Achievements refers to acts or instances of attaining goals or noteworthy outcomes, typically recognized or celebrated. It denotes successful completion or attainment in a given domain and often carries a sense of progress and competence. The term can describe personal milestones or collective accomplishments across various contexts.
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- Common error: misplacing stress or treating the second syllable as unstressed; correction: keep secondary stress on the first syllable in many US and UK accents and emphasize the second syllable with /iː/. - Common error: mispronouncing the long /iː/ as a short /ɪ/; correction: elongate the vowel in the second syllable to /iː/ and ensure it is clearly heard before the /v/. - Common error: slurring /v/ into /m/ or dropping the /t/ in the final cluster; correction: articulate /v/ clearly, then place a crisp /t/ before /s/ for /tənts/. - Common error: reducing to /əˈtʃiv.mənts/ with a weak first syllable; correction: practice the initial unstressed syllable with a neutral schwa and build up to the stronger secondary stress on the second/third syllable depending on dialect.
- US: Pronounce with rhotic influence where applicable; keep /ɹ/ neutral or slight; vowel in second syllable tends to be longer /iː/. - UK: Often a stronger second-syllable stress; keep /æ/ in initial variants, maintain clear /tʃiːv/ sequence and crisp /mənts/. - AU: Tendency toward broader vowel qualities; often those vowels are full and rounded; maintain /ɪ/ vs /iː/ depending on speaker; ensure the final /nts/ is crisp.
"Her academic achievements earned her a scholarship."
"The team celebrated several achievements this quarter."
"Your professional achievements will be highlighted in your portfolio."
"We must recognize everyday achievements as stepping stones to bigger goals."
The word achievements comes from the Middle English acivement, borrowed from Old French accomplisher or achever, ultimately from the Latin efficere, meaning to bring about or to accomplish. The root assembles via Old French achever (“end, complete”) and Latin efficere (to effect). The noun form emerged in English in the 14th–15th centuries, initially tied to the act of achieving or finishing something. Over time, it broadened to denote notable acts or results that demonstrate skill, effort, or progress, often with a formal or evaluative connotation (as in academic, professional, or athletic achievements). The plural form emphasizes multiple instances, and the word frequently collocates with adjectives like notable, remarkable, personal, academic, professional. First known use in Middle English appears in texts dealing with feats and completed tasks, gradually becoming the standard term in modern English to mark success and accomplishment in various fields.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "achievements" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "achievements" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "achievements"
-nts sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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Pronunciation: /əˈtʃiːv.mənts/ (US) or /ˌæ.tʃiˈviːv.mənts/ (UK). Start with a schwa + 'tʃ' cluster, then a long 'ee' vowel in the second syllable, followed by a light 'v' or 'm' transition into /mənts/. Stress falls on the second syllable in most varieties. Think: uh-CHEEV-ments, with a crisp 'ch' and a clear 'ee' sound before the 'v'.
Common errors: 1) Misplacing stress (stressing the first syllable). 2) Shortening 'ee' to /ɪ/ in the second syllable (sound like /əˈtɪv.mənts/). 3) Dropping the final 't' or rushing the /mənts/ cluster (→ /mənts/ has a light /t/ and /s/). Correction: emphasize the long /iː/ in the second syllable and articulate the final /mən(t)s/ as /mənts/ with clear /t/ and /s/.
US: /əˈtʃiːv.mənts/ with a weaker initial syllable; UK: /ˌæ.tʃiˈviːv.mənts/ or /əˈtʃiːv.mənts/ depending on speaker; AU: /ˌeɪˈtʃiːv.mənts/ or /æˈtʃiːv.mənts/ with similar rhythm but often more extended vowels. The key differences lie in initial syllable stress and vowel quality in the second syllable, and whether the final syllable is pronounced with a clearer /t/.
Difficulties stem from the multi-syllabic structure, the long 'ee' vowel in the second syllable, the cluster transition between /v/ and /m/, and the final /nts/ sequence. Speakers may mispronounce as /ˈæk.tʃiːv.mənz/ by inserting a schwa before the final /nts/ or misplacing the stress; focus on sustaining the /iː/ in the second syllable and articulating /t/ and /s/ clearly at the end.
A unique aspect is the sequence /v/ followed by /m/ in the coda: /v.m/ linking into /mənts/. This can cause a slight vowel reduction or a glide. Practice maintaining a steady /iː/ in the second syllable, and ensure the transition into the /m/ is smooth before the /ənts/ cluster; do not insert extra vowels between /v/ and /m/.
🗣️ Voice search tip: These questions are optimized for voice search. Try asking your voice assistant any of these questions about "achievements"!
- Shadowing: listen to 5–7 audio clips of native speakers saying /əˈtʃiːv.mənts/ and repeat 10–12 times per clip; focus on the long /iː/ and the /v/–/m/ linkage. - Minimal pairs: practice with /tʃiːv/ vs /tʃɪv/ to solidify vowel length; pairs: achieve/acheve? Not exact; use similar words with /iː/ vs /ɪ/ in second syllable. - Rhythm practice: count syllables (a-chi-eve-ments) and clap for stressed syllable; aim for a 2-beat pulse on the main stress, then the trailing two syllables. - Stress practice: say the word in isolation, then in short phrases with emphasis on achievements. - Recording: record yourself and compare to a reference; adjust pitch, duration, and final consonants.
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