouncing the ending sounds "-s" and "-ed" in English. When they
took part, they were all questioned and given vocabulary with the aforesaid
ending sounds. We shall point out the problem and investigate the source of
4
their pronunciation. They will be taught the concepts of pronouncing those last
sounds after they have determined the reason. Following the completion of the
preceding processes, they will be contacted and advised on appropriate
pronunciation practise techniques.

II. Research task

- Provide definitions and theories of pronunciation, as well as examples for each

case "-s" and "-ed".

- The current situation of students at Hanoi Pedagogical University 2 who do not

pronounce or mispronounce the final sounds "-s" and "-ed".

- Outlining the value of the research for Hanoi Pedagogical University students
2.

- Explain why students at Hanoi Pedagogical University 2 do not pronounce or

mispronounce the ending sounds "-s" and "-ed".

- Conduct a survey on how to pronounce the sounds "-s" and "-ed" of students at
Hanoi Pedagogical University 2.

- Gather and examine survey results.

- Provide findings and suggestions to assist Hanoi Pedagogical University 2

students in improving their pronunciation of "-s" and "-ed" ending sounds.

III. Research scope

The study paper's general topic is pronunciation problems, especially -s and -ed
ends. The research paper will determine the sorts of pronunciation mistakes that
students frequently make. Analyze the sources of mistakes based on the
peculiarities of the English phonetic and transliteration systems and provide
appropriate corrective measures.

5
The study's subjects are 30 students from Hanoi Pedagogical University 2. The
purpose of the research is to aid in the process of teaching and practising the
pronunciation of English learners. Non-professionals can also ask questions
about the study report.

IV. Research method

This study employs three primary methodologies. These are real-life

observations, interviews, and recordings. The most essential approach was
recording: participants were given a table of English words with the sounds "-s"
and "-ed," as well as equivalent instances. Their objective is to use their
pronunciation skills to read those sounds as precisely as possible. The findings
of using this strategy will be a dependable source for determining the answer to
the research topic.

V. Meaning of research

The study of ending sounds is critical when learning English. For instance,
vocabulary can be distinguished by how its ending sounds are spoken. The
words will be difficult to recognize if the final syllable is missed. As a result, we
can't tell what the other person is saying. This is plainly inconvenient and has a
negative impact on communication efficiency. Different ending sounds will
provide various meanings. Furthermore, the tail pronunciation can be paired
with the sound link to provide a more native-like pronunciation. For instance, in
"times up," we may link the "-s" ending in the word "times," which is heard as
/z/, with the /ə/ sound in "up," and the word will be pronounced as /ˈtaɪmzəp/.

This study will employ surveys and direct interviews, as well as qualitative and
quantitative approaches, to reveal the level of English pronunciation and
pronunciation learning among students at Hanoi Pedagogical University 2. The
researchers must be analysed in order to identify common pronunciation errors,
enhance pronunciation, and increase the efficacy of listening, speaking, and
6
communicating in English for learners. Although English is a foreign language
taught in Vietnamese schools from the early class, most students focus on
grammar rather than pronunciation. This research will show how students
mispronounce the "-s" and "-ed" endings in English. Concurrently, the study will
promote awareness of the importance of good pronunciation.

VI. Desinged of Research work

In order to generate a scientific article, we need a clear, step-by-step study. This

study is divided into four sections: This study is divided into four sections:
Introduction, inquiry, method correction, and conclusion.

First, we must establish the dilemma of the study topic. About what we are
going to study, the state of the research problem.

Following the lecture, we will perform a survey to measure Hanoi Pedagogical

University 2 students' standard pronunciation and recognition skills. In this part,
we'll look at English pronunciation and the significance of the last sound, as
well as the roots of the ending pronunciation difficulty and why students
commonly mispronounce a word's last sound.

The correct methods are described in the next section. This chapter also provides
guidance on how to prevent the above-mentioned students' pronunciation
challenges, as well as solutions to help students improve their pronunciation.
Each person has their own way, so they may select the best one for their level.

The conclusion is the last element of the research. In this essay, we will
summarise all we have learned and observed. Furthermore, when assessing the
full manuscript, we must emphasise the study's shortcomings and limitations.
We can also provide recommendations for more research.

7
 PART TWO: INVESTIGATION

I. Literature review

For Vietnamese, learning English pronunciation will be a bit difficult, because

English pronunciation is different from Vietnamese pronunciation. Pronouncing
the final sounds is one of the difficulties that Vietnamese people encounter when
speaking English. Because there are no final sounds in Vietnamese, they are
frequently dropped or mispronounced when spoken. Pronouncing the last sound,
such as the "-s" or "-ed" sounds in English, has pronunciation guidelines based
on the harmony between the sounds, which is rather novel and difficult for
Vietnamese people to remember and grasp while learning English.

Research on this topic has been done on a regular basis by both native and
international researchers.

In a journal study titled "Pronunciation Recognition of '-ed' Ending Words by

Students of English Education Study Program of the University of Bengkulu,"
Khinanti Giantari, Syafrizal Sabarudin, and Zahrida Zahrida highlighted the
challenges students encounter while pronouncing the -ed pronunciation. The
authors have collected a variety of real data sets to illustrate the typical
percentage of students who make mistakes while pronouncing the "-ed" sound,
allowing them to draw conclusions about how to improve students' recognition
and listening comprehension, as well as enhance students' talents.

In Tran Kieu My An's study, "An Investigation Into The Common Pronunciation
Errors Made By Young Learners," the author performed a study on 50 students
and discovered that the error in pronunciation accounted for 20% which was a
concerning issue. As a result, the author concludes that it is vital to practise a lot
of pronunciation exercises so that it becomes a reflex to be able to speak English
correctly.
8
Another study, "Errors 1st-year students at '-ed', HULIS-VNU make with ending
sounds and strategies to overcome using communicative teaching," by a
domestic researcher, Pham Thi Cam Chi, aims to analyse ending sound errors in
pronunciation of the first-year Vietnamese students in HULIS-VNU to raise
awareness of their pronunciation problem. Her research identifies ending sound
mistakes that first-year English students at HULIS-VNU are prone to make and
the communicative tactics to remediate the problem.

In the above studies, the researchers were all trying to find errors when
pronouncing the last pronunciation of the groups of subjects they studied. All
researchers strive to collect factual data within the boundaries of their research
in order to provide the most thorough and impartial assessment of the research
topic. The proportion of persons who make mistakes or make typical mistakes
varies depending on the objectives. However, as second language learners, they
experience comparable issues, such as missing the last syllable or adding the last
syllable at random.

In this study work, we will review and investigate this topic for students at
Hanoi Pedagogical University 2 based on past research and rationales for ending
sound studies.

1. English pronunciation

The term "pronunciation" relates to how we produce the sound of words.

We push air from our lungs up through our neck and vocal chords, into our
mouth, past our tongue, and out between our teeth and lips to pronounce words.
(Occasionally, air passes via our nostrils.)

