Alter ing refers to the act of making small changes or modifications to something. It typically implies adjustments that transform or improve a condition, appearance, or function without completely overhauling the original. The term is commonly used in everyday editing, design, and procedural contexts.
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US/UK/AU: • US tends to rhoticate /ɚ/ in the middle syllable and keep /t/ crisp. IPA: ˈɔl.tɚ.ɪŋ; rhotics are present. • UK often reduces the middle to /tə/ with a non-rhotic accent; IPA: ˈɔːl.tə.rɪŋ. The final /ŋ/ is velar; the 'r' is not pronounced in many contexts. • AU draws closer to US but with a flatter vowel in the middle; IPA: ˈɔːl.tɜː.ɪŋ. Focus on correctly producing /t/ and the ending /ŋ/.
"She was altering the dress to fit perfectly for the wedding."
"The software is altering its settings based on your usage patterns."
"His approach kept altering as new information emerged."
"The committee is altering the schedule to accommodate more participants."
Alter means to change something, from Old French alterer, from Latin alterare, from alterus 'other'. The Latin root alter- means 'the other' or 'change' as in altercation and alternative. In Middle English, alter arrived via Old French to mean to change or modify. The -ing form (altering) functions as a present participle or gerund, deriving from the same verb. Over time, English usage broadened to describe not only physical modification but also metaphorical shifts (altering plans, altering tendencies). The sense development tracks from concrete physical modification to abstract revisions in ideas, policies, or appearances. First known English attestations surface in legal and clerical contexts where making changes to documents or settings was common, with the participle form used to describe ongoing modification processes. By the modern period, 'altering' is common across editing, tailoring, software configuration, and strategic planning, often implying precision, deliberate change, and ongoing adjustment rather than wholesale replacement.
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Words that rhyme with "altering"
-ing sounds
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Pronounce it as AL-ter-ing with three clear syllables. IPA US: ˈɔl.tɚ.ɪŋ, UK: ˈɔːl.tər.ɪŋ. The first syllable carries primary stress. The 'al' sounds like 'all', the 'ter' has schwa in many accents, and the final 'ing' is the velar nasal /ŋ/. Tip: keep the middle /t/ crisp and avoid t-voicing in rapid speech. You can listen to native pronunciation on Pronounce or Forvo using 'altering'.
Two common errors: misplacing stress (say-AL-ter-ing instead of AL-ter-ing); and turning the /t/ into a glottal stop in careful speech or before a nasal. Correct by keeping full /t/ articulation in the middle syllable, and pronounce /ɚ/ as a rhotacized vowel in US English instead of a pure vowel. Another pitfall is a mispronounced final /ɪŋ/ as /ɪŋ/ with a lax vowel; aim for a slightly reduced initial 'er' before the final /ɪŋ/.
US: stress first syllable, rhotacized 'er' /ɚ/. Vowel in 'al' is /ɔ/ or /ɑ/ depending on speaker; middle /t/ is clear; final /ɪŋ/. UK: often 'altering' with non-rhotic /ɜː/ or /ə/ in the middle syllable, so /ˈɔːltərɪŋ/ with a clearer, non-rhotic 'r' realization. AU: similar to US but with a more centralized vowel in the middle syllable and a slight flattening of r into a non-velar rhoticization. IPA guides show US: ˈɔl.tɚ.ɪŋ, UK: ˈɔːl.tə.rɪŋ, AU: ˈɔːl.tɜː.ɪŋ.
Because it combines a stressed monosyllabic onset with an unstressed middle syllable containing a rhotic or schwa /ə/ depending on accent, followed by a velar nasal /ŋ/. The subtle vowel reductions and the crisp /t/ between syllables can be tricky, especially in fast speech. Also, speakers with tendency to turn /t/ into a flap or glottal stop may distort the middle syllable. Practice with slow articulation and controlled tempo.
A distinctive feature is keeping the middle /t/ articulate in careful speech and maintaining the clear /ɪŋ/ ending while avoiding a vowel intrusion in the middle syllable. The sequence AL-ter-ing emphasizes the first syllable, while the middle 'ter' often reduces to a schwa in casual speech. When teaching, focus on preserving the /t/ timing and ensuring the final /ŋ/ is velar and not followed by a vowel.
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