Letter S

The letter S usually makes the /s/ sound, like in 'sun', 'sit', and 'sock'. Air hisses through a small gap.

How this rule works

S is a voiceless alveolar fricative when it makes the /s/ sound. At the end of many words it can also make a /z/ sound (as in 'dogs' or 'has'). At the start of a word it is always /s/.

Remember: S hisses like a snake — sssssun!

Examples

sunsitsocksand

Words that use this rule

717 words in the SnapPhonics dictionary use this rule. Tap any word to see how it breaks into sounds. Showing the first 200 alphabetically.

abscessabsorbabsorbsabsquatulateacrossalsoamuseamusedapostlearabesquesartisanartisansasastrophysicalbasebaseballbasedbasementbasicbecausebedsidebesideblunderbussbookcasebristlebruisebusinessmanbusinesswomanbustlebusycasecasescastlecausecausedcausingcautiouslycelsiuscensercensuschasechasedchasingcheesechesschinesechoosechoseclasscleansercloseclosedcloselyclosenesscloserclosetclosingcoarsecollapsecollapsedcollapsescompositecompositioncomprehensiveconfuseconfusedconsciouslyconsciousnessconsiderconsiderableconsideredconsignconsistconsistentconsistsconsoleconsolesconsolidateconsolidatedconsolidationconsonantconsonantsconversationcosecoursecousincresscrosecrosscruisecuriositydeceasedeceaseddensitydesertdesigndesignatedesignateddesignationdesigneddesignerdesignsdimensionsdinosaurdinosaursdiscussdiscussiondisenfranchisedisenfranchiseddismissdispersedisperseddisseminationdoghousedosedressduchesseaseeasiereasilyeasyecosystemelseelsewhereemphasizeemphasizedempriseencapsulateencapsulatesencloseenclosingenfranchisementensignensureenterpriseeraseeraseressexcuseexerciseexpansiveexpensiveexpositoryexpressexpressioneyesightfalsefastenfocusedfranchisesfusegeesegenerositygenesisgestureglassglimpseglistenglossgrandsongrassgristleguesshastenhesitationhorsehorsemanhostesshousehouseshusbandhustleimmerseimmersingimprovisatoryincenseindigenouslyinfuseinfusedinsectinsideintenseintensifiedintensifyintensityinvisibleisisolationjapanesejostlelackadaisicallaserlesslistenlistenedlisteninglistenslooselooselylose

Exceptions

S makes a /z/ sound in: has, his, was, these, those, and many plural/verb endings.

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