We primarily utilise the muscles of our mouth, tongue, and lips to alter the shape
of our mouth and the flow of air to vary the sound we make. If we can regulate
the contour of our lips and the movement of air appropriately, our pronunciation
will be crisper and more readily understood by others.
9
For pronunciation, speakers of various languages tend to develop different
mouth muscles. When we speak a foreign language, our muscles may not be
fully formed, making pronunciation more challenging. Our muscles grow and
our pronunciation improves when we practise foreign language pronunciation.

Along with making perfect vowel and consonant sounds with our mouth,
tongue, and lips, there are several additional components of pronunciation to
consider.

- Word stress is the emphasis placed on specific syllables in a word phrase.

- Sentence stress - emphasis on specific words in a phrase
- Linking - combining certain words
- Intonation - the fluctuation of our voice while we talk.

Pronunciation is one of the most crucial aspects of speaking English or any other
language well. People with high pronunciation abilities may readily transmit
messages that the listener understands and completely understands. Different
linguists and scholars have defined pronunciation in various ways. First of all,
according to Wikipedia "Pronunciation is the method in which a word or a
language is uttered. This may relate to widely accepted sound sequences used in
speaking a certain word or language in a specific dialect (proper pronunciation),
or simply the way a single individual speaks a word or language." According to
the Cambridge Advance Learner's Dictionary (2008), pronunciation relates to
how a language or a specific sound is uttered or how a phrase or sound is
created. Carter and Nunan (2001) also make a comment concerning
pronunciation definitions. Pronunciation refers to the production and perception
of important sounds that serve to achieve meaning in language usage. Similarly,
Pourhosein Gilakjani (2016) defined pronunciation as the creation of English
sounds. Pronunciation is learned by repeating sounds and correcting them when
they are incorrectly produced. When students begin to study pronunciation, they
form new habits and overcome problems caused by their native language.

10
Pronunciation, according to Yates (2002, as referenced in Pourhosein Gilakjani,
2016), is the creation of sounds that are employed to make meaning. The
production of sounds that we utilise to produce meaning is referred to as
pronunciation. It includes paying attention to a language's specific sounds
(segments), aspects of speech that go beyond the level of the individual sound,
such as intonation, phrasing, stress, timing, and rhythm (supra-segmental
aspects), how the voice is projected (voice quality), and, in its broadest
definition, paying attention to gestures and expressions that are closely related to
how we speak a language. Furthermore, pronunciation is the design of a sound
system that does not obstruct communication, either from the speakers' or
listeners' perspectives (Paulston & Burder, 1976). The act of uttering a word
correctly is known as pronunciation. Thi Truc Ly Bui, Thanh Hiep Mai, Thao
Nguyen Nguyen “A study on errors in pronouncing dental sounds of english-
majored sophomores at Tay Do university in Vietnam” Volume 6, Issue
5, 2021, 152 acceptable way (Otlowski, 1998). Richard and Schmidt (2002)
defined pronunciation as the process of creating certain sounds. Furthermore,
pronunciation has been dubbed the "Cinderella" of language instruction
(CelceMurcia, Brinton & Goodwin, 1996; Seidlhofer, 2001). Although
Chavangklang (2013) stated that pronunciation is one of the primary themes of
L2 (second language), students continue to struggle with English pronunciation
after having studied English for many years. Acceptable pronunciation,
according to James (2010), may be understood at the following fundamental
levels. In level 1, the listeners cannot grasp what the speaker is saying. People
can comprehend what the speaker is saying at level 2, but the speaker's
pronunciation is difficult to listen to since he or she has a peculiar and thick
accent. People understand the speaker at level 3, and the speaker's English is
appropriate to listen to. Ngoc Han (2018) described pronunciation as a process
of making sounds so that the speaker may share ideas and feelings with other
people. According to research by Dewing, Munro, and Wiebe (1997) and
Macdonald, Yule, and Powers (1994), pronunciation is a crucial component of a
11
language and affects linguistic expression. Overall, the definitions above
demonstrate that pronunciation is an essential component of communication.
Definitions give learners with clarity and ideal solutions to successfully increase
their English skills.

2. The importance of pronunciation

There are many of us learning English with the aim of communicating with
foreigners or native speakers. So as to speak well, the primary purpose they have
to fret regarding is pronunciation. Therefore, pronunciation is one of the
foremost important things that learners got to master in order to communicate
fittingly and fluently. In line with Suwartono, pronunciation is a necessary part
of a language, for the character of the language is spoken. Pronunciation is the
most significant and tough drawback that non-native English speakers have to
face once learning English. A common error made by many overseas students
studying English as a foreign language is failing to pay attention to English
pronunciation. Most students underestimate the significance of pronunciation
because they believe that it is less significant than other components of English
such as grammar, linguistics, and vocabulary. Pronunciation may be an
important concern for students who want to speak fluently. Thus, proper
pronunciation and communication abilities are inextricably related. A research
conducted by Rajadurai (2001) on the perspective and concern for perfect
English pronunciation among a group of Malaysian ESL teacher trainees
revealed that over 80% of the trainees agreed that pronunciation is an important
component in English communication. Besides, pronunciation is additionally
necessary for listening comprehension skills in English. The quality
pronunciation that is, learners, savvy words are pronounced. Therefore, it's very
useful for listening comprehension. in line with Anil (2008) “pronunciation
reinforces listening to what you’ve recently learnt through perennial exposure.
Specifically, hearing someone pronounce the term the primary time when you
discovered its pronunciation is extremely reassuring". In short, no one can
12
disagree that pronunciation is crucial in learning to speak. Because the first stage
in communicating is to pronounce correctly, listeners are better able to grasp the
message being delivered. Furthermore, if students want to converse like native
speakers, they must grasp pronunciation. From a higher perspective, the study
may reveal that accurate pronunciation has various advantages and
disadvantages over incorrect pronunciation.

II. Definition of ending sound

1. Ending sounds pronunciation

In English, voiceless consonants (/p/, /t/, /k/, /f/…) and voiced consonants
(/b/, /d/, /g/, /v/…) are frequently used as ending sounds.

When we speak, we make noises in our throat using our vocal cords, which are
known as voiced consonants. When you pronounce voiced sounds, you will feel
a little vibration in your neck. (For example, the sound /l/)

Voiceless consonants, on the other hand, are those that do not cause the throat to
vibrate when speaking. You'll notice that when you read the voiceless
consonants, air comes out of your mouth rather than your throat. (For example,
the sound /p/)

Definition: Ending sounds are the final sound of a word. These ending sounds
are usually the sound of the consonant at the end of the word.

For example:

 The word “Make” Ends with the vowel /e/, the last consonant is /k/

13
2. Classification of ending sounds in English

In Vietnamese, a word consists of only one consonant and rhyme, while in

English it is different, where a word can contain vowels and multiple
consonants.

