The spelling of the word "HOPPS" might look confusing at first glance, but it can be easily explained using the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA). The IPA phonetic transcription for "HOPPS" is /hɒps/, which shows that the first sound is an "h" sound, followed by a short "o" sound, a "p" sound, and then another "p" sound. The final "s" sound is also included in the transcription. So, despite its unusual spelling, "HOPPS" is pronounced just as it looks: "hops."