Across describes movement from one side to the other or extending over a area or distance. It can function as a preposition (across the street), an adverb (the field stretches across), or in fixed phrases. The core idea is horizontal span or transition from one side to another, often implying crossing or coverage.
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- Mistake: Softening or skipping the /k/ in the /kr/ cluster or inserting a light vowel between /k/ and /r/; correction: keep the /k/ and /r/ as a tight cluster, avoid inserting an extra vowel between them. - Mistake: Under- or over-emphasizing the first syllable; correction: stress the second syllable clearly: əˈkrɔs. Practice with minimal pairs like across vs. a cross to feel boundary.
- US: rhotic /ɹ/ is supplied; the second syllable uses a rounded /ɔ/ or /ɔː/ depending on region; UK/AU: more open /ɒ/ or /ɔː/ with non-rhotic tendencies; IPA references: US /əˈkrɔs/ UK /əˈkrɒs/ AU /əˈkrɒs/. - Vowel length and quality differences: US tends to a slightly longer /ɔ/ before /s/ in some dialects; UK often a shorter, tenser /ɒ/. - Consonant cluster: ensure not to insert an extra vowel and keep /kr/ tightly blended.
"She walked across the street to avoid traffic."
"A bridge spans across the river, connecting the two towns."
"The meeting runs across three hours, with breaks in between."
"They distributed the documents across the table for everyone to view."
Across originated in Old English as ær gefrōd (before crossing) or ge- circum- across forms, evolving through Middle English to the modern across. The word is composed of a prefix a- (toward, on) and the verb screawcas/gefrōd related to breaking or crossing, with geographic senses emerging as communities described movement or extension from one side to another. Earlier senses emphasized motion from one side of a boundary to the other, later broadening to include spatial relation along a surface (across the field, across town) and idiomatic uses. First known written attestations appear in late Old English/early Middle English texts to express direction or path across an area, and by the early modern period, across had become a stable, productive preposition and adverb in English.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "across" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "across" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "across"
-oss sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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Pronounce as ə-KRɔs for US, with primary stress on the second syllable. The initial vowel is a weak schwa, the 'cr' forms a single consonant cluster with a voiceless stop following, and the final s is a voiceless sibilant. IPA: US /əˈkrɔs/, UK /əˈkrɒs/, AU /əˈkrɒs/. Focus on a crisp /k/ onset after the weak vowel and clear rhotic avoidance in non-rhotic UK speech.
Common errors: 1) Reducing the second syllable improperly or misplacing the primary stress, 2) Turning /ɔ/ into a more open /ɑ/ or closing the syllable too early, 3) Running the /r/ in non-rhotic dialects or over-articulating the cluster /kr/. Correction: place strong emphasis on the second syllable with a crisp /ɔ/ or /ɒ/ vowel for clarity, maintain the /k/ + /r/ cluster without inserting vowel between them, and keep the final /s/ sharp but not hissy.
US speakers typically use /əˈkrɔs/ with rhotic-like /ɹ/ preceding the vowel and a mid-ɔ. UK speakers often have /əˈkrɒs/ with a shorter, more back /ɒ/ and non-rhoticity leading to a slightly lighter /r/ in some dialects. Australian English commonly mirrors /əˈkrɒs/ with a broad /ɒ/ or centralized /ɒ/ and less pronounced r coloring. The main differences are vowel height and quality, rhotic presence, and slight stress timing differences that affect the overall loudness of the second syllable.
The difficulty lies in the short, stressed second syllable with a tight /ɔ/ or /ɒ/ vowel and the /kr/ consonant cluster immediately before the final /s/. Speakers often misplace the stress or insert a vowel between /k/ and /r/ (e.g., /əˈkə rɒs/). Also, in rapid speech, the schwa can be reduced further, making it sound more like /əˈkɹɑs/ or /əˈkɹɔs/ depending on accent. Focus on keeping /k/ + /r/ tightly connected and delivering a clean final /s/.
No, across has no silent letters in standard pronunciation. The sequence is phonetically /əˈkrɔs/ (US) or /əˈkrɒs/ (UK/AU). The initial syllable uses a schwa, the second syllable carries the main stress and contains the /ɔ/ or /ɒ/ vowel, followed by the /s/ sound. Avoid silent letters by clearly articulating the /k/ and /r/ before the /s/.
🗣️ Voice search tip: These questions are optimized for voice search. Try asking your voice assistant any of these questions about "across"!
- Shadowing: listen to native speakers saying across in sentences and imitate with pause and meter. - Minimal pairs: across vs a cross; across vs across the street? focus on boundary where stress changes can mislead. - Rhythm: practice 4-beat rhythm: a-CR-os; emphasize second syllable. - Stress practice: mark primary stress on second syllable in practice sentences. - Recording: record yourself reading sentences with across; compare to native speaker demos.
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