Ending sounds in English include 3 main types, which are:

 The word itself has ending sounds

For example: Case, rough, boss, break, fraud…

 “s/es” ending sounds: 2 forms of adding “s/es” to plural nouns or verbs

followed by 3rd person singular “He”, “She”, “It” in the present tense at
the application.

For example:

o I have two pencil boxes.

o She catches the bus every day.
o He plays tennis with his friends.
 "ed" ending sound: The form that adds "ed" to the verb stem in the
regular past tense.

For example: listened, stopped, danced…

The last sound also helps us to distinguish some words with similar
pronunciation.

For example:

o Food – Foot
o Kiss – Kid
o No – Nose

14
2.1. The “-s” ending sound

● Rules for pronouncing ending sounds

Ending Used Sound Pronunciation

s

-s/-es Soundless sound /p/ /t/ /k/ /s/

/f/ /θ/
Plural Noun

Verb Conjugation Wind sound /s/, /z/, /ʃ/, /ʒ/, /iz/

he/she/it /tʃ/, /dʒ/

Voiced sounds (remaining /z/

consonants and vowels)

2.2. The “-ed” ending sound

● Rules for pronouncing ending sounds

The “-ed" ending is in the past participle. All verbs have four principal parts.
Those parts are the base form, the past form, the present participle, and the past
participle. The past form of verbs includes regular verbs and irregular verbs. It
can find –ed ending in the past form of regular verbs and past participles. There
are some ways to use the past participle, they are: with the perfect tenses; with
the passive voiced; participial phrases; participial adjectives. The "-ed" ending is
found in adjectives as well as the past forms of ordinary verbs and past
participles. There is a vast set of adjectives that can end in "-ed" or "-ing". There
is, however, a considerable difference between them. The "-ing" ending is
utilised on adjectives that describe a person, object, or circumstance," Redman
discovered. Meanwhile, the "-ed" ending is applied to adjectives that explain
15
how this person, thing, or event affects us. As previously stated, there are a large
number of words in English that end in -ed. Words with -ed endings can be
found in past forms and past participle forms.

The –ed ending is used to make the past tense and the past participle (Syafei,
1988:90). He adds that it has three pronunciations; [t] as in “picked”[pIkt], [d]
as in ‘believed” [bIli:vd], and [Id] as in “needed” [ni: dId]. Moreover, he
indicates the rules to pronounce the –ed ending as follows: a. [d] after all voiced
consonants except [d], and after all vowel sounds as in planned [plænd], begged
[begd], played [pleid]; b. [t] after all voiceless consonants except [t] as in
stopped [stopt], kissed [kIst], picked [pIkt]; c. [id] after [d,t] as in needed [ni:
dId], wanted [wɔntId]. While Syafei concentrated on the pronunciation of the -
ed ending in the past tense and past participle forms, Bowler and Cunningham
only look at the -ed ending as an adjective. The -ed ending in adjective, like it
does in past forms and past participles, has three pronunciations: [t], [d], and
[Id]. The guidelines provided by Bowler and Cunningham for pronouncing -ed
endings are similar to Syafei's. The following are the rules:

a. When –ed follows the sound [d] or [t], it is pronounced [Id];

b. When –ed follows a voiceless consonant apart from [t] ([p], [k], [f], [s], [θ],
[∫], [t∫], it is pronounced [t]);

c. When –ed follows a vowel sound, or a voiced consonant sound apart from [d]
([b], [g], [v], [z], [ð], [ʒ], [dʒ], [m], [n], [ŋ], [l], [r], it is pronounced [d]).

However, Bowler and Cunningham state that there are some adjectives which do
not follow these rules. They have –ed endings which are pronounced [Id], such
as in naked [‘neikId], wicked [‘wikId], etc. (Syafei, 1988:91)

The “-ed” appears at the end of regular verbs in the past tense (e.g. wanted,
helped, lived) sometimes in adjectives ending in “-ed” (e.g. tired, embarrassed,
relaxed) as well as in some Past Participles. However the pronunciation of “-ed”
16
sometimes causes problems for non-native speakers because it can be
pronounced in three different ways: as / id /, as / t / or as / d /. Before we learn
the different ways to pronounce “-ed”, we must first know what voiced and
voiceless consonants are. The pronunciation of words ending in “-ed” depends
on the final consonant sound. There are three ways to pronounce “-ed” at the
end of a word in English: /id/ /t/ /d/.

Voiced Consonants vs. Voiceless Consonants:

A voiced consonant (or sound) means that it uses the vocal cords and they
produce a vibration or humming sound in the throat when they are said. Put your
finger on your throat and then pronounce the letter L. A little vibration will be
felt in your neck/throat. This is due to the fact that it is a vocal sound. When
there is no vibration in your throat and the sound emerges from your mouth, you
have a voiceless sound (also known as an unvoiced sound). Say the letter P
aloud. You will observe how it exits your mouth (in fact near your lips at the
front of your mouth). The P sound does not originate in your throat. Experiment
with the other letters to "feel" the difference between a voiced and a voiceless
consonant (or sound). Now that we understand the distinction between voiced
and voiceless sounds, we can apply the following criteria to correctly pronounce
"-ed" in English:

1. The /id/ sound: If the word's last letter is /d/ or /t/, the "-ed" is pronounced as a
distinct syllable with a /id/ sound (it rhymes with kid and lid).

2. The /t/ sound: If the word's last consonant is voiceless, the "-ed" is heard as
a /t/. Take care not to add an additional syllable or a "id" sound.

3. The /d/ sound: If the word's last letter is a voiced consonant (or sound), the "-
ed" is sounded like a /d/. (without creating another syllable)

Ending Used Sound Pronunciation

17
s

-d/-ed Past verbs 2 sounds /t/ /d/ /id/

Participle verb
Voiceless sound /p/, k/, /f/, /s/, /ʃ/, /t/
2nd
/tʃ/

Voiced sounds (remaining /d/

consonants and vowels)

-d/-ed Adj /id/

They had no idea how to pronounce or discriminate words ending in -ed, -d, or -
t. The pupils' difficulties pronouncing -ed ends were caused by a lack of
awareness about the pronunciation of -ed endings. It is also conceivable that
they are unfamiliar with the idea and are unable to apply it verbally. The pupils
are unfamiliar with the -ed ending. The students had previously learned
phonetics and phonology, but they had never practised with their classmates.
They also seldom read a book on -words, which confuses them when it comes to
pronouncing the -ed ending words. The student's first language is not English.
The learners' lack of understanding of the "-ed" ending. One of the reasons
students have difficulty pronouncing the "-ed" ending is a lack of information
about the "-ed" ending. The pupils had previously studied phonetics and
phonology, but they have never reviewed the content that they learned when
studying the -ed ending. As a result, when pupils are given terms like /id/, /d/,
/t/ they find it difficult to pronounce them all. Students also never read books on
pronunciation, particularly those on how to pronounce "-ed" ending nouns.
Students just understand the idea and never practise the "-ed" ending words.
There are those pupils who just know the theory well. They understand which is
18
the final /id/, /d/ or /t/, but they never practise pronouncing the -ed ending words
or only practise with their friends via discussion. Mentioning the words makes
their tongue seem odd. As a result, they understand the principle yet pronounce
the -ed ending words incorrectly.

