2 syllables: ac, cepts. Stress on cepts.
ak-SEPTS
/æˈksɛpts/
accepts is pronounced ak-SEPTS (/æˈksɛpts/). It has two syllables (ac-cepts), with the stress on "cepts". Accepts is the third-person singular present tense of the verb accept, meaning to receive or agree to something. In everyday usage, it also appears as a noun in phrases like “the accepts” in certain contexts, though the standard form for the verb is more common. The pronunciation places stress on the second syllable, with a clear t sound at the end in many dialects.
Accepts is the third-person singular present tense of the verb accept, meaning to receive or agree to something. In everyday usage, it also appears as a noun in phrases like “the accepts” in certain contexts, though the standard form for the verb is more common. The pronunciation places stress on the second syllable, with a clear t sound at the end in many dialects.
"She accepts the invitation with a smile."
"The company accepts returns within 30 days."
"He reluctantly accepts the new policy after discussion."
Pronunciation: /əkˈsepts/ (US) or /əkˈsep(ts)/ (UK). The primary stress is on the second syllable, with the vowel in the first syllable a schwa. The final cluster is a voiceless /pt/ or /pts/ followed by /s/. Practice by isolating the stressed syllable: /ˈsep/ with a strong, quick release into /ts/; then attach the initial /ə/ before it. Audio reference: you can listen on standard pronunciation sites for native speakers.
Common errors include misplacing the stress (saying /əkˈsept/ without final /s/), softening the final /ts/ into /t/ or /d/, and treating /k/ as a hard /g/. To correct: keep the /t/ as a voiceless alveolar stop, then release into a crisp /s/. Practice the full /əkˈsepts/ sequence slowly, then speed up. Ensure the /p/ is released with a puff of air before the /t/; don’t connect the /p/ and /t/ too loosely.
US and UK share /əkˈsepts/ with strong second-syllable stress; US often retains a clear /k/ before /t/ and a crisp /s/ at the end. UK may exhibit a slightly weaker final /s/ or a t-less link in rapid speech. Australian speakers tend to retain the final /ts/ cluster but may reduce vowel quality in the first syllable, giving a slightly flatter /ə/ in the first vowel. In all cases, the stress pattern is two syllables with primary stress on the second syllable.
The difficulty lies in the final consonant cluster /pts/ and the transition from a syllabic /sep/ into the /ts/ sequence while maintaining voiceless articulation. Non-native speakers often drop the /t/ or blur the /t/ and /s/, producing /əkˈseps/ or /əkˈsepts/ with reduced clarity. Practicing slow, deliberate releases and focusing on the exact tongue position for /t/ and the release into /s/ helps. Also watch for the schwa in the first syllable and keep it relaxed.
A common unique concern is whether the final /ts/ should be pronounced as an affricate /t s/ or a single /ts/ sequence. In careful speech, you pronounce /t/ then /s/ as separate, unreleased vocalizations: /t/ + /s/. In rapid speech, the /t/ can partially merge into the /s/, creating a shorter, crisper end sound. Focus on ending with a clean alveolar stop followed by a voiceless alveolar fricative.
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Accept originates from the Latin acceptare, combining ad- (toward) with capere (take). The term moved through Old French as accepter before entering Middle English as accepten and later accept. Over time, the sense narrowed to primarily mean taking something offered or granted, and also to agree to terms or conditions. In modern English, accept has specialized usage in legal, social, and formal contexts, including “acceptance” and “acceptable.” The third-person singular form accepts developed as a natural inflection of the verb in English, pairing the base form with -s in standard present-tense conjugation. First known uses appear in Middle English texts from the 14th century, with the sense solidifying through the Early Modern period as commerce and formal agreements proliferated, making “accepts” a common everyday form for “he/she/it accepts.”
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Words that rhyme with "accepts"
-pts sounds
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