Listen for the difference between /s/, the voiceless alveolar fricative in sip, and /z/, the voiced alveolar fricative in zip. Use your recordings to practise, compare and test yourself.
Stage 1: Meet the words
Listen to each word and look at its spelling. You can replay it at normal speed or more slowly. Use Compare pair to hear both words one after the other.
Pair 1 of 20
Word 1
sip
Word 2
zip
Choose a playback button to listen.
Pair 1 of 20
Stage 2: Guided practice
Listen to one word and choose its spelling. Use Replay if you need to hear it again, or Compare pair to hear both words consecutively. Check your answer for immediate feedback.
Question 1 of 40
Play the recording to listen.
Score: 0 correct from 0 checked
Stage 3: Final test
Now test yourself. You will hear one word and choose between two spellings. Feedback appears after you check each answer. At the end, review any mistakes.
The test contains 40 questions, covering both words in all twenty pairs. The questions are presented in a new mixed order.
Question 1 of 40
Play the recording to listen.
Score: 0 correct from 0 checked
Test complete
Answer key
Mistakes-only review
Listen again and choose the correct spelling for each question you missed. Your review score is separate from your test score.
Activity 2: Same or different?
You will hear two words, one after the other. Decide whether they are the same or different. The words may be repeated exactly, or they may be a contrasting pair. Listen to both recordings before answering.
This activity contains 40 questions: 20 same-word trials and 20 different-word trials, presented in a mixed order.
Question 1 of 40
Play both recordings to listen.
Score: 0 correct from 0 checked
Activity complete
Answer key
Teacher's note
The HTML expects the recordings to be in a folder named sounds beside this file. Filenames must match the list in the code. “Play slowly” uses slower playback of the same recording; it may slightly change the sound quality.
Your word list includes wooed in two pairs. The same recording is reused in both places.