Ending Used Sound Pronunciation

s

-d/-ed Past verbs 2 sounds /t/ /d/ /id/

Participle verb
Voiceless sound /p/, k/, /f/, /s/, /ʃ/, /t/
2nd
/tʃ/

Voiced sounds (remaining /d/

consonants and vowels)

-d/-ed Adj /id/

3. The significance of pronoun the ending “-s” “-ed” sound correctly

The purpose of adding

● -s / 's
- To form plural nouns (cats)
- To conjugate verbs (snows)
- To show ownership (coach's)
- To abbreviate the word (coach’s means coach is)

● -ed

19
 - In the noun phrase: The function of the adjectives ending in ing and ed
in the noun phrase is to modify the noun.

- After tobe or linking verbs: adjectives ending in ed now to add meaning

to the sentence

- Adjectives after indefinite pronouns: the adjective ed in the sentence

modifies the indefinite pronoun.

III. Root of ending sound error

Ending sound mistakes are described as "the incorrect pronunciation of the final
consonant of a word" by Mark (2008). Here is an introduction to Treiman's six
sorts of ending sound mistakes (1989)

- Cluster reduction: is defined as "removing one or more consonants from a

target cluster such that only a single consonant appears at syllable borders."

- Cluster simplification: An error arises when one or more members of a cluster

are generated differently from the intended phoneme.

- Epenthesis: this is the insertion of some vowel ( normally a schwa ) between

cluster elements

- Coalescence: it occurs when the yielded pronunciation contains a new

consonant composed of features from the original consonant - Omitting nasal
and liquid sound: in consonants cluster consisting of pre-final + final consonants
with nasal (/n, /m /) or liquid (/r, /l/) as the first element, (/m, n , l, r / + final
consonants), nasals and liquid sounds are often omitted.

Possible phonetic spelling: Spellers prefer to spell words in erroneous but

phonetically reasonable ways when expressing the initial consonant of a cluster.

In all, ending sound mistakes were classified into three categories:

20
  The last consonant or one constituent of a cluster is omitted in reduction.
 Insertion is the process of putting a consonant at the end of a word.
 Substitution is replacing an English consonant with a phonetically similar
Vietnamese sound.

In the current study, the findings of student tapes recorded and observations will
be analyzed according to the three types of errors mentioned above .

1. Common pronunciation errors -s

1.1. Dropping the ending sound –s

Non-native speakers may have difficulty pronouncing "-s" at the end of plural
nouns and verbs in the third person, as well as as part of the possessive case,
because it can be pronounced in three ways: / z /, / s /, or / z /. The last sound of
the verb or word, which is frequently a consonant, determines the pronunciation.
Before we can learn how to pronounce the final “-s”, we need to understand
voiced and voiceless consonants, as well as sibilant sounds: Consonants with
and without voices.
When a consonant (or sound) is voiced, it employs the vocal chords to generate
a vibrating or humming sound in the throat. Place your finger on your throat and
say the letter L slowly. A little vibration will be felt in your neck/throat. This is
due to the fact that it is a vocal sound.

A voiceless sound (also known as an unvoiced sound) happens when there is no

vibration in your throat and the sound comes from your mouth. Pronounce the
letter P. You'll notice how it exits your mouth (in fact near your lips at the front
of your mouth). The P sound does not come from your throat.

Experiment with the other letters to "feel" the difference between a voiced and a
voiceless consonant (or sound). The last S in plural nouns and verbs in the third
person is pronounced differently depending on the final consonant sound
preceding that S. After a voiceless sound, the ending is pronounced /s/, after a
voiced sound, and after a sibilant sound, it is pronounced /z/ or /z/:
21
· Voiceless: helps /ps/ -- sits /ts/ -- looks /ks/

· Voiced: crabs /bz/ -- words /dz/ -- gloves /vz/,

· Sibilant: buses /sɪz / or /səz /, bridges /dʒɪz / or /dʒəz /, wishes /shɪz / or /shəz /

‘-s”, “-es” are of the most used ending sounds in English but also a common
pronunciation pitfall of students. Once you’ve categorized which group of words
you need to pronounce, just follow these three simple rules to pronounce s es:

Rule 1: Pronounce s with words ending in /f/, /t/, /k/, /p/, /θ/
The ending characters -p, -k, -t, -f and -th are often used for voiceless sounds,
according to the phonetic transcription would be /f/, /t/, /k/, /p/ and /θ/. If a word
ends in a voiceless sound (when the larynx does not vibrate when speaking), an
s sound will be placed at the end.
Rule 2: Pronounce iz with words ending in /s/, /z/, //, /t/, /d/, //

Words ending in -sh, -ce, -s, -ss, -z, -ge, -ch, -x, called voiceless consonants, often end with

Rule 3: Pronounce z with the rest of the words

If the word ends in a voiced sound (you can check by looking up the IPA or
touching your throat and feeling for laryngeal vibration), adding s es to the word
and we will pronounce them as /z/. For easy identification, you can use the
exclusion with the above two cases. If it does not belong to both of the first two
groups, the word would apply the third rule.
They didn't know how to pronounce or identify words ending in "-s". The
students' difficulty pronouncing the "-s" ending were due to a lack of
understanding about how to pronounce the "-s" ending. It's also possible that
they're unfamiliar with the concept and are unable to express it orally. The "-s"
ending is unknown to the students. The students had previously studied
phonetics and phonology but had never practised with their peers. They also
seldom read a book on -words, so they are unsure how to pronounce the -s

22
ending words. English is not the students' first language. The "-s" ending is
unfamiliar to the student.
One of the pupils' difficulties in pronouncing the -s ending is a lack of
information about the -s ending. The pupils had previously learned about
phonetics and phonology, but they had never reviewed the content that they had
learned when studying the -s ending. As a result, when pupils are given words
with the letters s/ iz /z, they find it difficult to pronounce them altogether.
Students also never read literature about pronunciation, particularly how to
pronounce -s ending words. The students just know the theory but never practice
the –s ending words. Sometimes, there are some students who just know the
theory well. They know which one is final s/ iz/ or z. but because they never
practice to pronounce the –s ending words or just practice with their friends by
using conversation. It makes their tongue so strange to mention the words. so the
result, they just know the theory well but when they pronounce the –s ending
words, they get wrong.
1.2. Adding the final sound /s/ at random
Some pronunciation troubles revolve across the consonant /s/. According to a
observe through Nguyen (2007), the consonant /s/ is brought to the stop of
phrases with the shape CVC (Consonant - Vowel - Consonant), that's frequently
ignored.
For example, withinside the sentence "Every morning, she sits in the back of the
class". The verb sit (v) /sɪt/: to sit, withinside the sentence is withinside the gift
easy shape is sits, the right pronunciation is /sɪts/. The sound /s/ on the stop of
the phrase sits on this sentence is frequently ignored to /sɪt/ withinside the
communique process. Especially for college kids who're beginning to research
English.
People typically use the sound of wind indiscriminately. Many humans have the
dependancy of adding /s/ arbitrarily on the stop of every phrase when speaking.
Many humans simply randomly upload s with out understanding that, it
influences the capacity of the listener to apprehend you. They assume that
23
having greater wind sounds will make their English sound better, and sound like
a local speaker.

