2 syllables: bad, ly. Stress on bad.
BAD-lee
/ˈbædli/
badly is pronounced BAD-lee (/ˈbædli/). It has two syllables (bad-ly), with the stress on "bad". Badly is an adverb meaning in a poor or unsatisfactory manner or to a severe degree. It often modifies verbs and adjectives, signaling negative quality or intensity. In everyday use, it can describe how something is done, or describe a degree of something (e.g., badly damaged, badly needed).
Badly is an adverb meaning in a poor or unsatisfactory manner or to a severe degree. It often modifies verbs and adjectives, signaling negative quality or intensity. In everyday use, it can describe how something is done, or describe a degree of something (e.g., badly damaged, badly needed).
- Common mistake: compressing the second syllable leading to a slurred or muffled /li/; correction: practice a clean release of /d/ followed by a crisp /l/ with the tongue lightly touching the alveolar ridge. - Common mistake: turning ‘badly’ into /bædli/ with a full schwa in the second syllable; correction: keep /li/ as a clear, light, long-ish vowel, not a reduced vowel. - Common mistake: over-aspirated /æ/ or exaggerated intonation; correction: keep steady, natural intonation with primary stress on /ˈbæd/ and a quiet follow-through on /li/.
"She spoke badly in the interview, stumbling over several words."
"The car was badly damaged after the crash."
"He wants to be a better player, but he plays badly most games."
Pronounce as two syllables: /ˈbæd.li/. The first syllable stresses the /æ/ as in 'cat', with a clear /d/. The second syllable is a lighter /li/ with the tongue near the alveolar ridge for the /l/ and a light /i/ vowel. In connected speech you may hear a quick, almost reduced second syllable, but try to keep /li/ distinct. IPA: US/UK/AU: /ˈbæd.li/.
Two common errors are: 1) Slurring the /d/ into a dull /d-l/ blend or turning /d/ into a stopped sound without releasing; 2) Flattening the second syllable to a quick /li/ or reducing it to /lɪ/ or making it sound like /ˈbæd|i/. Fix: clearly release the /d/ with a brief stop, then articulate /li/ with a light touch of the tongue to the alveolar ridge and a crisp /i/. Ensure the stress remains on the first syllable: /ˈbæd.li/.
In US, UK, and AU, /ˈbæd.li/ remains similar, but rhoticity can subtly affect the preceding vowel quality in connected speech. R-colored vowels rarely apply since /æ/ is not r-colored, but the following /l/ and /i/ may have length and quality differences: US often has a slightly longer /i/ in airy stops; UK tends to crisper /l/ and shorter /i/; AU may exhibit more centralized vowel quality and a flatter intonation. IPA remains /ˈbæd.li/ in all three, with minor vowel quality shifts.
The difficulty lies in producing a clean, two-syllable sequence with a distinct alveolar /d/ release and a light, rapid /li/ sequence, especially in connected speech where the second syllable can be reduced. Coordinating the tongue for the /d/ closure, then moving to the lateral /l/ without buffering the air, while maintaining steady stress on the first syllable, requires precise timing and muscular control.
A unique feature is the light, quick release of the /d/ and the near-immediate transition to the /l/ in /dli/, which can tempt speakers to blend into /dl/ or pronounce the second syllable as /li/ with a longer vowel. Practice listening for the boundary between /d/ and /l/, keeping the /l/ clear and avoiding assimilation that would dull the /d/. IPA guidance remains /ˈbæd.li/.
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- US: vowels tend to be fuller; keep /æ/ open and flat, while lightly articulating /li/ without excessive lip rounding. - UK: crisper /l/; avoid a back-of-mouth /l/; maintain a clear alveolar contact for /d/ and a bright /i/. - AU: slight vowel centralization may occur; keep /æ/ slightly lower and /i/ less tapering; use a slightly flatter intonation after stressed syllable. Use IPA: /ˈbæd.li/ across variants, adjust V quality as needed.
Badly comes from the adverbial form of bad. It shares roots with Old English bad, which meant wicked or of poor quality, and is related to German schlecht and Dutch slecht. The word developed as English used adjectives to describe the manner of action, evolving the suffix -ly to form an adverb by the Middle English period. Throughout the 16th and 17th centuries, badly appeared in literature to intensify the negative quality of an action (e.g., to speak badly, to behave badly). Its usage broadened in modern English to cover both moral judgments (badly done) and practical quality (badly made). The first recorded uses align with early modern texts, but its precise first instance predates standardized spelling, often appearing in loose forms like “badly done.” Over time, badly has become a fixed, common adverb in both formal and informal registers, frequently coexisting with intensifiers (very badly, quite badly) for emphasis. In contemporary usage, its placement is flexible, though typically it precedes or follows the verb it modifies, and in exercises of strength or degree, follows adjectives or past participles (e.g., badly damaged).
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Words that rhyme with "badly"
-dly sounds
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