face · phase
face /feɪs/ vs phase /feɪz/ — same vowel, only the final consonant changes: voiceless /s/ (a hiss) vs voiced /z/ (a buzz).
👂 Same vowel — only the ending buzzes or hisses
/feɪs/ vs /feɪz/
Same /eɪ/ diphthong — only the final consonant differs: voiceless /s/ vs voiced /z/
noun — the front part of the head — 'wash your face' · 'a friendly face' · 'face to face'
mouth shape
diphthong /eɪ/ + voiceless /s/ at the end — vocal cords stop before the final hiss
face
/feɪs/
vowel length
noun — a stage in a process of change — 'a new phase' · 'the moon's phases' · 'just a phase'
mouth shape
same diphthong /eɪ/ as face, but ends with voiced /z/ — vocal cords keep buzzing to the end
phase
/feɪz/
vowel length
Voiceless /s/ vs voiced /z/ — feel the difference
face ends in /s/
Put a hand on your throat. When you say face, your vocal cords stop before the final sound — you end with a pure hiss.
phase ends in /z/
When you say phase, your vocal cords keep vibrating all the way to the end — you can feel the buzz.
Key difference
Both words share the exact same diphthong /eɪ/. The only difference is the final consonant: face ends with the voiceless /s/ (a hiss, like a snake), while phase ends with the voiced /z/ (a buzz, like a bee).
Example sentences
face:“She had a big smile on her face.”
face:“We need to face this problem together.”
phase:“The project is still in its early phase.”
phase:“Don’t worry, it’s just a phase.”
Hear it in a sentence
“The sun warmed her face as she walked outside.”
“Toddlers often go through a picky-eating phase.”
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.
face
Hear native speakers say “face” in real sentences — news, lectures, and podcasts.
Opens YouTube-sourced clips in a new tab.
phase
Hear native speakers say “phase” in real sentences — news, lectures, and podcasts.
Opens YouTube-sourced clips in a new tab.
How teachers explain this
Approved tips from the community, sorted by helpfulness
Word families
face family ▸
phase family ▸
Comments
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