2.Common pronunciation errors -ed

2.1. Dropping the ending sound –ed

The "-ed" ending is used in the Past Participle. Every verb has four main
elements. These are the base form, past form, present participle, and past
participle. Regular verbs and irregular verbs are both in the past form. The -ed
ending can be found in the past form of ordinary verbs and past participles.
There are several methods to employ the past participle, including the perfect
tenses, the passive voice, participial phrases, and participial adjectives. The -ed
ending is found not only in normal verbs and past participles, but also in
adjectives. There is a vast set of adjectives that can end in -ed or -ing. However,
there is a significant difference between them. Redman (2001:64), found that
“the –ing ending is used on adjectives which describe a person or thing or
situation. Meanwhile, the –ed ending is used on adjectives which describe the
effect this person, thing, or situation has on us. There is a large number of words
in English that end with –ed as stated in the previous discussion. We can find
words with –ed ending in the past forms and past participle forms. The –ed
ending is used to make the past tense and the past participle (Syafei, 1988:90).
He adds that it has three pronunciations; [t] as in “picked”[pIkt], [d] as in
‘believed” [bIli:vd], and [Id] as in “needed” [ni: dId]. Moreover, he indicates the
rules to pronounce the –ed ending as follows:

a. [d] after all voiced consonants except [d], and after all vowel sounds as in
planned [plænd], begged [begd], played [pleid];

b. [t] after all voiceless consonants except [t] as in stopped [stopt], kissed [kIst],
picked [pIkt];

c. [id] after [d,t] as in needed [ni: dId], wanted [wɔntId].

24
While Syafei concentrated on the pronunciation of the -ed ending as the past
tense and past participle forms, Bowler and Cunningham solely focus on the -ed
ending as an adjective. The -ed ending in adjective has three pronunciations, just
like it does in past forms and past participles: [t], [d], and [Id]. The guidelines
provided by Bowler and Cunningham in pronouncing -ed endings are similar to
Syafei's. The regulations are as follows:

a. When –ed follows the sound [d] or [t], it is pronounced [Id];

b. When –ed follows a voiceless consonant apart from [t] ([p], [k], [f], [s], [θ],
[∫], [t∫], it is pronounced [t]);

c. When –ed follows a vowel sound, or a voiced consonant sound apart from [d]
([b], [g], [v], [z], [ð], [ʒ], [dʒ], [m], [n], [ŋ], [l], [r], it is pronounced [d]).
However, Bowler and Cunningham state that there are some adjectives which do
not follow these rules. They have –ed endings which are pronounced [Id], such
as in naked [‘neikId], wicked [‘wikId], etc. (Syafei, 1988:91)

The "-ed" comes at the end of normal verbs in the past tense (e.g. wanted,
assisted, lived), as well as in some adjectives ending in "-ed" (e.g. exhausted,
humiliated, relaxed). However, non-native speakers may have difficulty
pronouncing "-ed" since it may be spoken in three ways: as / id /, as / t /, or as /
d /. Before we can learn how to pronounce "-ed", we must first understand what
voiced and voiceless consonants are. The pronunciation of words ending in ED
depends on the final consonant sound. There are three ways to pronounce ED at
the end of a word in English: /id/ /t/ /d/. Voiced Consonants vs. Voiceless
Consonants: A voiced consonant (or sound) means that it uses the vocal cords
and they produce a vibration or humming sound in the throat when they are said.
Put your finger on your throat and then pronounce the letter L. You will notice a
slight vibration in your neck/throat. That is because it is a voiced sound. A
voiceless sound (sometimes called an unvoiced sound) is when there is no
vibration in your throat and the sound comes from the mouth area. Pronounce
25
the letter P. You will notice how it comes from your mouth (in fact near your
lips at the front of your mouth). The P sound does not originate in your throat.
Practice with the other letters to "feel" the difference between a voiced and a
voiceless consonant (or sound). Now that we understand the distinction between
voiced and voiceless sounds, we can apply the following criteria to correctly
pronounce ED in English:

1. The /id/ sound: If the word's last letter is D or T, the ED is pronounced as a

distinct syllable with a /id/ sound (it rhymes with kid and lid).

2. The /t/ sound: If the word's last consonant is voiceless, the ED is heard as a
T. Take care not to add an additional syllable or a "id" sound.

3. The /d/ sound: If the last letter of the words ends in a voiced consonant (or
sound), then the ED is pronounced like a D (without creating another syllable)

They did not know how to pronounce and differentiate the words with final –ed,
-d, or -t. The problems encountered by the students in pronouncing –ed endings
were caused by their lack of knowledge of the pronunciation of –ed endings. It
is also conceivable that they are unfamiliar with the idea and are unable to apply
it verbally. The kids are unfamiliar with the -ed ending. The pupils had
previously learned phonetics and phonology, but they had never practised with
their classmates. They also seldom read a book on -words, which confuses them
when it comes to pronouncing the -ed ending words. The student's first language
is not English. The learners' lack of understanding of the -ed ending. One of the
reasons students have difficulty pronouncing the -ed ending is a lack of
information about the -ed ending. The pupils had previously studied phonetics
and phonology, but they have never reviewed the content that they learned when
studying the -ed ending. So, when the students get words that should be
pronounced id/ d /t. the students feel difficult to pronounce them all. The
students also never read some books related to pronunciation, especially about
how to pronounce –ed ending words. The students just know the theory but
26
never practice the –ed ending words. There are those pupils who just know the
theory well. They understand which is the final id/ d/ or t, but they never
practise pronouncing the -ed ending words or only practise with their friends via
discussion. Mentioning the words makes their tongue seem odd. As a result,
they understand the principle yet pronounce the -ed ending words incorrectly.

2.3. Pronunciation of all the ending -ed is /id /

The pronunciation of -ed has 3 rules we need to remember:

2.3.1. Pronounce ed as /t/

If a word ends with a voiceless sound, “ed” will be pronounced soundless and
will be read as /t/. Specifically, words that end in the sound /p/, /k/, /f/, /t/ , /s/,
/θ/, /ʃ/, /tʃ/, /h/ we will read “ed” is “t”.

