S Sound vs Z Sound: Rice, Rise, Price and Prize

The S and Z sounds are made in almost the same way, with your tongue in the same position. The only difference is your voice. For S, you just push air out, like a snake hissing. For Z, you add vibration from your vocal cords, like a bee buzzing. Put your hand on your throat to feel the difference. In this video, you will practice five pairs: 'rice' and 'rise', 'ice' and 'eyes', 'price' and 'prize', 'close' and 'clothes', and 'face' and 'phase'. Notice that the letter S is often pronounced as a Z sound in English, as in 'rise', 'eyes' and 'clothes'. This is why spelling alone cannot tell you the sound. Also notice that vowels before Z sounds are usually a little longer than before S sounds. Mixing up these sounds can change meaning completely. Winning a prize is very different from checking a price! Watch the video, place your hand on your throat, and repeat each pair, feeling the vibration on the Z sounds. Practice daily for a few minutes, and your pronunciation will become clearer and more accurate in every conversation.