Pronunciation guide: IPA symbols, stress and word endings
Vowels
| iː | see | ɪ | sit | e / ɛ | bed | æ | cat |
| ɑː | father | ɒ | hot (UK) | ɔː | law | ʊ | put |
| uː | too | ʌ | cup | ɜː | bird | ə | about |
| eɪ | day | aɪ | my | ɔɪ | boy | aʊ | now |
| əʊ / oʊ | go (UK / US) | ɪə | near | eə | hair | ʊə | tour |
Consonants that look unusual
| θ | thin | ð | this | ʃ | she | ʒ | measure |
| tʃ | church | dʒ | judge | ŋ | sing | j | yes |
p b t d k g f v s z h m n l r w sound as in ordinary English spelling.
Marks
- ˈ main stress, before the stressed syllable: /ˈwɔːtə/ water · ˌ lighter (secondary) stress: /ˌʌndəˈstænd/ understand
- ː a long vowel · (r) an r said only in accents that pronounce it (most American, Scottish, Irish)
Common word endings
- -s / -es (plurals; he/she form of verbs): /s/ after voiceless sounds (cats), /z/ after voiced (dogs), /ɪz/ after s, z, sh, ch, j sounds (buses, watches). Spelling: -es after s, x, z, ch, sh; consonant + y → -ies (city → cities).
- -ed (past): /t/ after voiceless sounds (walked), /d/ after voiced (played), /ɪd/ after t or d (wanted). Spelling: love → loved, stop → stopped, carry → carried.
- -ing: make → making, run → running, see → seeing.
- Irregular: go, went, gone · be, was, been · see, saw, seen · man → men · child → children · mouse → mice.
- Older (King James) forms: -eth = -s (he loveth = he loves) · -est with “thou” (thou lovest) · spake = spoke.
English Dictionary · 107,383 entries · Sources & licences
Results for “because of”
- abscess noun, verb(pathology) A cavity caused by tissue destruction, usually because of infection, filled with pus and surrounded by inflamed tissue.
- accrue verb, noun(intransitive) To increase, to rise
- adoration noun(countable, religion) An act of religious worship.
- air-freight verbTo ship cargo by the use of aircraft.
- allergy noun(medicine, immunology, loosely) A disorder of the immune system causing adverse reactions to substances (allergens) not harmful to most and…
- allogeneic adjective(genetics) Genetically different because of being derived from separate individuals of the same species.
- anemia noun(American spelling, uncountable, pathology) A medical condition in which the capacity of the blood to transport oxygen to the tissues is re…
- anorthography nouna loss of the ability to write or to express thoughts in writing because of a brain lesion
- antique adjective, noun, verb, proper nounHaving existed in ancient times, descended from antiquity; used especially in reference to Greece and Rome.
- artificially adverbIn an artificial manner.
- at-bat noun(baseball) An opportunity to hit.
- attention span nounThe length of time, or span that one can pay attention, or concentrate on one topic without becoming distracted.
- balanced adjectiveContaining elements in appropriate proportion; proportionately weighted on all dimensions and therefore unlikely to tip over.
- because conjunction, adverb, interjection, prepositionBy or for the cause that; on this account that; for the reason that.
- bedfast adjective, nounUnable to leave one's bed, especially because of illness, weakness or obesity.
- bedridden adjectiveConfined to bed because of infirmity or illness.
- bemoan verb(transitive) To moan or complain about (something).
- blank adjective, noun, verb, proper noun(archaic) White or pale; without colour.
- blasé adjective, proper nounUnimpressed, indifferent, especially because of overfamiliarity.
- bleary-eyed adjectiveTired, because of lack of sleep, and having blurred or reddened eyes.
- blind spot nounThe place where the optic nerve attaches to the retina, and so where the retina cannot detect light; the portion of the visual field that c…
- blinded adjectiveDeprived of sight in a way that is or may be permanent, by damage to the eyes or brain.
- bloodshot adjective(of the eyes) Reddened and inflamed because of congested blood vessels.
- blue chip noun(poker) A high-value poker chip.
- blue fox nounA variant of arctic fox (Vulpes lagopus), raised in captivity because of its bluish grey-winter fur.
- bottle noun, verbA container, typically made of glass or plastic and having a tapered neck, used primarily for holding liquids.
- bounce verb, noun(intransitive) To change the direction of motion after hitting an obstacle.
- break up verb(transitive) To break or separate into pieces.
- brick noun, verb, adjective, proper noun(countable) A hardened rectangular block of mud, clay etc., used for building.
- broach noun, verb, proper nounA series of chisel points mounted on one piece of steel. For example, the toothed stone chisel shown here.
- broken-backed adjectiveHaving a broken back.
- brownout noun(electricity) A period of low alternating current line voltage, causing a reduction in illumination.
- brushwork noun(painting) The technique or practice of applying and manipulating paint (usually oil or gouache) in a painting.
- bulge noun, verbAn object which is sticking out from a surface; a swelling, protuberant part; a bending outward, especially when caused by pressure.
- bump noun, verb, interjection, proper noun(countable) A light blow or jolting collision.
- bungler nounSomeone who makes mistakes because of incompetence.
- callback nounThe return of a situation to a previous position or state; a reference to such a position or state.
- calve verb(intransitive) To give birth to a calf.
- cardinal adjective, noun, proper nounOf fundamental importance; crucial, pivotal.
- catalpa nounAny tree of the genus Catalpa, in the family Bignoniaceae. The two North American species, the southern catalpa, Catalpa bignonioides, and …