2 syllables: box, es. Stress on box.
BAHK-suhz
/ˈbɑksəz/
boxes is pronounced BAHK-suhz (/ˈbɑksəz/). It has two syllables (box-es), with the stress on "box". A plural noun or verb-form ending in -es; pronounced /ˈbɒk.sɪz/ in many dialects when referring to multiple containers, and /ˈbɒk.sɪz/ or /ˈbɒks.ɪz/ in broader use. The form is commonly used for multiple objects (nouns) or third-person singular verbs in present tense, depending on context. In everyday speech, the word often appears with a light, unstressed final -es that blends with the stem.".
A plural noun or verb-form ending in -es; pronounced /ˈbɒk.sɪz/ in many dialects when referring to multiple containers, and /ˈbɒk.sɪz/ or /ˈbɒks.ɪz/ in broader use. The form is commonly used for multiple objects (nouns) or third-person singular verbs in present tense, depending on context. In everyday speech, the word often appears with a light, unstressed final -es that blends with the stem."
- You may drop the /ɪ/ before the final /z/ in fast speech, saying something like /ˈbɒksz/ instead of /ˈbɒk.sɪz/. Fix: pause slightly between /k/ and /s/ so the /ɪ/ lands clearly. - The /ks/ cluster might be realized too softly, turning it into /k/ + /z/ or a weak /s/. Fix: ensure a crisp /k/ release into /s/ with strong air puff before the vowel. - Mixing up rhotic or non-rhotic vowels can alter the first syllable vowel quality; keep the /ɒ/ or /ɑː/ sound distinct from the following /ɪz/ to avoid blending. - In rapid dialogue, you might say 'boxes' as /ˈbɔːksɪz/ or /ˈbæksɪz/—incorrect vowels. Practice with slow tempo first, then escalate tempo while preserving the /ɪz/ ending and /k/ release.
"We need to recycle the boxes before the move."
"She boxes up the fragile items for shipping."
"The store sells decorative cardboard boxes in various sizes."
Pronounce as /ˈbɒk.sɪz/ in UK and many Commonwealth varieties, with the first syllable stressed. In US English you’ll hear /ˈbɑːksɪz/ or /ˈbɑːk.sɪz/ depending on vowel merger. Keep the /ks/ cluster tightly at the end of the first syllable, then a clear /ɪz/ or /əz/ ending. Visualize the mouth: lips rounded slightly for the /ɒ/ or /ɑː/ vowel, back of tongue high-mid for the /k/ release, and a short /ɪ/ before a final voiceless/voiced s blend. For careful speech, ensure the /ks/ is released crisply before the /ɪz/.
Common errors: treating the ending as a simple /z/ without the preceding /ɪ/; mispronouncing the /ks/ cluster as two separate simple sounds like /k/ and /s/. Another frequent slip is reducing the /ɪz/ to a schwa or /ɪ/ without the final z sound in rapid speech. Correction: keep the /ks/ together as a single release before the /ɪz/; practice with a slow, deliberate /ˈbɒk.sɪz/ and then speed up while maintaining the /ks/ blend and final /z/ voice. Use minimal pair drills like 'boxes’ vs 'boxers' to reinforce the ending.
US tends to have a darker /ɑː/ or flat /ɒ/ in stressed syllables and may reduce to /ˈbɑːksəz/ in fast speech. UK tends to favor /ˈbɒk.sɪz/ with a clear /ɒ/ in the first vowel and a crisp /s/ before /ɪz/. Australian often mirrors UK with a slightly broader open /ɒ/ and a quicker /ɪ/ preceding the final /z/. Across all, the main differences are vowel quality in the first syllable and the realization of the final /ɪz/ as /ɪz/ or /əz/ depending on tempo; rhoticity does not drastically affect this word in most dialects.
The difficulty lies in coordinating the /ks/ cluster with the /ɪz/ ending and managing vowel quality in the first syllable, which changes across accents. The /ks/ release in rapid speech can blur, turning /ksɪz/ into /sɪz/ or /zɪz/ with reduced clarity. Additionally, in some dialects, the /ɪ/ can become a reduced vowel while the final /z/ remains audible, making the ending sound more like /-əz/. Mastery involves controlled tongue position for /k/ plus /s/ and precise voicing for the final /z/.
A common unique concern is the transition from the /ks/ cluster to the final /ɪz/ in fast speech and the potential for blending with following words (e.g., 'boxes open' vs 'box es open'). This word also tests listeners’ ability to hear a short vowel /ɪ/ before a voiced ending, which can blur in connected speech; practicing with deliberate enunciation helps maintain crisp final consonants and avoids final-voicing slippage.
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- US: Stress on the first syllable with a clear /ɑː/ or /ɒ/ depending on region; the ending /ɪz/ often lands as a quick, light 'iz' in fast speech. Watch for rhoticity in surrounding sounds; the 'box' vowel can shift toward /ɑː/ in some dialects. - UK: Vowel in 'box' tends to be /ɒ/ in non-rhotic accents; keep /k/ release strong, then the /s/ immediately followed by /ɪz/. Final /z/ voice should be clear, not devoiced. - AU: Similar to UK, but often with a broader /ɒ/ and a slightly longer vowel duration before the /k/ release; final /z/ can carry more voicing in casual speech. IPA cues: /ˈbɒk.sɪz/ (UK/AU) vs /ˈbɑːksɪz/ (some US) or /ˈbɑːksɪz/. - Overall tip: keep the mouth in a compact shape for /k/ release, then be ready to pull the tongue back to voice the final /z/; avoid letting the /s/ steal air that should voice the /z/.
The word boxes derives from the plural of box, from Old English box, which itself traces to Proto-Germanic *buksu- (in the sense of a tree- or earth-covered box). The root is linked to the notion of a container with defined shape and boundaries. The plural -es formation follows English standard for forming third-person singular verbs and plural nouns ending in sibilants or hard consonants, where -es adds the /ɪz/ or /əz/ ending after a sibilant cluster. Historically, the noun box referred to a container or chest, with its earliest English attestations appearing in the medieval period in texts describing wooden or carved chests. By Early Modern English, 'box' had become common for both specific containers (like a small case) and for verb uses meaning to place into a box. The plural 'boxes' emerged in general usage as the need to describe multiple items using these containers grew, and the -es pluralization offered a phonetic ease and orthographic clarity in print. In modern English, 'boxes' also appears in digital contexts (e.g., inboxes, message boxes) via metaphorical extension of the container concept, demonstrating semantic broadening while preserving the core container sense. First known uses of 'box' in the sense of container appear in literature from the 13th century onward, with more frequent appearances in the 16th-17th centuries as trade and packaging expanded. Transition into the verb form 'to box' followed the noun usage, enabling phrases like 'box up' and 'box the items' that are common in shipping and storage today.
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Words that rhyme with "boxes"
-xes sounds
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