-es ending of plural or 3rd person singular,
▷ -es' possessive plural ending—There are two pronunciations: 1. After a sibilant sound ( BrE AmE s, z, ʃ, ʒ, tʃ, dʒ ) the ending is pronounced ɪz or, less commonly in British English but regularly in American English, əz , as pushes ˈpʊʃ ɪz, -əz , churches' ˈtʃɜːtʃ ɪz, -əz . (In singing a strong-vowelled variant ez is occasionally used.) 2. Where the spelling y is changed to i , this ending is pronounced z , as cry — cries kraɪz —See also -s.