Key ideas in plain English

• Ending sound: the last consonant or consonant group in a word, for example cap /kæp/, caps /kæps/.
• Plural allomorph: the sound choice for plural s. English uses three: /s/, /z/, /ɪz/.
• Voicing: whether your vocal folds vibrate. Put two fingers on your throat: /s/ = no buzz, /z/ = buzz.
• Sibilant: hissing sounds like /s, z, ʃ, ʒ, tʃ, dʒ/.
• Cluster: two or more consonants together, for example /skt/ in asked.
• Epenthesis: adding a vowel like i after a final consonant, for example busi for bus. Avoid it in English.

Why this matters for Band 7 in BD
Bangla allows fewer word-final clusters and often devoices final consonants, so bags can sound like back. Examiners miss plurals and third person verbs if endings are dropped or turned into extra vowels. Clear endings raise intelligibility and grammar control at the same time.

The three-rule engine for plural s (and for verb s)

1. /s/ after a voiceless sound: p, t, k, f, θ
   cats /s/, caps /s/, hats /s/, laughs /s/, months /s/.
2. /z/ after a voiced sound: vowels and b, d, g, v, ð, m, n, ŋ, l, r
   bags /z/, roads /z/, leaves /z/, clothes /z/, names /z/.
3. /ɪz/ after a sibilant: s, z, ʃ, ʒ, tʃ, dʒ
   buses /ˈbʌsɪz/, houses /ˈhaʊzɪz/ (noun), bridges /ˈbrɪdʒɪz/.

These same rules power third person verbs and possessives: she cooks /s/, he goes /z/, the bus’s /ɪz/ door.

BD focus tip: final /z/ does exist in English even if it feels like /s/. Use the throat test to keep it buzzing.

Ending consonants: hold and release

Use the hold–release habit for finals.

• For t, d: touch the alveolar ridge behind the teeth, hold one beat, release lightly. Not ta or da.
• For k, g: back of tongue seals, hold, release.
• For p, b: close lips, hold, release.
• For f, v, s, z: keep airflow, finish with a clean hiss or buzz that listeners hear.
• For θ, ð: tongue tip against teeth, air out, then stop cleanly.

Clusters: build them in two steps. Say the base word, then add the ending. ask + t → asked /æskt/; text = tek + st → /tekst/. Never add a trailing vowel.

Worked example 1 — s, z, iz with the throat test

Words: cap, caps, cab, cabs, bus, buses, page, pages.

1. Put two fingers on your larynx.
2. Say cap /kæp/ then caps /kæps/. No buzz at the end.
3. Say cab /kæb/ then cabs /kæbz/. Feel the buzz on /z/.
4. Say bus /bʌs/ then buses /ˈbʌsɪz/ with an extra syllable.
5. Say page /peɪdʒ/ then pages /ˈpeɪdʒɪz/.

Sentence move:

• There is one cab. There are two cabs.
• This bus is late. These buses are on time.
  Make the endings louder than you think for one week.

Worked example 2 — finishing clusters cleanly

Target words: asked /æskt/, texts /teksts/, friends /frendz/.

1. Asked: say ask /æsk/. Add a small hold for /t/: /æskt/. No extra vowel.
2. Texts: say text /tekst/. Add /s/: /teksts/. Keep it short: one breath.
3. Friends: say friend /frend/. Turn on the buzz and add /z/: /frendz/.

Sentence move:

• I asked three friends about their texts.
  Mark each ending with a tiny down arrow in your notes.

Mini case — Rafi in Dhaka

Issue: endings dropped, plural /z/ became /s/, clusters gained i.
Intervention: a 14 day loop with three counters

• Ending kept rate: percent of target words where the final consonant was clearly audible.
• Plural voicing accuracy: /z/ used after voiced sounds.
• No-epenthesis score: sentences without added i.
  Result after two weeks: ending kept 92 percent, plural /z/ 85 percent, no-epenthesis 90 percent. Speaking feedback moved from unclear endings to clear plurals and verbs.

Measurable drills for BD speakers

• 5 by 3 s–z–iz: pick five nouns. Make singular, plural, and a sentence each. Record and throat-test buzz. Target 90 percent correct voicing.
• Cluster ladder: 10 words with -st, -nd, -lpt, -skt, -rld. Build base then add ending. Target 20 correct in 2 minutes.
• Shadow and release: copy a 30 second clip that ends many words with consonants. Exaggerate the final 120 milliseconds.
• Verb s mini: cooks /s/, reads /z/, watches /ɪz/. Two lines each. Target 100 percent rule use.

Common mistakes

• Adding i after final consonants: busi, texti. Fix with hold–release and one silent beat.
• Devoicing plural /z/: bags → backss. Fix with a stronger buzz.
• Dropping third person s: she go. Apply the same s–z–iz rules.
• Over-lengthening endings so speech sounds choppy. Keep endings crisp, not slow.

Edge cases worth knowing

• House noun vs house verb: noun plural is houses /ˈhaʊzɪz/ with /z/; verb third person is houses /ˈhaʊzɪz/ too, but meaning differs by sentence.
• Clothes often /kloʊðz/ or in fast speech /kloʊz/. Choose the clear /ðz/ for practice.
• News ends with /z/ though spelled s.
• Months /mʌnθs/: keep the /nθs/ chain short, no vowel between.

Tips and tricks

• Use a mirror for tongue placement on /t, d, θ, ð/.
• Record in pairs: slow practice with strong endings, then normal speed. Keep both.
• Mark a tiny down arrow at the end of words you often drop.
• Pair meaning and sound: connect plural endings to number words these, many, two.
• In conversation, lean on sentence-final endings; they carry the meaning.

To avoid

• Whisper practice only. You need real voicing to train /z/.
• Ending-rush. Slow the last 120 ms of target words.
• Overusing iz. Use /ɪz/ only after sibilants.
• Mixing grammar practice with pronunciation so much that you stop finishing sounds.

Glossary

Allomorph: one of several sound forms of the same ending.
Voicing: vibration of the vocal folds that creates a buzz.
Sibilant: hissing sounds like /s/ and /ʃ/ that trigger /ɪz/.
Alveolar: the ridge behind the upper teeth used for /t, d, s, z/.
Epenthesis: adding a vowel to break a cluster.
Cluster: two or more consonants together.

Next steps

Pick 10 nouns and 5 third person verbs. Label each with s, z, or iz. Record a 60 second paragraph that uses all 15 forms in real sentences. Compute plural voicing accuracy and ending kept rate. Repeat tomorrow with five new cluster words and aim for a 5 percent gain.

1. Actionable closing — Q&A

Q1: How do I know when to use iz
Use /ɪz/ only after sibilants: s, z, sh, zh, ch, j. Buses, bridges, dishes.

Q2: My /z/ keeps turning into /s
Buzz the throat at the end. Say a long zzz, then shorten it and attach to the word: bagzzz → bags.

Q3: I add i after hard clusters like asked
Build base plus ending: ask + t. Hold your tongue for one beat, release, no vowel.

Q4: Do I need to hit every ending loudly
No. Hit them clearly, not loudly. Aim for a short, crisp finish.

Q5: Should I fix plurals first or verbs first
Learn the three-rule engine once. It covers plural s, verb s, and possessive ’s together.

CTA: Choose five nouns and five verbs now. Label s, z, or iz. Record a 60 second paragraph, check buzz with the throat test, and write your ending kept rate and plural voicing accuracy. Repeat this drill three days in a row and raise both metrics by at least 5 percent.