Practice exercises

Exercise 1: Listen to the final –s and –es in these verbs. Write the verbs in the table. Listen again and repeat.

has helps is realises specialises spends stays

studies travels visits wants

This is an audio for this task:

01 Track 1.mp3

=> Keys and explainations

/s/: helps, visits, wants

/z/: has, is, spends, stays, studies, travels, visits,wants

/iz/: realises, specialises

Exercise 2: Circle the word that has a different pronunciation of the s/es ending from the rest.

1. A. coughs B. sings C. stops D. sleeps

2. A. signs B. profits C. becomes D. survives

3. A. walks B. steps C. shuts D. plays

4. A. wishes B. practices C. introduces D. leaves

5. A. grasses B. stretches C. comprises D. potatoes

6. A. desks B. maps C. plants D. chairs

7. A. pens B. books C. phones D. tables

8. A. dips B. deserts C. books D. camels

9. A. miles B. attends C. drifts D. glows

10. A. mends B. develops C. values D. equals

11. A. repeats B. classmates C. amuses D. attacks

12. A. humans B. dreams C. concerts D. songs

13. A. manages B. laughs C. photographs D. makes

14. A. dishes B. oranges C. experiences D. chores

15. A. fills B. adds C. stirs D. lets

16. A. wants B. books C. stops D. sends

17. A. books B. dogs C. cats D. maps

18. A. biscuits B. magazines C. newspapers D. vegetables

19. A. knees B. peas C. trees D. niece

20. A. cups B. stamps C. books D. pens

21. A. houses B. faces C. hates D. places

22. A. schools B. yards C. labs D. seats

23. A. names B. lives C. dances D. tables

24. A. nights B. days C. years D. weekends

25. A. pens B. markers C. books D. rulers

26. A. shakes B. nods C. waves D. bends

27. A. describes B. tools C. house D. chairs

28. A. faces B. houses C. horses D. passes

29. A. presidents B. begs C. words D. bathes

30. A. sweets B. watches C. dishes D. boxes

Keys and explanations

Key:

1. B 2. B 3. D 4. D 5. D 6. D

7. B 8. D 9. C 10. B 11. C 12. C

13. A 14. D 15. D 16. D 17. B 18. A

19. D 20. D 21. C 22. D 23. C 24. A

25. C 26. A 27. C 28. B 29. A 30. A

Explanation:

1. A. coughs /s/ B. sings /z/ C. stops /s/ D. sleeps /s/

2. A. signs /z/ B. profits /s/ C. becomes /z/ D. survives/z/

3. A. walks /s/ B. steps /s/ C. shuts /s/ D. plays /z/

4. A. wishes /iz/ B. practices /z/ C. introduces /z/ D. leaves /z/

5. A. grasses /iz/ B. stretches /iz/ C. comprises /iz/ D. potatoes /z/

6. A. desks /s/ B. maps /s/ C. plants /s/ D. chairs /z/

7. A. pens /z/ B. books /s/ C. phones /z/ D. tables /z/

8. A. dips /s/ B. deserts /s/ C. books /s/ D. camels /z/

9. A. miles /z/ B. attends /z/ C. drifts /s/ D. glows /z/

10. A. mends /z/ B. develops /s/ C. values /z/ D. equals /z/

11. A. repeats /s/ B. classmates /z/ C. amuses /z/ D. attacks /s/

12. A. humans /z/ B. dreams /z/ C. concerts /s/ D. songs /z/

13. A. manages /z/ B. laughs /s/ C. photographs /s/ D. makes /s/

14. A. dishes /iz/ B. oranges /iz/ C. experiences /iz/ D. chores /z/

15. A. fills /z/ B. adds /z/ C. stirs /z/ D. lets /s/

16. A. wants /s/ B. books /s/ C. stops /s/ D. sends /z/

17. A. books /s/ B. dogs /z/ C. cats /s/ D. maps /s/

18. A. biscuits /s/ B. magazines /z/ C. newspapers /z/ D. vegetables /z/

19. A. knees /z/ B. peas /z/ C. trees /z/ D. books /s/

20. A. cups /s/ B. stamps /s/ C. books /s/ D. pens /z/

21. A. houses /iz/ B. faces /iz/ C. hates /s/ D. places /iz/

22. A. schools /z/ B. yards /z/ C. labs /z/ D. seats /s/

23. A. names /z/ B. lives /z/ C. dances /iz/ D. tables /z/

24. A. nights /s/ B. days /z/ C. years /z/ D. weekends /z/

25. A. pens /z/ B. markers /z/ C. books /s/ D. rulers /z/

26. A. shakes /s/ B. nods /z/ C. waves /z/ D. bends /z/

27. A. describes /z/ B. tools /z/ C. houses /iz D. chairs /z/

28. A. faces /iz/ B. pens /z/ C. horses /iz/ D. passes /iz/

29. A. presidents /s/ B. begs /z/ C. words /z/ D. bathes /z/

30. A. sweets /s/ B. watches /iz/ C. dishes /iz/ D. boxes /iz/

Exercise 3: The following words end on s. How do you pronounce this sound correctly? Circle the correct answer

