The video focussed on the pronunciation of the final -s in English. As you saw, verbs and nouns in English often change their form by adding an -s at the end to indicate plurality or third-person singular present tense (and when showing possession -- eg Grace's coat). 

However, the pronunciation of this -s can vary depending on the preceding sound. Let's dive in and learn about the different ways the final -s is pronounced in English!

Pronunciation Rule 1: /s/ sound

The most common pronunciation of the final -s is the /s/ sound, which is similar to the "s" sound in "sit" or "sun." It is used when the preceding sound is unvoiced, meaning it does not involve vibrating the vocal cords. 

For example:

Verbs: jumps, barks, talks, sleeps

Plural Nouns: cats, dogs, hats, books

Examples:

The cat jumps on the table.  

Dogs bark loudly at night.  

She wears red hats.

They read interesting books. 

Pronunciation Rule 2: /z/ sound

The /z/ sound is used when the preceding sound is voiced, meaning it involves vibrating the vocal cords. It is similar to the "z" sound in "zip" or "buzz." For example:

Verbs: loves, plays,  

Plural Nouns: cars, dogs, boys

Examples:

He loves to play soccer.  

She washes her hands before dinner.  

The cars are parked in the garage. 

Pronunciation Rule 3: /ɪz/ sound

The /ɪz/ sound is used when the preceding sound ends in /s/, /z/, /sh/, /zh/, /ch/, or /j/. It is similar to the "iz" sound in "prizes" or "matches." For example:

Verbs: passes, buzzes, washes, watches

Plural Nouns: buses, dishes, brushes, bridges

Examples:

She passes the ball to her teammate.  

The bee buzzes around the flowers.  

He washes the dishes after dinner.

The buses are running late today.