Sorting Plural Sounds in Daily Life — A2 English Pronunciation Practice Test
About this practice test
Practise A2 English pronunciation by sorting everyday plural nouns into /s/, /z/ and extra-syllable ending groups.
What you’ll practice
Hear the difference
Recognise vowel and consonant contrasts in clear recordings.
Stress and rhythm
Identify strong syllables and emphasized words.
Listen and review
Replay each recording and learn from answer explanations.
What to expect:
8 questions with explanations to review after submission.
Study the questions and tasks
Work through the material below, or start the interactive practice above to complete an attempt. Try the exercises before opening any answer or transcript sections, then use them to review your work.
- Practice level
- A2. Try this level if you can follow the instructions and understand most of the language; choose an earlier level if you need more support.
- Question formats
- Sorting into categories
How to approach this practice
Read the instructions and work through the questions before opening the answers.
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Question 1 · Sorting into categories
Sort each word or phrase into its correct category.
Say and sort the words by the sound of their plural ending. Focus on the final sound, not the spelling.
Categories
- Ending sounds like /s/
- Ending sounds like /z/
- Ending adds a syllable: /ɪz/ or /əz/
Word bank
- cups
- books
- keys
- boxes
- dishes
- bags
Check answers and explanations
- 1. cups
- Ending sounds like /s/
- 2. books
- Ending sounds like /s/
- 3. keys
- Ending sounds like /z/
- 4. boxes
- Ending adds a syllable: /ɪz/ or /əz/
- 5. dishes
- Ending adds a syllable: /ɪz/ or /əz/
- 6. bags
- Ending sounds like /z/
Sound groups: Ending sounds like /s/: books, cups; Ending sounds like /z/: bags, keys; Ending adds a syllable: /ɪz/ or /əz/: dishes, boxes. After a sibilant sound, the ending adds a syllable; otherwise use /s/ after a voiceless sound and /z/ after a voiced sound.
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Question 2 · Sorting into categories
Sort each word or phrase into its correct category.
Say and sort the words by the sound of their plural ending. Focus on the final sound, not the spelling.
Categories
- Ending sounds like /s/
- Ending sounds like /z/
- Ending adds a syllable: /ɪz/ or /əz/
Word bank
- pens
- buses
- cats
- watches
- hats
- dogs
Check answers and explanations
- 1. pens
- Ending sounds like /z/
- 2. buses
- Ending adds a syllable: /ɪz/ or /əz/
- 3. cats
- Ending sounds like /s/
- 4. watches
- Ending adds a syllable: /ɪz/ or /əz/
- 5. hats
- Ending sounds like /s/
- 6. dogs
- Ending sounds like /z/
Sound groups: Ending sounds like /s/: cats, hats; Ending sounds like /z/: dogs, pens; Ending adds a syllable: /ɪz/ or /əz/: buses, watches. After a sibilant sound, the ending adds a syllable; otherwise use /s/ after a voiceless sound and /z/ after a voiced sound.
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Question 3 · Sorting into categories
Sort each word or phrase into its correct category.
Say and sort the words by the sound of their plural ending. Focus on the final sound, not the spelling.
Categories
- Ending sounds like /s/
- Ending sounds like /z/
- Ending adds a syllable: /ɪz/ or /əz/
Word bank
- cakes
- shops
- doors
- glasses
- classes
- chairs
Check answers and explanations
- 1. cakes
- Ending sounds like /s/
- 2. shops
- Ending sounds like /s/
- 3. doors
- Ending sounds like /z/
- 4. glasses
- Ending adds a syllable: /ɪz/ or /əz/
- 5. classes
- Ending adds a syllable: /ɪz/ or /əz/
- 6. chairs
- Ending sounds like /z/
Sound groups: Ending sounds like /s/: shops, cakes; Ending sounds like /z/: chairs, doors; Ending adds a syllable: /ɪz/ or /əz/: classes, glasses. After a sibilant sound, the ending adds a syllable; otherwise use /s/ after a voiceless sound and /z/ after a voiced sound.
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Question 4 · Sorting into categories
Sort each word or phrase into its correct category.
Say and sort the words by the sound of their plural ending. Focus on the final sound, not the spelling.
Categories
- Ending sounds like /s/
- Ending sounds like /z/
- Ending adds a syllable: /ɪz/ or /əz/
Word bank
- coats
- maps
- cars
- sandwiches
- beaches
- rooms
Check answers and explanations
- 1. coats
- Ending sounds like /s/
- 2. maps
- Ending sounds like /s/
- 3. cars
- Ending sounds like /z/
- 4. sandwiches
- Ending adds a syllable: /ɪz/ or /əz/
- 5. beaches
- Ending adds a syllable: /ɪz/ or /əz/
- 6. rooms
- Ending sounds like /z/
Sound groups: Ending sounds like /s/: maps, coats; Ending sounds like /z/: rooms, cars; Ending adds a syllable: /ɪz/ or /əz/: beaches, sandwiches. After a sibilant sound, the ending adds a syllable; otherwise use /s/ after a voiceless sound and /z/ after a voiced sound.