lamps → [ɪz] [s] [z]
cups → [ɪz] [s] [z]
boys → [ɪz] [s] [z]
rabbits → [ɪz] [s] [z]
cards → [ɪz] [s] [z]
invitations → [ɪz] [s] [z]
pages → [ɪz] [s] [z]
cakes → [ɪz] [s] [z]
families → [ɪz] [s] [z]
maps → [ɪz] [s] [z]

=> Keys and explanations

1. /læmps/

2./ kʌps /

3. / bɔɪz /

4. / ræbɪts /

5./ kɑːdz /

6. ˌ/ ɪnvɪˈteɪʃənz /

7. /ˈpeɪʤɪz /

8. / keɪks /

9. /ˈfæmɪliz /

10. / mæps /

Exercise 4: Pick out the word that has the stress differently from that of the other words:

1. a. begin b. visit c. consist d. include

2. a. cancer b. treatment c. parents d. disease

3. a. birthday b. cowboy c. enjoy d. pleasure

4. a. disease b. humour c. cancer d. treatment

5. a. persuade b. reduce c. offer d. apply

6 . a. farmer b. farewell c. factory d. fairy

7. a. cattle b. country c. canal d. cover

8. a. money b. machine c. many d. mother

9. a. borrow b. agree c. await d. prepare

10. a. paper b. tonight c. lecture d. story

11. a. money b. army c. afraid d. people

12. a. enjoy b. daughter c. provide d. decide

13. a. begine b. pastime c. finish d. summer

14. a. reply b. appeal c. offer d. support

15. a. profit b. comfort c. apply d. suggest

16. a. direct b. idea c. suppose d. figure

17. a. revise b. amount c. contain d. desire

18. a. standard b. happen c. handsome d. destroy

19. a. about b. around c. between d. under

20. a. knowledge b. enjoy c. science d. sudden

=> Keys and explanations

Key: 1b, 2c, 3c, 4a, 5c, 6b, 7c, 8b, 9a, 10b, 11c, 12b, 13a, 14c, 15a, 16d, 17b, 18d, 19d, 20b

Explanations:

1. A. bɪˈɡɪn B. ˈvɪzɪt C. kənˈsɪst D. ɪnˈkluːd

2. A. ˈkænsə B. ˈtriːtmənt C. ˈpeərənts D. dɪˈziːz

3. A. ˈbɜːθdeɪ B. ˈkaʊbɔɪ C. ɪnˈʤɔɪ D. ˈplɛʒə

4. A. dɪˈziːz B. ˈhjuːmə C. ˈkænsə D. ˈtriːtmənt

5. A. pəˈsweɪd B. rɪˈdjuːs C. ˈɒfə D. əˈplaɪ

6 . A. ˈfɑːmə B. ˈfeəˈwɛl C. ˈfæktəri D. ˈfeəri

7. A. ˈkætl B. ˈkʌntri C. kəˈnæl D. ˈkʌvə

8. A. ˈmʌni B. məˈʃiːn C. ˈmɛni D. ˈmʌðə

9. A. ˈbɒrəʊ B. əˈɡriː C. əˈweɪt D. prɪˈpeə

10. A. ˈpeɪpə B. təˈnaɪt C. ˈlɛkʧə D. ˈstɔːri

11. A. ˈmʌni B. ˈɑːmi C. əˈfreɪd D. ˈpiːpl

12. A. ɪnˈʤɔɪ B. ˈdɔːtə C. prəˈvaɪd D. dɪˈsaɪd

13. A. begine B. ˈpɑːstaɪm C. ˈfɪnɪʃ D. ˈsʌmə

14. A. rɪˈplaɪ B. əˈpiːl C. ˈɒfə D. səˈpɔːt

15. A. ˈprɒfɪt B. ˈkʌmfət C. əˈplaɪ D. səˈʤɛst

16. A. dɪˈrɛkt B. aɪˈdɪə C. səˈpəʊz D. ˈfɪɡə

17. A. rɪˈvaɪz B. əˈmaʊnt C. kənˈteɪn D. dɪˈzaɪə

18. A. ˈstændəd B. ˈhæpən C. ˈhænsəm D. dɪsˈtrɔɪ

19. A. əˈbaʊt B. əˈraʊnd C. bɪˈtwiːn D. ˈʌndə

20. A. ˈnɒlɪʤ B. ɪnˈʤɔɪ C. ˈsaɪəns D. ˈsʌdn