Word Lab
photo · potato
Usage — not pronunciation
intermediateGeneralSpanishArabicMandarin
The rule
Same sound, different spelling. Photos and potatoes both end in /z/. The rule is in the spelling.
Quick tip
A vowel before the -o (radio, video, zoo) means just add -s. Shortened words (photo, memo, piano) also add -s.
Add -s
photo → photospiano → pianosmemo → memoskilo → kilosradio → radiosvideo → videoszoo → zoosstudio → studiosavocado → avocados
Add -es
potato → potatoestomato → tomatoeshero → heroesecho → echoesveto → vetoestorpedo → torpedoes
Both accepted
volcano → volcanoes / volcanostornado → tornadoes / tornadosmango → mangoes / mangosmosquito → mosquitoes / mosquitos
Full breakdown
There is no sound rule here. The -es group is small, so memorize it: potatoes, tomatoes, heroes, echoes.
Quick quiz — question 1 of 6
Score: 0
photo → photos or photoes?
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