For example, sounds ending in ed read as /t/:

- chopped /ʧɒpt/
- checked /ʧɛkt/
- puffed /pʌft/
- missed /mɪst/
- fixed / fɪkst/
- coughed /kɒft/
- asked /æskt/
- washed /wɔːʃt/
- hope /hope/
- laughed / lɑ:ft /
- brushed: /brt/
- looked: /lu:kt/
- stopped : /sta:pt/

27
2.3.2. Pronounce ed as /d/
In case a word ends with a voiced sound, “ed” will be read as “d”. As mentioned
above, the voiced sounds include /d/, /b/, /g/, /δ/, /ʒ/, /dʒ/, /m/, /n/, /ng/, /l /, /r/,
/y/, /w/, /v/ and /z/.

For example, sounds ending in ed are read as /d/

- absorbed /əbˈsɔːbd/
- played /pleɪd/
- tugged /tʌgd/
- canceled /ˈkænsəld/
- claim /kleɪmd/
- abandoned /əˈbændənd/
- delivered /dɪˈlɪvəd/

2.3.3 Pronounce ed as /id/

The last case, if the ed ending comes after /t/ and /d/, it will be pronounced /ɪd/.

Examples of sounds ending in ed are /ɪd/:

- wait /ˈweɪtɪd/
- wanted /ˈwɑːntɪd/
- mended /ˈmɛndɪd/
- pointed /ˈpɔɪntɪd/
- added /ˈædɪd/
- granted /ˈgrɑːntɪd/
- painted /ˈpeɪntɪd/
- founded /ˈfaʊndɪd/
- opened / pənd/
- needed / ni:did

28
2.3.4 Exceptions when pronouncing ed
In addition to the above 3 rules, there are some exception verbs that are
pronounced /ɪd/ such as:

- wretched (adj) /ˈretʃɪd/

- wicked (adj) /ˈwɪkɪd/
- dogged (adj) /ˈdɒɡɪd/
- crooked (adj) /ˈkrʊkɪd/
- aged (adj) /ˈeɪdʒɪd/
- rugged (adj) /ˈrʌɡɪd/
- sacred (adj) /ˈseɪkrɪd/
- blessed / blesid/
- cursed /‘kɜ:rsɪd /
- beloved /bɪ'lʌvɪd/

Not knowing the correct pronunciation of a word makes it common for non-
native language learners - especially English. Therefore, people often have the
habit of reading every word ending in -ed by pronouncing it /id/ which is
understandable. We need to know the phonetic transcription of words as well as
the pronunciation of the prefixes and suffixes. Specifically in this case we need
to focus on the three pronunciations of the -ed ending sound.

29
 PART THREE: SURVEY

As far as English pronunciation, there are very hard-to-pronounce words exactly

in some contexts. If someone wants to say the word perfectly, they must master
such different types of sounds in general, and ending sounds "s" and "ed" in
particular. As such, there are various items to consider with a view to
pronouncing the right ending sound in English.

I. Participants

Based on the basic demands of Ha Noi pedagogical University No 2 students, I

collected data from 30 students, record their pronunciation, point out their errors
then fix them. During the collection period, I discovered a lot of students'
mistakes with the "s" and "ed" sounds. But there are also students who are very
good at pronunciation.

II. Data collection instrument

In order to detect the error in the pronunciation "s" and "ed", a range of sound
questions are provided.

The surveys, which take the form of a test, include actions such as recording
one's voice while uttering a word, listening and selecting the best response, and
distinguishing ending "-s" and "-ed" sounds.

The examination was created for all students at Ha Noi Pedagogical University
2. They had, of course, been taught how to pronounce the last sound. The exam
materials were based on some fundamental and frequent terms that are
commonly used in communication. The key principles were tested, and certain
terms were altered to suit the intended learner. The time allotted for five
questions is 10 minutes (including recording questions).The test for non-major
and major students was released, and all answers were collected. On the whole,
30
the major students did the test better than the non-major students did, which is
understandable.

1. Questionnaire

For the questionnaire, I make a list of the basic question for both major and non-
major English students at Ha Noi pedagogical University No 2. Most of them
were answered seriously. Some students didn’t have an answer or wrote the
wrong answer.

2. The rationale of the questionnaire

Nowadays, most students don't understand how to pronounce ending sounds

correctly. They say the word by their feeling. For example, with the words:
"boxes, sleeps, words", most students not only pronounce to /s/ sound but also
no pronounced them. They think those ending sounds are unnecessary and don't
need to say them correctly. On the other hand, in high school, their teacher only
teach them how to distinguish sounds in handwriting, and they didn't teach their
student how to say those words, so students may forget what they were taught
quickly. For this reason, I decided to make the questionnaire to survey the
number of students who understand the word with the ending sound correctly.

2.1. Procedure of questionnaire

The questionnaire

1. Do you recognize any differences in the final sound -s? ·

₊ Tooks

₊ Exams

2. Do you recognize any differences in the final sound -ed? ·

₊ Started

31
₊ Failed

₊ Helped

3. Listen to the following words. (Interview by google form)

1.1. Do you recognize any differences in the final sound -s?

· Tooks

· Exams

 Tooks ends with the /s/ sound while Exams ends with the /z/ sound.

1.2. Do you recognize any differences in the final sound -ed?

· Started

· Failed

· Helped

 Started ends with the /id/ sound; Failed ends with the /d/ sound and Helped
ends with the /t/ sound

4. How does the final sound of these following words pronounce?

a) Decided

· /ɪd/

· /t/

· /d/

b) Called

· /ɪd/

32
· /t/

· /d/

c) Saved

· /ɪd/

· /t/

· /d/

d) Missed

· /ɪd/

· /t/

· /d/

e) Appreciates

· /s/

· /z/

f) Explains

· /s/

· /z/

g) Sits

· /s/

· /z/

h) Gloves

33
· /s/

· /z/

i) Sniffs

· /s/

· /z/

2.2. Recorded test

We also make a question for students to record their voice when interviewees
say the words. We list five basic words, in this number of words, there are two
words have “-s” ending sound, and three other words have “-ed” ending sound. I
record voice of twenty student, and there are quarter of this numeral didn’t
record. Other student know what is this word, but still don’t know how to
pronounce them with ending sound.

2.2.1. The rationale of the recorded test

Base on demand of English learner in Ha Noi Pedagogical University 2, both

major and non-major student. English learner who want to speak better, all of
them must know what is different sound when say “-s” and “-ed” ending sound.
For HPU2 students in particular, as a teacher in the future, we need to have a
understanding for this basic sound. In many years when we were a student in
high school, we learnt to know different in handwriting but we still didn’t know
about how to say the word good. That’s why I rationale that recorded test beside
of questionnaire.

