How to pronounce “reduced”
Reduced is pronounced /rəˈduːst/. It has 2 syllables, and the beat falls on the second one — duːst. 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 2 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 duːst in the right place matters more to a listener than getting every vowel perfect.
Stress pattern oO — capital letters mark the stressed beats.
“reduced” sound by sound
“reduced” is built out of 6 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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rCurl the tongue tip back (or bunch the tongue body up) without touching anything, round the lips slightly, and voice — the tongue must never tap the roof of the mouth.
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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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dSame tongue position as /t/ — tip on the ridge behind the upper teeth — but voice the sound and release it without aspiration.
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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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sHold the tongue tip near (not touching) the ridge behind the upper teeth and force a narrow stream of air down the groove of the tongue.
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tTouch the tongue tip to the bumpy ridge just behind the upper teeth, block the air, then release it with a puff.
Words that rhyme with “reduced”
Same ending sound from the stressed vowel on — a good way to hear whether you have the vowel right:
Questions people ask about “reduced”
- How do you pronounce “reduced”?
- “reduced” is pronounced /rəˈduːst/, with the stress on the second syllable (duːst). Press the US or UK button above to hear it spoken.
- How many syllables are in “reduced”?
- “reduced” has 2 syllables: rə · duːst. The stress pattern is oO.
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