Cake

Pronounce as /keɪk/. Start with a long, tense vowel sound /eɪ/ as in ‘say’ followed by a voiceless velar stop /k/ at the end. The tongue rises toward the hard palate for the /eɪ/ glide, then the back of the tongue snaps down for /k/. There is no final consonant cluster, so keep the mouth closing quickly. Think ‘kay-k’ in a single, crisp syllable. For audio reference, listen to native pronunciations at reputable dictionaries or pronunciation platforms and match the mouth shape.

Two common errors are confusing it with the word ‘care’ by shortening the vowel, and unintentionally adding a schwa before the /k/ as in ‘kuh-kay’ at the end. A third error is misproducing the /eɪ/ diphthong, either shortening it to a pure /e/ or rounding it too early. To correct: maintain a clear /eɪ/ glide from mid-high to higher tongue position, avoid nasalization, and end with a crisp, unreleased /k/ closure without adding extra vowel after the sound.

In US, UK, and AU accents, cake is generally /keɪk/. The main difference lies in vowel quality: US tends to a flatter /eɪ/ with less diphthongal movement, UK maintains a slightly tenser, more precise diphthong, and AU often has a slightly lowered, broader vowel with a shorter duration. Rhoticity does not affect this word (cake isn’t rhotic in any of these). Consonants remain a clear /k/; the timing and stress are the same since it’s a one-syllable word, but vowel color can shift subtly with regional intonation patterns.

The difficulty is largely the /eɪ/ diphthong, which requires a precise glide from mid to high tongue position while maintaining lip spread. Some speakers shorten /eɪ/ or misarticulate it as /e/ or /ɛ/; others may add an extra vowel after the /k/ due to influence from nearby sounds. The final /k/ closure must be sharp and unreleased in careful speech. Native-like accuracy comes from practicing the diphthong’s movement and stabilizing the final voiceless stop.

When pronouncing cake, ensure the tongue body lifts to create the /eɪ/ diphthong smoothly, then snap the back of the tongue down to release the /k/ cleanly without voicing. Keep the lips relaxed and slightly spread to prevent rounding that could alter the vowel. Practicing with a slow tempo, focusing on the precise transition from /eɪ/ to /k/, helps you avoid trailing or adding extra sound. Use a mirror to monitor lip spread and jaw position.