2.2.2. The procedure of recorded test

1. How do you pronounce this word? (Record then calculate the

proportion of students that make mistakes)

34
 a) Beds

b) Explains

c) Ended

d) Laughed

e) Begged

3. Result of the survey:

The system of English pronunciation “-s” and “-ed” ending sound

tested falls into three major groups. The first group consists of “-s” ending
sound. Their pronunciation are /s/ and /z/. The second group is “-ed”
ending sound which have pronounce are /Id/, /t/, and /d/. The last group is
recording test. The student will say the words and record them.

The way in which the percentages were calculated is as follow. The

first step was to count the number of errors. The second step was to
quantity the question which had not been completed or wrong answer.
The third step was to count the number of correct answer. The last step
was work out the percentage.

It is important to note that the correct pronunciation was judged on the

basis of phonetically. All the error were ignored. If student has other
answer, but this answer was invalid, this answer was considered to be
wrong. The chart below is show the percentages.

35
3.1. Major student

Regarding the knowledge of “-s” and “-ed” of the major students, the
average percentage of errors of all types is 45%. The average percentage
of mispronunciation and don’t know how to pronounce “-s” is 57%. The
average percentage of mispronunciation and don’t know how to
pronounce “-ed” is about 34%.

In the view of student mispronunciation, both “-s” and “-ed” ending

sounds have great rates. The number of students who mispronounces the
“-s” sound is 87%, more than students who have mistaken it for the “-ed”
sound 60%.

In general, the percentage of English major students in Ha Noi

pedagogical University No 2 who don’t know how to pronounce the “-s”
and “-ed” sounds have no difference, is 27%.

3.2. Non-major student

36
Generally, the percentage of non-major student mispronunciation for “-s”
and “-ed” ending sound is more than major student. The average of
student who mispronounce and don’t know how to pronounce “-s” ending
sound is 60%. The average of student who mispronunciation and don’t
know how to pronounce “-ed” ending sound is 54%.

For non-major student who mispronounce “-s” ending sound is less than
major student 20%. The student don’t know how to pronounce “-s” sound
is 53%, nearly as twice as major student.

For student who mispronounce “-ed” ending sound is 47%, and don’t
know how to pronounce this sound is 60%.

3.3. Recorded test.

For recorded test, our group had recorded about twenty student, and find
some error for speaking skill of both major and non-major student in Ha
Noi pedagogical University no 2.

For “-s” sound, almost student don’t understand what is different

between /s/ and /z/, so they always pronounce to /s/. About 15% student
don’t say the “-s” ending sound.

For “-ed” ending sounds, the number of major student who understand
and can pronounce it are more than non-major student. But there are a lot
of non-major student have correctly pronounce.

37
 PART FOUR: CORRECTIVE METHODS

I. Pronouncing ending sounds most effectively

● Firmly grasp the pronunciation of consonants in English (according to

IPA)
● To pronounce ending sounds correctly, you first need to master how to
read consonants in English – look them up in the IPA table – the English
phonetic table.

► Listen to the pronunciation of native speakers

You can listen to it over and over again as a native speaker says in any movie,
video or newsletter you feel like or communicate a lot with foreigners. Then
practice repeating the words and sentences in a natural reflex. Gradually the
pronunciation will be formed in your head, you will not only be able to say one
sentence, but many other sentences with that voice.

► Pronounce each word clearly

38
Clearly pronouncing each word plays an important role in pronouncing the tail
sound. Each word in English has its own pronunciation, requiring all syllables
(both vowels and consonants) to be pronounced.

Adjusting the pronunciation of each word separately helps you not to

mispronounce or swallow the wrong sound. You should get into the habit of
looking up the dictionary to see the pronunciation and pronunciation instead of
just focusing on translating the meaning of the word.

► Practice linking English words

Matching English sounds is also a great way to practice final pronunciation. In

fact, in everyday communication, native speakers connect sounds quite a lot,
especially in cases where the last consonant of the previous word comes before
the first vowel of the following word.

For example: “I got it”, “Put it on”, “She likes you”,…

When connecting such sounds, you are required to pronounce the last sound of
words and will not forget to pronounce the last sound if you regularly practice
connecting the sound to a first vowel of the following word.

► Pay attention to the intonation of the sentence

You should remember, the intonation of fast or slow sentences is closely related
to the ending sounds. The reason you can clearly pronounce ending sounds is
because of how you raise and lower your voice and pause in the sentence.

When you stress on a word, you are required to pronounce the full syllable and
the ending sound is no exception.

II. Use the dictionary

In addition to printed dictionaries that will provide the learner with a phonetic
transcription of a word, there are numerous online dictionaries where the learner
39
can just click and hear the word being spoken. Dictionary is A wonderful
resource for seeing what new words sound like.

Besides, a dictionary will also provide the learner with word stress. Word stress
is an integral part of English pronunciation. For words with multiple syllables,
we need to know which syllables have primary stress and which syllables have
no stress. If you use the wrong accent (for example, by stressing the wrong
syllable), the other person may not understand you.

III. Practice pronouncing each sound clearly

First, to learn how to pronounce we need to learn how to listen first. When we
listen, we may see some difficult syllables. Is the speaker pronouncing the word
"sleep" or "slip"? We need to hear the difference between words so that
pronunciation can become easier.

Then we need to pay attention to the movements of the lips and mouth when
speaking to help adjust the pronunciation more accurately. The first step to
correcting the shape of your mouth is to pay attention to it. There are several
ways you can check to see if your lips and mouth have the correct shape.

IV. Practice speaking in front of the mirror

Eg:

Lips: for pronunciation, 2 lips must touch, for example: “M”, “B”, “L”, or lips
must touch teeth like “V”, “F”

Throat: sounds coming from the throat (when pronouncing, feel the throat
vibrate), like “H”, “K”…

Pay attention to the mouth of the speaker. Try this with your favorite foreign
movies and TV shows or youtube channels.

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Can you imitate the actor's face and voice exactly?

So, even if it's just 5 minutes a day, start listening to the rhythms and rhythms of
English. Focus on pronunciation – how people move their mouths and the
sounds they make.

Besides, focusing attention on your tongue when pronouncing will help you
improve your English pronunciation.

The most important difference between "rice" and "lice" lies in the movement of
the tongue.

When you speak, you move your tongue to make a sound. You may not even
realize yourself doing it without thinking.

So to improve your English pronunciation, you have to watch what your tongue
is doing.

Every English word has a clear pronunciation. If you know how to pronounce
correctly and correctly, your pronunciation will be much better.

Eg:

Vowels: the tongue is in the middle of the oral cavity and does not touch any
part of the mouth.

Consonants: Tongue touches the upper palate, behind the teeth: “N”, “L”, “D”…

Some sounds that are quite difficult for English learners are making the letter
“L”, “R”, and the sound “TH”. All of their standard pronunciations are on the
tongue!

