In this American English pronunciation video, we're going to go over pronunciation of the word 'graduate'.
This week's word of the week is 'graduate'.
Graduate is the verb form: [ˈɡræ dʒʊ eɪt].
It can also be pronounced [ˈɡræ dʒʊ ɪt], in this case it's either an adjective or a noun. Graduate, graduate.
So, for both of them the stress is on the first syllable, [ˈɡræ], [ˈɡræ].
We begin with the GR consonant cluster.
To make the G, the back part of the tongue reaches up and touches the soft palate.
To make the R, the tongue pulls back, so the middle part of the tongue is touching here, and the front part of the tongue isn't touching anything.
[ˈɡr], [ˈɡr], you should be able to hold that sound out.
[ˈɡræ]. The [æ] as in Bat vowel.
