2 syllables: a, tion. Stress on a.
AY-shuhn
/ˈeɪʃən/
ation is pronounced AY-shuhn (/ˈeɪʃən/). It has two syllables (a-tion), with the stress on "a". Ation is a productive suffix in English that forms nouns from verbs or adjectives, commonly indicating action, process, or result. Though not a stand-alone morpheme with a fixed standalone meaning, it creates many nouns (information, celebration, relation) and influences pronunciation in multi-syllable words through suffixal stress patterns and vowel reductions.
Ation is a productive suffix in English that forms nouns from verbs or adjectives, commonly indicating action, process, or result. Though not a stand-alone morpheme with a fixed standalone meaning, it creates many nouns (information, celebration, relation) and influences pronunciation in multi-syllable words through suffixal stress patterns and vowel reductions.
- You may over-reduce the pre-suffix vowel or misplace the main stress. The antepenultimate syllable often carries the main stress, but some -ation words shift accent. To fix: map the base verb’s primary stress relative to the suffix. - Avoid pronouncing -tion as just tʃən or ʃən without a preceding /eɪ/; ensure the /eɪ/ is present in the stressed syllable before -ʃən. - Don't collapse the /r/ in American speech when it is intended; keep the rhotic quality where your dialect requires. - Practice with slow drills: say the whole word slowly, then speed up maintaining the same vowels and final /ʃən/.
"The transformation from verb to noun occurs with the suffix -ation in many words."
"She was known for the formation of a strong nation through rapid modernization."
"The finalization of the contract required careful review of every clause."
In most English words, -ation forms a four-syllable unit when attached to a base with a vowel ending. The typical pronunciation is /eɪˈʃən/ or /ˌeɪˈʃən/ with the stress on the antepenultimate or penultimate depending on the word. For example, 'information' is /ˌɪn.fərˈmeɪ.ʃən/. The final -tion often yields a /ʃən/ sound (shən). When isolated, you would say ‘ay-shun’ as approximation, but in real words you usually preserve the /eɪ/ in the penultimate syllable and finish with /ʃən/.
Common mistakes include misplacing the stress (placing it too early or too late), pronouncing the -tion as a simple /t/ or /d/, and over-reducing the vowel before -ation. To fix: ensure the suffix begins with a clear /eɪ/ vowel before /ʃən/ and that the main stress sits on the syllable just before the suffix (e.g., information: ˌɪn.fərˈmeɪ.ʃən). Practice the /ʃən/ ending by lightly curling the tongue to produce the /ʃ/ followed by a reduced schwa.
Across US, UK, and AU, the main variation is in vowel quality of the preceding syllables and rhoticity. US tends to have a rhotic r in preceding vowels before -ation in many words (e.g., information: ˌɪn.fərˈmeɪ.ʃən; the r is pronounced). UK typically non-rhotic; often the /r/ is not pronounced unless followed by a vowel (ˌɪn fəˈmeɪ.ʃən). AU often resembles UK but may have vowel mergers and a slightly flatter intonation. The final /ʃən/ remains consistent across dialects.
The difficulty lies in the multi-syllabic structure and the reduction of unstressed vowels, plus the /ʃən/ ending that can reduce to a quick schwa+n. The stress placement can be non-obvious in many -ation words (e.g., information vs. transformation). Also, some speakers substitute /t/ with /ʃ/ or merge sounds in fast speech. Focus on the /eɪ/ before /ʃən/ and the syllable that carries primary stress; practice slow, then increase speed while maintaining clarity.
A unique angle is the common confusion between the /eɪ/ diphthong in the penultimate stressed syllable and the final /ʃən/. People often misreport it as /eɪ.ən/ or fail to vocalize the /ʃ/ properly. For SEO, target phrases like ‘how to say -ation words’ or ‘pronounce information, transformation’ and provide IPA-annotated examples, highlighting the /eɪ/ onset before -ʃən and stress on the syllable before the suffix.
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- US: emphasize rhotic vowels; pre-suffix vowels can be slightly longer; expect /ˌɪn.fərˈmeɪ.ʃən/ for information. - UK: often non-rhotic; /ɪn.fəˈmeɪ.ʃən/ with a shorter schwa before -meɪ.ʃən; the /r/ is silent unless followed by a vowel. - AU: similar to UK but with subtle vowel shifts; /ˌɪn.fəˈmeɪ.ʃən/ is common; watch vowel quality in the first unstressed syllables. - General: keep the /ʃən/ syllable crisp; the /eɪ/ in the stressed syllable should be clear and not elided; use full mouth opening for the /eɪ/.
The suffix -ation comes from Latin -atio, formed from the verb stem + -atio, used to create abstract nouns denoting the action or result of a verb. It travels through Old French as -ation before entering Middle English and Early Modern English as a productive suffix. Latin -are verbs produced -ation in Latin via the gerundive or participial nominalization processes, signaling the action or state resulting from the verb. The suffix spread to English by way of French, with many academic, administrative, and technical terms borrowed during the medieval and early modern periods. First known uses appear in legal and scholastic language of the 14th–15th centuries, expanding in the Renaissance with borrowings from science and philosophy. Over time, -ation stabilized as a high-register noun-forming suffix, particularly in formal, abstract terms (information, negotiation, transformation). The pronunciation has been influenced by word stress patterns and vowel reductions in multisyllabic words, leading to relatively predictable but sometimes irregular vowel quality in unstressed syllables. Today, -ation words form the backbone of technical and formal language, often with stress on the antepenultimate or penultimate syllable depending on the base verb’s accent and morphological assimilation.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "ation" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "ation" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "ation"
-ion sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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