GRAMMAR NO. 6: Pronunciation of -es/-s

PLURAL (& 3rd Person Singular & Saxon Genitive) PRONUNCIATION RULES

There are 3 possible pronunciations for the plural suffix -s/-es, whether it be functioning as a plural (cats), 3rd person singular simple present (walks) or Saxon Genitive (Phoebe's):

[S] [Z] [IZ]

I. The plural is pronounced [S] after the following VOICELESS sounds:
A. [p] ⇒ cups D. [f] ⇒ cliff
B. [t] ⇒ hats E. [θ] ⇒ myths
C. [k] ⇒ cooks
II. The plural is pronounced [Z] after the following VOICED sounds:
A. [b] ⇒ crabs F. [n] ⇒ fans
B. [d] ⇒ cards G. [ŋ] ⇒ kings
C. [g] ⇒ rugs H. [l ] ⇒ deals
D. [v] ⇒ gloves I. [r] ⇒ tears
E. [m] ⇒ plums J. [ð] ⇒ clothes
III. The plural is pronounced [IZ] after the following sounds:
A. [s] ⇒ races D. [ʒ ] ⇒ garage
B. [z] ⇒ pauses E. [ʧ ] ⇒ churches
C. [ʃ ] ⇒ dishes F. [ʤ ] ⇒ ages, judges

FURTHER EXPLANATION

Now, click here to read a more complete explanation on the formation of the plural ending that takes into account spelling rules.



LISTEN TO AN EXPLANATION
First, let´s listen to this explanation in a video:

PRACTICE

1. Practice the spelling here

2. Practice the spelling of compound nouns here

3. Practice the pronunciation of the plural here

4. http://www.tolearnenglish.com/exercises/exercise-english-2/exercise-english-2734.php

GRAMMAR NO. 3: Irregular Plurals

EXPLANATION

Regular Plural

Nouns in English make the plural form by adding -s. For example:

table + s = tables

cup + s = cups

When the noun ends with the sounds /s, z, sh, ch/, the plural is formed by adding -s. This rule is phonetic, and is applicable for the formation of the 3rd person Simple Present and Saxon Genitive. For example:

church + es = churches

dish + es = dishes

bus + es = buses

buzz + es = buzzes (the sound of a bell, as to enter a house)

When the plural is fomed by adding -es, we pronounce /Iz/.

Nouns that finish with -y also take the -es to form the plural and change -y for -i. For example:

poppy + es = poppies (the wild red flower)

However, the difficult aspect of this grammatical construction is the fact that English has a lot of irregular plurals. Below you will find a list.

Irregular Plurals

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US -> I

SINGULAR	PLURAL
alumnus	alumni
cactus	cacti
focus	foci/focuses
fungus	fungi/funguses
nucleus	nuclei
radius	radii
stimulus	stimuli

IS -> ES

SINGULAR	PLURAL
axis	axes
analysis	analyses
basis	bases
crisis	crises
diagnosis	diagnoses
ellipsis	ellipses
hypothesis	hypotheses
oasis	oases
paralysis	paralyses
parenthesis	parentheses
synthesis	syntheses
synopsis	synopses
thesis	theses

IX -> ICES

SINGULAR	PLURAL
appendix	appendices
index	indeces/indexes
matrix	matrices/matrixes

EAU -> EAUX

SINGULAR	PLURAL
beau	beaux
bureau	bureaus/bureaux
tableau	tableaux/tableaus

*** -> EN

SINGULAR	PLURAL
child	children
man	men
ox	oxen
woman	women

*** -> A

SINGULAR	PLURAL
bacterium	bacteria
corpus	corpora
criterion	criteria
curriculum	curricula
datum	data
genus	genera
medium	media
memorandum	memoranda
phenomenon	phenomena
stratum	strata

NO CHANGE

SINGULAR	PLURAL
deer	deer
fish	fish
means	means
offspring	offspring
series	series
sheep	sheep
species	species

OO -> EE

SINGULAR	PLURAL
foot	feet
goose	geese
tooth	teeth

A -> AE

SINGULAR	PLURAL
antenna	antennae/antennas
formula	formulae/formulas
nebula	nebulae
vertebra	vertebrae
vita	vitae

OUSE -> ICE

SINGULAR	PLURAL
louse	lice
mouse	mice

O -> OES

SINGULAR	PLURAL
tomato	tomatoes
potato	potatoes
volcano	volcanoes, volcanos
hero	heroes

OTHERS

SINGULAR	PLURAL
person	people
mouse (PC)	mouses

PRACTICE

http://www.lancsngfl.ac.uk/curriculum/literacy/lit_site/lit_sites/plurals/pl_6/plurals6.htm

http://web2.uvcs.uvic.ca/elc/studyzone/330/grammar/irrplu1.htm

http://www.eslpartyland.com/quiz/irpl1.htm

http://www.quia.com/rr/6516.html

http://www.firstschoolyears.com/literacy/word/other/plurals/plurals.htm