When you say the alphabet, the letters С and S are pronounced /si:/ and/es/. Notice they both have the consonant sound /s/. But S is also oftenpronounced as the consonant sound/s/. Listen to the sounds/s/and/z/. Look at the mouth diagram to see how to make these consonant sounds. Notice that in the sound /s/, there is no voice from the throat. It sounds like the noise of a snake. In the sound /z/, there is voice from the throat. It sounds like the noise of a bee.
Complete this conversation using words from the box. Then listen and check.
eyes; ice; niece; knees
Sid: Alice's niece is nice. Joe: Are nice, Sid. Plural. Her _______kneesare nice. Sid: I'm not talking about her _______knees, I'm talking about her _______niece! Joe: Oh, I see, _______niece with a C. Sid: That's right. She has nice _______eyes. Joe: How can _______ice be nice? It's too cold. Sid: Not _______ice, you fool! E-Y-E-S!
Follow up: Play the recording again, pausing it after each of Sid'slines. You say Joe's lines before listening to him saying them.
1 Price or prize? I got a good price / prize for that painting. 2 He sat or he's at? I don't know where he sat / he's at. 3 Suit or shoot? They didn't suit / shoot him. 4 Saved or shaved? I've saved / shaved a lot in the past few days. 5 Sink or think? We didn't sink / think. 6 Closed or clothed? They were closed / clothed for the cold weather.