s
Consonant
/s/ — Voiceless alveolar fricative
Example words
| Word | US English | UK English |
|---|---|---|
| sun | /ˈsʌn/ | /sʌn/ |
| kiss | /ˈkɪs/ | /kɪs/ |
| city | /ˈsɪti/ | /sɪti/ |
| see | /ˈsi/ | /siː/ |
| sister | /ˈsɪstɚ/ | /sɪstə/ |
| house | /ˈhaʊs/ | /haʊs/ |
| class | /ˈklæs/ | /klɑːs/ |
| ask | /ˈæsk/ | /ɑːsk/ |
| fast | /ˈfæst/ | /fɑːst/ |
| say | /ˈseɪ/ | /seɪ/ |
Transcriptions come from pronunciation lexicons IPAtics maintains, in US and UK English.
How to produce this sound
SoundVoiceless alveolar fricative.
TongueAim the tongue tip/blade at the alveolar ridge (just behind upper front teeth). Form a narrow constriction to generate continuous, controlled friction.
LipsKeep lips neutral unless neighboring sounds require shaping.
JawKeep the jaw slightly open and stable so the channel stays consistent.
VoiceKeep vocal folds apart (no voicing) and let airflow drive the segment.
Minimal pairs
Each pair differs only in /s/, so hearing them side by side isolates the sound.
- sink/ˈsɪŋk/think/ˈθɪŋk/
- sip/ˈsɪp/zip/ˈzɪp/
- sue/ˈsu/zoo/ˈzu/
Spelling patterns
- s as in sun
- ss as in kiss
- c as in city
- se as in house
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