V. Record your speaking then listen to it again

Once the learner has practised the shadowing technique, he can record himself
speaking by repeating short phrases he has heard or doing longer speaking tasks
41
from the coursebook, for instance, describing the image in the book. He must
listen and write down the sounds he is having trouble with - practice those
words/sounds slowly, then re-record the tape himself.

OR, he can ask a friend to find out for him. If the pronunciation doesn't sound
the same, the friend will immediately point it out, then ask the speaker must ask
himself a few questions. Is the mouth got positioned correctly? Is the tongue in
the correct position? Are the highlighted correct part truly needs highlighting?

VI. Avoid speaking at too fast a pace

If the speaking is too quick, it could be challenging for the listener to follow
what is being said. When speaking, try to keep the voice steady and focus on
pronouncing each word clearly. This will make it more likely that your listeners
will comprehend the speaker clearly.

A crucial component of speaking fluently is the correct pronunciation. The

learner can speak more clearly than ever before and improve the learner’s
pronunciation skills.

VII. Listen more

There are two objectives for any conversation participant: first, to comprehend
what the other person is saying, including its implicit and explicit meaning, and
second, to show interest, concern, and concern for them. This second objective
is not simply for the sake of kindness, which would be sufficient justification.
People will stop sharing information if they believe they are not being heard.

As a result, the most apparent way to improve one's own pronunciation is to

listen to examples of genuine speech. There are various ways to do this,
including watching a movie in its original language, listening to English-
language podcasts on topics of interest to the learner, or just listening to music.
The student should observe how others use intonation. "Shadowing" can help
42
with this. Shadowing is the practise of hearing a short statement or phrase and
then repeating it while attempting to emulate the sounds, intonation, and word
stress. When speaking, the student should also pay attention to how his mouth
and tongue move.

While listening, the listener should avoid noise, interruptions, and other external
distractions, it's also important to minimize internal distractions. If he is busy
with another topic, he must take time to refocus. If he knows the conversation
may be hard to comprehend, he must try to remain as calm as possible before
entering into it.

VIII. Watching movies and listening to music

When listening to music in English, I will develop listening skills - improve

speaking skills, especially pronunciation becomes more complete. When
watching movies, it is not an English class, so you will learn English in the most
natural way. Sometimes you will find movies that speak too fast, the speed is not
suitable for you or some movies have a lot of specialized vocabulary. Don't
worry about it, relearn slowly, firmly, one sentence at a time. That's how you
can discover phrases as well as words that are rarely found in books or
dictionaries. In addition to the benefits of developing listening skills, when
learning English through movies, you will improve your English speaking skills
more effectively. That's when you hear on the film a few lines that you really
like, you memorize both the tone of their voice as well as the way they express
their feelings. The most important part is that when learning English through
movies, you will understand the difference between the English of native
speakers and the English you are using. More importantly, the very selection of
English pronunciation by region, by region also helps you to improve your
listening and pronunciation skills. Especially, you learn their pronunciation,
because your pronunciation has many limitations and also mispronounces the
ending sounds ''-s","-ed'. Because when pronouncing that tail, People often
43
forget to pronounce it, so when I watch movies in English, I will learn how to
pronounce the ending sounds ''-s'', ''-ed''. In addition, listening to English music
becomes a habit to help pronounce more accurately. When listening to music,
you will gradually become familiar with the sound of this language, thereby
gradually perfecting your pronunciation and starting to speak in a natural rhythm
and tone. In addition, when learning English through songs, you can use it at any
time, while on the bus, cooking in the kitchen or even taking a shower. Just
choose your favorite music genre, you can listen to it many times without
getting bored. Listening to music and watching movies in English is quite
popular with young people because it brings many benefits to study as well as in
life. Through watching movies and listening to music, it will help you
pronounce more accurately, improve your listening and speaking skills in the
best way. Not only that, it also helps you have a rich vocabulary, which is
convenient for your use of English. At the same time, it also provides the most
natural communication ability. Thereby you will learn a lot from listening to
music and watching movies in English. Listen to music and watch movies in
English in your free time to improve your pronunciation, to make it more and
more perfect.

IX. Shadowing

The technique of shadowing is understood as the fact that we listen and imitate
each sentence we have just heard. This technique is extremely useful in
practicing standard pronunciation, intonation and sound connection.

When you're parodying, remember to imitate the way people speak – from
raising and lowering their voices, emphasizing sounds and words, to connecting
sounds, to pausing.

With regular practice of this technique, you will soon see your speaking skills
improve – your speech becomes more natural and fluent, not fragmentary and
hesitant as before.
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45
 CONCLUSION

The pronunciation of the tail /s/, /ed/ is very difficult for both specialized and
non-specialized students at Hanoi Pedagogical University 2. Forgetting not to
pronounce, mispronouncing the tail sound is /s/, / ed/ is a common problem
among students. That's an important problem that needs to be fixed. In English,
the tail sound /s/ is divided into many pronunciations, so many students will be
confused or forget to pronounce the tail sound. As for the tail sound /ed/, you
already know how to distinguish it, but you have not yet pronounced it correctly.
Therefore, the essay mainly focuses on pronunciation, pronunciation errors, and
how students solve this problem in English. From the research results presented
above, we can draw the following conclusions:

1, Not pronouncing the tail /s/ is because in the learning process, students do not
learn carefully about pronunciation, do not know the rules, are lazy to practice.
When you have problems with pronunciation, do not ask your teacher about that
part, but learn the pronunciation yourself, leading to incorrect pronunciation.

2, Due to the students' habit of reading emotionally. Many people subjectively

think that they have read correctly, so they do not check the dictionary or ask
others to teach them how to pronounce them.

3, Because of the fear of not boldly asking others to edit, but arbitrarily editing
the pronunciation according to their own will lead to incorrect pronunciation.

4, Due to the habit of adding /s/ to any word when speaking, this error is
common in people who do not know how to pronounce English, they think that
pronunciation sounds more "western".

5, When pronouncing the ending /ed/, students improve because it has fewer
pronunciations than the /s/, but there are still many students who mispronounce
it because they confuse one ending with another, no know their pronunciation.
46
In addition, partly because teachers teach incorrectly, do not know how to
pronounce correctly, pronunciation is not correct, leading to confusion for
students when pronouncing.

Therefore, teachers need to cultivate their own solid knowledge to be able to

convey to students in the best way. Teachers should let their students practice
mastering the pronunciation of the two ending sounds /s/, /ed/ by letting their
students distinguish them on paper and grammar to remember well that tail
sound includes ways any pronunciation. At the same time, correct students'
pronunciation right after they have mispronounced and give them a lot of
practice by having pronunciation exercises record their pronunciation via audio.

I hope that this thesis will contribute to the pronunciation of the two ending
sounds /s/, /ed/ by students of Hanoi Pedagogical University 2. I have put a lot
of effort into this research but errors cannot be avoided. I hope that readers will
contribute suggestions, comments and criticisms to improve the research paper.

47
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