Search from various English teachers...
Mikkel
Pronunciation: house's vs houses – for native English speakers
At least some English speakers pronounce ”houses” as /ˈhaʊzɪz/. The first s becomes voiced when the plural s is added. But what about ”house's”? Is it /ˈhaʊzɪz/ or /ˈhaʊsɪz/?
Thanks for your help!
Feb 22, 2018 10:45 AM
Answers · 8
2
/ˈhaʊsɪz/
February 22, 2018
1
Is it not all native speakers that pronounce it like that? For me I find that it's actually really uncomfortable to pronounce it as an 's', I have to think about it in order to say it.
February 22, 2018
1
It really depends on the person, Mikkel. Both are correct and acceptable for either plural or possessive. I use two z sounds. In my opinion the first s and z at the end is hyper-correction. I would expect to hear a non-native speaker use s then ending z.
To clarify, the grammar does not change the pronunciation.
February 22, 2018
That's fascinating. Yes, I pronounce ”houses” as /ˈhaʊzɪz/ and ”house's” as ˈhaʊsɪz/.
February 11, 2022
Either pronunciation is acceptable, unless you are using "houses" as a verb. A skyscraper ˈhaʊzɪz offices; it cannot "houses" offices. Barracks ˈhaʊz soldiers, they do not ˈhaʊs soldiers. The middle sound has to be a 'z'.
Hope that helps!
February 11, 2022
Still haven’t found your answers?
Write down your questions and let the native speakers help you!
Mikkel
Language Skills
Chinese (Mandarin), Danish, English, German, Swedish
Learning Language
English, Swedish
Articles You May Also Like

🎃 October Traditions: Halloween, Holidays, and Learning Portuguese
14 likes · 0 Comments

The Curious World of Silent Letters in English
12 likes · 4 Comments

5 Polite Ways to Say “No” at Work
19 likes · 3 Comments
More articles