pronunciation

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1.with plural nouns or verbs, when do we say /iz/ or /s/ or/z/
2.also with past present verbs, when do we say /id/, /t/, /d/
Are there any any rules or tips to remember them?help me

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There are no "plural verbs" in English. There are no "past present" verbs either.

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contrex wrote:

There are no "plural verbs" in English.

I guess that the sentence might be glossed as this, C. But it could also be glossed as,

"with plural nouns or [inflected] verbs, when do we say /iz/ or /s/ or/z/."

OR

"with plural nouns or [with] verbs, when do we say /iz/ or /s/ or/z/."

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sr, so with plural nouns , when do we say /iz/ or /s/ or/z/

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Please give some examples of what you mean.

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http://netgrammar.altec.org/Support/a101b4_101000.html

it has to do with whatever the last letter of the word is. that link gives a pretty definitive chart, and i've found the site to be pretty helpful for these kinds of questions.

Quote:

If the simple form ends with the sounds /s/, /z/, /sh/, /zh/, Ich/, /j/, /ks/, then pronounce -s and -es as an extra syllable /iz/

If the simple form ends with the voiceless sounds /p/, /t/, /k/, /f/, or /th/, then pronounce -s and -es as /s/

If the simple form ends with any other consonant or with a vowel sound, then pronounce -s and -es as /z/

it's the same basic principle as the one for indefinite articles. except it's not as noticeable if you say "catz" as it is if you say "an cat"

the distinction is not that big a deal.

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it's the same with past tense - this is taken straight from one of my own books - understanding and using english grammar by betty azar. (which i highly recommend as a reference)

http://img143.imageshack.us/img143/7523/edfh7.jpg

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Thanks for those, Anastasia. I couldn't locate them in any of the reference books I currently have. I left a lot of my ESL books behind when I came back to Canada.

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On a side note, do you say:

dreamed or dreamt

leaped or leapt

etc.

I think while you would be correct to say it's "clapped" with the "d" sound present, we often slur (for want of a better word) our words, so it winds up sounding like a "t", as in "clapt".

It's all so imprecise.

And, of course, it's regional.

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Anastasia, that table answers gingko's question nicely.

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Quote:

On a side note, do you say:

dreamed or dreamt

leaped or leapt

etc.

"dreamt" and "leapt" are not merely alternative ways of saying "dreamed" "and "leaped".

"Dreamt", "leapt" (and "spelt") are British English variants of "dreamed", "leaped" and "spelled". They are different words.

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contrex wrote:

Anastasia, that table answers gingko's question nicely.

thanks - it's an awesome book. also available on interwebs everywhere.

or at pearson education
10 bank street
white plains, ny 10606

on the note of dreamed/dreamt - i was an anglophile for so long, i get confused on these kinds of questions. i generally say "dreamt" when speaking, but i write it "dreamed" ... i also spell "gray" as "grey" and "theater" as "theatre", but only sometimes anymore. when teaching students (in hungary) - i usually teach them whichever language they want to learn - either british english or american english.

in my private life, i bastardize language in the name of being a writer. (someday)

i don't think i've ever seen this section of a2k - i left the forum shortly after it started. (i was an abuzz refugee) i'm excited to see it. should be fun.

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Mame wrote:

On a side note, do you say:

dreamed or dreamt

leaped or leapt

etc.

I think while you would be correct to say it's "clapped" with the "d" sound present, we often slur (for want of a better word) our words, so it winds up sounding like a "t", as in "clapt".

It's all so imprecise.

And, of course, it's regional.

Actually, Mame, the use of language is very precise. People follow the rules of language, including those of pronunciation punctiliously. It's easy for us to detect "strange" pronunciation, isn't it? That's because we are so attuned to the rules.

A 't' sound is the natural ending sound for clapped. Note the table Anastasia posted.

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