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Question 5 · Sorting into categories
Sort each word or phrase into its correct category.
Say and sort the words by the sound of their plural ending. Focus on the final sound, not the spelling.
Categories
- Ending sounds like /s/
- Ending sounds like /z/
- Ending adds a syllable: /ɪz/ or /əz/
Word bank
- toys
- socks
- balls
- desks
- oranges
- brushes
Check answers and explanations
- 1. toys
- Ending sounds like /z/
- 2. socks
- Ending sounds like /s/
- 3. balls
- Ending sounds like /z/
- 4. desks
- Ending sounds like /s/
- 5. oranges
- Ending adds a syllable: /ɪz/ or /əz/
- 6. brushes
- Ending adds a syllable: /ɪz/ or /əz/
Sound groups: Ending sounds like /s/: desks, socks; Ending sounds like /z/: balls, toys; Ending adds a syllable: /ɪz/ or /əz/: oranges, brushes. After a sibilant sound, the ending adds a syllable; otherwise use /s/ after a voiceless sound and /z/ after a voiced sound.
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Question 6 · Sorting into categories
Sort each word or phrase into its correct category.
Say and sort the words by the sound of their plural ending. Focus on the final sound, not the spelling.
Categories
- Ending sounds like /s/
- Ending sounds like /z/
- Ending adds a syllable: /ɪz/ or /əz/
Word bank
- parks
- lunches
- schools
- names
- shirts
- dresses
Check answers and explanations
- 1. parks
- Ending sounds like /s/
- 2. lunches
- Ending adds a syllable: /ɪz/ or /əz/
- 3. schools
- Ending sounds like /z/
- 4. names
- Ending sounds like /z/
- 5. shirts
- Ending sounds like /s/
- 6. dresses
- Ending adds a syllable: /ɪz/ or /əz/
Sound groups: Ending sounds like /s/: parks, shirts; Ending sounds like /z/: schools, names; Ending adds a syllable: /ɪz/ or /əz/: dresses, lunches. After a sibilant sound, the ending adds a syllable; otherwise use /s/ after a voiceless sound and /z/ after a voiced sound.
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Question 7 · Sorting into categories
Sort each word or phrase into its correct category.
Say and sort the words by the sound of their plural ending. Focus on the final sound, not the spelling.
Categories
- Ending sounds like /s/
- Ending sounds like /z/
- Ending adds a syllable: /ɪz/ or /əz/
Word bank
- eggs
- plates
- pages
- places
- lights
- shoes
Check answers and explanations
- 1. eggs
- Ending sounds like /z/
- 2. plates
- Ending sounds like /s/
- 3. pages
- Ending adds a syllable: /ɪz/ or /əz/
- 4. places
- Ending adds a syllable: /ɪz/ or /əz/
- 5. lights
- Ending sounds like /s/
- 6. shoes
- Ending sounds like /z/
Sound groups: Ending sounds like /s/: lights, plates; Ending sounds like /z/: eggs, shoes; Ending adds a syllable: /ɪz/ or /əz/: pages, places. After a sibilant sound, the ending adds a syllable; otherwise use /s/ after a voiceless sound and /z/ after a voiced sound.
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Question 8 · Sorting into categories
Sort each word or phrase into its correct category.
Say and sort the words by the sound of their plural ending. Focus on the final sound, not the spelling.
Categories
- Ending sounds like /s/
- Ending sounds like /z/
- Ending adds a syllable: /ɪz/ or /əz/
Word bank
- wishes
- tickets
- sizes
- trains
- windows
- snacks
Check answers and explanations
- 1. wishes
- Ending adds a syllable: /ɪz/ or /əz/
- 2. tickets
- Ending sounds like /s/
- 3. sizes
- Ending adds a syllable: /ɪz/ or /əz/
- 4. trains
- Ending sounds like /z/
- 5. windows
- Ending sounds like /z/
- 6. snacks
- Ending sounds like /s/
Sound groups: Ending sounds like /s/: snacks, tickets; Ending sounds like /z/: trains, windows; Ending adds a syllable: /ɪz/ or /əz/: wishes, sizes. After a sibilant sound, the ending adds a syllable; otherwise use /s/ after a voiceless sound and /z/ after a voiced sound.
What to review next
Review the feedback and revisit the topics you found difficult before trying again.
A focused practice result shows how you did on these tasks. Use several activities across skills to decide what to study next; one practice score does not certify an overall CEFR level.