How to pronounce “exemplary”
Exemplary is pronounced /ɪɡˈzempləriː/. It has 4 syllables, and the beat falls on the second one — zem. Below: the syllable split, native audio in both accents, the mistake people actually make with this word, and every individual sound in it explained.
Syllables and stress
Split it into 4 beats. The highlighted syllable is the strong one: say it louder, longer and a touch higher in pitch, and let the others fall away. English is a stress-timed language, so getting zem in the right place matters more to a listener than getting every vowel perfect.
Stress pattern oOoo — capital letters mark the stressed beats.
The common mispronunciation of “exemplary”
✗ Often said: /ˈeksemplɑːriː/ — the spelling, read straight off the page.
✓ Actually: /ɪɡˈzempləriː/
Why the two come apart: the stress lands on the second syllable (“zem”), not on the first one — putting the beat at the front is the mistake almost everyone makes; also, the unstressed vowels flatten all the way down to /ə/ — English swallows them, so they never sound the way they are written; also, at least one vowel does not say what its spelling suggests — English vowel letters are not reliable here; also, a consonant letter takes an unexpected sound value here, so reading it "as written" comes out wrong.
This is why reading English aloud from spelling alone goes wrong so often: the letters of “exemplary” are not a reliable map of its sounds. The IPA is — each symbol stands for exactly one sound, every time.
“exemplary” sound by sound
“exemplary” is built out of 9 sounds. Say each one on its own first, slowly, then run them together at speed. Every sound links to a full guide with mouth position, the mistake learners make with it, and other words that use it.
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ɪRelax the tongue slightly lower and further back than for /iː/, keep the lips neutral, and make it short and lax.
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ɡBack of the tongue seals against the soft palate and releases while the voice is already on — no puff of air.
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zExactly the /s/ tongue position with voicing added, so the airflow buzzes.
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eHold the tongue mid-high and forward with the jaw slightly open and lips relaxed and unrounded.
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mClose the lips, lower the soft palate and let the voiced air come out through the nose.
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pPress both lips together, build up air behind them, then release with a puff of air (aspiration) when the sound starts a stressed syllable.
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lTouch the tongue tip to the ridge behind the upper teeth and let the voiced air flow around the sides of the tongue.
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ərThe same r-coloured tongue shape as /ɜːr/ but weak, short and unstressed — the ending of "teacher", "doctor", "sugar".
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iːSpread the lips into a smile, push the front of the tongue high and forward, and hold the sound tense and long.
Questions people ask about “exemplary”
- How do you pronounce “exemplary”?
- “exemplary” is pronounced /ɪɡˈzempləriː/, with the stress on the second syllable (zem). Press the US or UK button above to hear it spoken.
- How many syllables are in “exemplary”?
- “exemplary” has 4 syllables: ɪɡ · zem · plər · iː. The stress pattern is oOoo.
- What is the common mispronunciation of “exemplary”?
- People read it off the spelling as /ˈeksemplɑːriː/, but it is actually /ɪɡˈzempləriː/, because the stress lands on the second syllable (“zem”), not on the first one — putting the beat at the front is the mistake almost everyone makes.
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