eyes · ice

eyes /aɪz/ vs ice /aɪs/ — same /aɪ/ diphthong, differ only in the final consonant: voiced /z/ (vocal cords vibrate) vs voiceless /s/ (just air). Sound nearly identical to many learners.

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👂 These sound nearly identical — spot the tiny difference

/aɪz/ vs /aɪs/

Same /aɪ/ vowel — only the final consonant differs: voiced /z/ vs voiceless /s/

⠿ reorder

plural of 'eye' — the organs of sight — 'close your eyes' · 'brown eyes' · 'eyes wide open'

mouth shape

diphthong /aɪ/ + voiced /z/ at the end — mouth opens wide then glides up, vocal cords stay on for the /z/ buzz

eyes

/aɪz/

vowel length

diphthong /aɪ/

⠿ reorder

noun — frozen water — 'ice cube' · 'ice cream' · 'break the ice' · 'on thin ice'

mouth shape

diphthong /aɪ/ + voiceless /s/ at the end — same vowel as eyes, but end with a hiss /s/ — vocal cords stop before the final consonant

ice

/aɪs/

vowel length

diphthong /aɪ/

Voiced /z/ vs voiceless /s/ — feel the difference

eyes ends in /z/

Put your hand on your throat. When you say eyes, your vocal cords keep vibrating all the way to the end — you can feel the buzz.

ice ends in /s/

When you say ice, your vocal cords stop before the final consonant — you end with a pure hiss, no vibration.

Key difference

Both words share the exact same diphthong /aɪ/. The only difference is the final consonant: eyes ends with the voiced /z/ (like a buzzing bee), while ice ends with the voiceless /s/ (like a hissing snake). Place a finger on your throat to feel the vibration stop on ice.

Example sentences

eyes:“She has beautiful green eyes.”

eyes:“Close your eyes and listen.”

ice:“Can I have some ice in my drink?”

ice:“The roads are covered in ice this morning.”

Hear it in a sentence

“She closed her eyes and listened to the rain on the roof.”

“The roads were covered in black ice by six in the morning.”

Hear it in the wild

Real speech from native speakers — the most reliable way to check a pronunciation, since automated audio can vary by device and browser.

YouGlish↗

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