How to pronounce “punctuation”
Punctuation is pronounced /ˌpʌŋktʃuːˈeɪʃən/. It has 4 syllables, and the beat falls on the third one — eɪ. 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 eɪ in the right place matters more to a listener than getting every vowel perfect.
Stress pattern ōoOo — capital letters mark the stressed beats.
“punctuation” sound by sound
“punctuation” is built out of 10 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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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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ʌKeep the tongue central and slightly low with a relaxed, neutral mouth — like a stressed, fuller version of the schwa.
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ŋRaise the back of the tongue against the soft palate as if for /ɡ/, but let the voiced air escape through the nose instead of releasing it.
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kRaise the back of the tongue to touch the soft palate, seal the air, then release it with a puff.
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tʃStop the air with the tongue against the ridge, then release it slowly into a /ʃ/, so it is a stop plus a hiss glued into one sound.
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uːPush the tongue high and back and round the lips into a tight, forward circle; hold it tense and long.
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eɪStart at the /e/ position and glide upward and forward toward /ɪ/ — the jaw closes as you say it.
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ʃPull the tongue slightly back from the /s/ position, spread the blade wide behind the ridge, round the lips a little, and push air through with no voice.
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əDo almost nothing: leave the tongue in its neutral resting position, mouth slightly open, and make the shortest, weakest possible vowel.
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nTouch the tongue tip to the ridge behind the upper teeth, lower the soft palate, and voice the air out through the nose.
Words that rhyme with “punctuation”
Same ending sound from the stressed vowel on — a good way to hear whether you have the vowel right:
Questions people ask about “punctuation”
- How do you pronounce “punctuation”?
- “punctuation” is pronounced /ˌpʌŋktʃuːˈeɪʃən/, with the stress on the third syllable (eɪ). Press the US or UK button above to hear it spoken.
- How many syllables are in “punctuation”?
- “punctuation” has 4 syllables: pʌŋk · tʃuː · eɪ · ʃən. The stress pattern is ōoOo.
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