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Final [S]   as in Bus

 

Sound formation instruction:

 
To pronounce the /S/ sound, gently close your front teeth and leave your lips slightly open. Position your tongue very close to the upper-front roof of your mouth. Leave about a 2-6 mm gap between the tip of your tongue and the front roof of your mouth to form a narrow pathway. Push voiceless air out through the pathway between your tongue and the roof of your mouth. Make sure your voice is not on (vocal cords are not vibrating).

In the Korean and Japanese languages, words usually end with a vowel, so foreign students are accustomed to add a vowel sound at the end of the consonant-ending word. Instead of adding an extra vowel sound, final /s/ words should end with a voiceless wisp of air.





Contrasting sounds:

 


/S/   /Z/
face   phase
lace   laze
mace   maize
race   raise
cease   seize
peace   peas
niece   knees
ice   eyes
rice   rise
lice   lies
dice   dies



Words:

 


ace  /eɪs/   abyss  /əˈbɪs/
access  /ˈæksɛs/   across  /əˈkrɔs/
actress  /ˈæktrɪs/   address  / əˈdrɛs, ˈædrɛs/
advance  /ædˈvæns/   adverse  /ædˈvɜrs/
analysis  /əˈnæləsɪs/   10  ass  /æs/
11  base  /beɪs/   12  books  /bʊks/
13  boss  /bɔs/   14  box  /bɒks/
15  bus  /bʌs/   16  case  /keɪs/
17  cease  /sis/   18  chance  /tʃæns/
19  class  /klɑs/   20  cross  /krɔs/
21  dangerous  /ˈdeɪndʒərəs/   22  defense  /dɪˈfɛns/
23  deuce  /dus/   24  dice  /daɪs/
25  difference  /ˈdɪfərəns/   26  dose  /doʊs/
27  dress  /drɛs/   28  else  /ɛls/
29  entice  /ɛnˈtaɪs/   30  essence  /ˈɛsəns/
31  face  /feɪs/   32  gas  /gæs/
33  glance  /glæns/   34  glass  /glæs, glɑs/
35  grace  /greɪs/   36  grass  /græs, grɑs/
37  gross  /groʊs/   38  house  /haʊs/
39  ice  /aɪs/   40  juice  /dʒus/
41  kiss  /kɪs/   42  lease  /lis/
43  less  /lɛs/   44  loose  /lus/
45  loss  /lɔs, lɒs/   46  mass  /mæs/
47  mice  /maɪs/   48  miss  /mɪs/
49  nice  /naɪs/   50  niece  /nis/
51  nurse  /nɜrs/   52  office  /ˈɔfɪs, ˈɒfɪs/
53  pass  /pæs/   54  peace  /pis/
55  place  /pleɪs/   56  plus  /plʌs/
57  prince  /prɪns/   58  process  /ˈprɒsɛs/
59  purse  /pɜrs/   60  race  /reɪs/
61  lice  /laɪs/   62  rice  /raɪs/
63  sauce  /sɔs/   64  scarce  /skɛərs/
65  science  /ˈsaɪəns/   66  seduce  /sɪˈdus/
67  sense  /sɛns/   68  slice  /slaɪs/
69  space  /speɪs/   70  tennis  /ˈtɛnɪs/
71  tense  /tɛns/   72  Thanks  /θæŋks/
73  trace  /treɪs/   74  us  /ʌs/
75  Venus  /ˈvinəs/   76  yes  /yɛs/
77  staffs  /stæfs/   78  proofs  /prufs/
79  life’s  /laɪfs/   80  wife’s  /waɪfs/
81  asks  /æsks/   82  desks  /dɛsks/
83  looks  /lʊks/   84  bricks  /brɪks/
85  ethics  /ˈɛθɪks/   86  makes  /meɪks/
87  masks  /mɑsks/   88  likes  /laɪks/
89  talks  /tɔks/   90  caps  /kæps/
91  cops  /kɒps/   92  lips  /lɪps/
93  maps  /mæps/   94  grasps  /græsps/
95  stamps  /stæmps/   96  stops  /stɒps/
97  acts  /ækts/   98  boats  /boʊts/
99  cats  /kæts/   100  hats  /hæts/
101  costs  /kɔsts/   102  dusts  /dʌsts/
103  effects  /ɪˈfɛkts/   104  facts  /fækts/
105  gifts  /gɪfts/   106  seats  /sits/
107  It’s  /ɪts/   108  Let’s  /Lets/
109  That’s  /ðæts/   110  Keith’s  /kiθs/
111  Ruth’s  /ruθs/   112  depths  /dɛpθs/
113  faiths  /feɪθs/   114  myths  /mɪθs/
115  months  /mʌnθs/   116  lengths  /lɛŋθs/



Sentences:

 


  1. I bought a nice purse to enhance my outfit.
  2. My boss never says thanks when he looks at my work.
  3. The nurse gave the patient ice to put on his legs.
  4. Grace likes cats because they catch the mice in her house.
  5. Lisa asks Jimmy to slice the turkey while I toss the salad.
  6. Alice wore a short dress to seduce Chase.
  7. Bruce bought a bus pass because it costs less than a cab.
  8. The teacher puts a box of new books in the class for the students.
  9. Let's place the glass vase on table because it makes the place look nice.
  10. My niece always makes a big mess when she eats rice with chopsticks.
  11. In the fairytale, the princess gave the frog a kiss to turn him into a prince.
  12. The doctor did an analysis on people who took dangerous doses of medicine.
  13. She took a chance walking down the dangerous streets, but she always carried mace with her.
  14. When I went on vacation to Venus, I ate a gross sauce that made me feel ill.
  15. Chris laughs as his dogs race around the grass to catch the sticks.
  16. I made a big fuss when my friend spilled juice on the maps because we might miss our exit.
  17. I have a tense look on my face when I cross streets because I don't want to get hit by a car.




Story:

 


Alice and Bruce were a nice couple who wanted to move to a place closer to their jobs. The long drive made them tense and moving would also help them spend less on gas. They decided they would try to lease a house because it cost less than buying one.

One day the couple began their race to find a house. They wanted to have all their facts straight so they bought a lot of books on what to avoid when you lease a house. The first place they saw looked like it was in a dangerous area. The house was infested with mice and the grass looked like it hadn't been mowed in weeks. Bruce and Alice were at a loss for words and left quickly.

The next place they found was the essence of the ideal house. It was in a nice neighborhood with tennis courts and two Olympic-sized pools. Plus, there was plenty of closet space and beautiful glass windows with lace curtains. Bruce asked the owner how much the place costs, and the couple decided it was too much of an expense. They said, “We'll pass.”

The last house they saw looks like the perfect home for Bruce and Alice. They were in a state of complete bliss as they paced around the house. The place was very close to their jobs, and it had a gas stove and a study room, which was the perfect place for some peace and quiet. At first glance, the couple knew that this was the house for them and it put a stop to their search. The look on their faces said, “That's it, we found our house!”











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