Accommodates is the third-person singular present tense and other forms of the verb accommodate, meaning to provide lodging or space for someone or to fit or adapt to a need. In common use, it describes making room, adjusting to preferences, or satisfying demands. It often appears in formal and business contexts (as in services) and in phrases like “accommodates all needs.” The word carries a subtle emphasis on the root accommodating function rather than mere availability.
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- Common phonetic challenges: 1) Stress placement: put main stress on the second syllable (a-COM-mo-dates). If you stress the first or third syllable, the word sounds off in natural speech. 2) Middle vowel sequence: ensure a crisp /kɒm/ or /kɑː.mə/ before /dəɪts/; avoid slurring the /m/ into the following /ə/. 3) Final cluster: /ts/ must be released; avoid ending with an unvoiced /t/ or /s/ alone.
- US: stressed second syllable with broader /ɑː/; UK/AU: shorter /ɒ/ or /ɒ/, non-rhotic tendencies may soften r-color. Vowel quality: watch the shift from /ɒ/ or /ɑː/ to /ə/; keep /dəɪts/ crisp. - Maintain a clear /t/ in the final cluster; avoid flapping the /t/ into a /d/ sound. - IPA references: US əˈkɑː.mə.deɪts, UK əˈkɒm.ə.deɪts, AU əˈkɒm.ə.deɪts.
"The hotel accommodates up to 200 guests with flexible rooms."
"Our schedule can accommodate your travel plans if you change your arrival date."
"The software accommodates multiple languages and time zones."
"The team strives to accommodate the client’s preferences while maintaining project integrity."
Accommodate comes from the early 16th century French accommodater, from Middle French accommoder and Latin accommodare, meaning to fit or adapt. The root is the Latin accommodare, from ob- ‘toward’ + commode ‘convenient, suitable’ (related to commodus, ‘convenient, comfortable’). The English form acquired the -ate- suffix in the 17th century, denoting action or process, and the noun accommodation appeared parallelly to describe lodging. Over time, the meaning broadened from physical fitting or making something convenient to include adapting to people’s needs, preferences, or requirements. In modern usage, “accommodates” emphasizes provision and adaptability, often in service, architectural design, logistics, and policy contexts. First known uses surface in the 1500s in English adaptations of French text, with “accommodate” appearing in legal and mercantile documents as a verb, then spreading into general usage. The plural or third-person form “accommodates” began to appear in the 18th–19th centuries as English syntax evolved to mark tense and subject agreement more consistently in both spoken and written forms.
💡 Etymology tip: Understanding word origins can help you remember pronunciation patterns and recognize related words in the same language family.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "accommodates" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "accommodates" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "accommodates"
-cts sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
🎵 Rhyme tip: Practicing with rhyming words helps you master similar sound patterns and improves your overall pronunciation accuracy.
US/UK/AU pronunciation centers the second syllable as the main stress: /əˈkɒm.ə.deɪts/ (US: /əˈkɑː.mə.deɪts/, UK/AU: /əˈkɒm.ə.deɪts/). Start with a neutral schwa in the first syllable, then a strong /ˈkɒm/ (UK) or /ˈkɑːm/ (US), followed by a light /ə/ and the diphthong /eɪ/ in /deɪts/. Final /ts/ is crisp. Mouth position: lips relaxed, jaw drops slightly for the first vowel, then a rounded or spread lip position for /ɒ/ or /ɑː/, and a clear t-s + s cluster at the end. IPA: US əˈkɑː.mə.deɪts, UK əˈkɒm.ə.deɪts, AU əˈkɒm.ə.deɪts.
Two frequent errors: misplacing stress (putting emphasis on the first or third syllable) and mispronouncing the /k/ + /m/ cluster as /km/ without vowel support. Correct it by keeping the primary stress on the second syllable: a-COM-mo-dates, and insert a light /ə/ between /kɒ/ and /m/ to avoid blending. Also ensure the final /ts/ is not devoiced into /t/ or /s/; practice the crisp /ts/ blend. IPA anchors: /əˈkɒm.ə.deɪts/ (UK/AU) or /əˈkɑː.mə.deɪts/ (US).
US: slightly broader /ɑː/ in /kɑː/, more rhotic vowel in first syllable, and a smoother /də/ sequence; UK/AU: shorter /ɒ/ due to non-rhotic tendencies in some contexts, with a tighter /t/ release before final /s/. The /t/ in /deɪts/ can become a light flap in rapid speech in some informal UK contexts. Overall, the main differences are vowel quality (US /ɑː/ vs UK /ɒ/), rhoticity is variably present, and the final onset cluster remains /dəɪts/ with a crisp /ts/ in careful speech.
Three challenges: the multi-syllabic rhythm with secondary stress on the penultimate syllable, the transition from a dark back vowel in /kɒ/ to a front schwa /ə/ and then a rising diphthong /eɪ/ in /deɪts/, and the consonant cluster at the end /ts/ which requires a precise voiceless affricate release. Also, the unstressed first syllable /ə/ can be reduced in fast speech, leading to mispronunciations. With practice, you’ll stabilize the sequence a-COM-mo-dates and finalize with a clear /ts/.
A distinctive feature is maintaining the /m/ onset of the third syllable clearly after the /k/ and the /ə/; many speakers bolt the syllable boundary and run /kə/ together as /kə/ or /kɒm.ə/ without the needed space. Keeping a light, optional extra vowel before /deɪts/ helps avoid the /d/ becoming too strong or the /t/ losing plosive clarity. The recommended practice is to articulate as a-COM-mo-dates with a perceptible but smooth /m/ transition before /dəɪts/.
🗣️ Voice search tip: These questions are optimized for voice search. Try asking your voice assistant any of these questions about "accommodates"!
- Shadowing: listen to native speakers saying “accommodates” and repeat exactly, pausing after each occurrence to imitate rhythm and intonation. - Minimal pairs: /kæm/ vs /kɒm/ (accommodates vs accommodates with altered vowel), practice distinguishing in context. - Rhythm practice: 4-beat pattern emphasizing 2nd syllable; use clapping to feel the stress. - Stress practice: mark syllables with capitals on the second syllable: a-COM-mo-dates. - Recording: record yourself saying the word in sentences; compare with a native speaker and adjust. - Context practice: say “The hotel accommodates guests” and “The policy accommodates diverse needs.” - Speed progression: begin slow, then normal, then fast while maintaining accuracy.
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