Proper Pronunciation Guide

houses

[hɑ͜u zəz]

Tips:

  • Pronounce both letters “s” as the voiced consonant
    /z/.

Practice Sentences:

 They tore down all of the houses on the south side of the street.
City Hall houses the mayor's office as well as the city council and several city agencies.

Notes:

The word “house” may be a noun or a verb. As a noun the letter “s” is pronounced as the unvoiced consonant /s/, whereas as a verb the letter “s” is pronounced as the voiced consonant /z/. The word “houses”—in which both letters “s” are pronounced as the voiced consonant /z/—may be either the plural of the noun “house” (The contractor is building several new houses) or the present tense, third-person singular, of the verb “to house” (The city agency houses the homeless people in shelters).

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