2 syllables: clau, ses. Stress on clau.
KLAW-zuhz
/ˈklɔzəz/
clauses is pronounced KLAW-zuhz (/ˈklɔzəz/). It has two syllables (clau-ses), with the stress on "clau". Clauses are grammatical units that contain a subject and a predicate, forming part of a sentence or a whole sentence depending on whether they are independent or dependent. In grammar, clauses can be main or subordinate, and they serve to express complete ideas or modify other parts of a sentence. The term encompasses both independent clauses and dependent (subordinate) clauses.
Clauses are grammatical units that contain a subject and a predicate, forming part of a sentence or a whole sentence depending on whether they are independent or dependent. In grammar, clauses can be main or subordinate, and they serve to express complete ideas or modify other parts of a sentence. The term encompasses both independent clauses and dependent (subordinate) clauses.
- You may over-simplify the initial cluster and pronounce it as /kozɪz/ or /klɒzɪz/; ensure you maintain the /l/ and the long /ɔː/ vowel. - Another mistake is terminating with a weak, voiceless /s/ instead of the voiced /z/. Keep voicing through the end to form /z/. - Lastly, some speakers reduce the second vowel into a quick /ɪ/ or even a schwa; keep a clear /ɪ/ before the final /z/ to avoid a clipped final sound.
"- The sentence 'Although it rained, we went hiking' contains a dependent clause ('Although it rained') and an independent clause ('we went hiking')."
"- A journalist writes carefully to ensure each clause conveys a precise point."
"- In English, relative clauses modify nouns, as in 'the book that you lent me'."
Pronounce as /klɔːzɪz/ in General American and /klɔːzɪz/ in many UK dialects; in Australian accents it is often /klɔːzɪz/ as well. The stress falls on the first syllable: CLAUSES. Begin with the velar stop /k/ and then the consonant cluster /l/ with the tongue close to the alveolar ridge. The vowel is a mid-back rounded /ɔ/ as in 'law', followed by a voiced z /z/ and a final schwa-like /ɪ/ before the final /z/. Keep the /z/ sounds voiced and smooth, not a hissy /s/. Audio reference: listen to native speakers utter 'clauses' in context to feel the rhythm.
Two frequent errors: 1) Turning the first vowel into a short /ʌ/ as in 'cat'—correct with a long /ɔ/ as in 'law'. 2) Devoicing the final /z/ to /s/ — keep voicing through the end: /z/. A third error: rushing the /l/ and blending the /l/ with the /k/ motion; false onset results. Practice by isolating the sequence /klɔːzɪz/ slowly, then add speed, ensuring a clear /l/ and a voiced /z/ at the end.
In US English, /klɔːzɪz/ with a dense rhotic context and a full /ɔː/; UK English tends to maintain /ɔː/ with non-rhotic r; AU often aligns with US but may have a slightly broader vowel quality, sometimes approaching /ɒ/ depending on speaker. The final /z/ remains voiced in all. The main differences are vowel quality, vowel length, and the realization of the medial /l/ and the influence of the surrounding consonants in connected speech.
The challenge lies in two phonemes: the central, tense /ɔː/ vowel in many dialects and the voiced alveolar sibilant /z/ that must be held clearly through the final consonant before a potential pause. Also, the initial /kl/ cluster requires precise tongue placement: back of the tongue slightly raised for /k/ and the tip close to the alveolar ridge for /l/. Coordinating this cluster with a voiced /z/ without creating a slurring is the main difficulty.
Yes. The /cl/ in clauses is a rapid onset where /k/ is released before the /l/ slides into the vowel. The tongue should form a high with the back of the tongue close to the soft palate briefly, then project forward to allow the /l/ to become syllabic. The combination should be smooth so that the /l/ doesn't turn into a vowel-like sound. In many speakers, this sequence is tightly glued to the /ɔː/ vowel.
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- US: clear /ɔː/ with front-of-mouth space slightly, keep /l/ light and let /z/ be crisp and voiced. - UK: may have drier, tighter /ɔː/ and a slightly less vowel height difference; keep rhoticity out of the word itself; - AU: often broad vowels; aim for a balanced /ɔː/ with crisp /z/; ensure non-rhotic influence doesn't leak into the word. Use IPA references /klɔːzɪz/.
The word clause traces to Old French clause from Latin clausula, a diminutive of clausum meaning ‘a closing’ or ‘a shut thing.’ In Latin, claudere means to close, bind, or shut. Medieval Latin adapted clausula to grammatical contexts, signifying a unit of sentence structure or a closing portion of a legal instrument or text. English usage broadened in the late Middle Ages to denote a constituent part of a sentence that includes a subject and a predicate, or a dependent unit within a larger clause. The term evolved alongside related grammatical concepts such as phrase, sentence, and period; during the 16th–18th centuries, modern syntactic terminology consolidated, distinguishing independent clauses (capable of standing alone) from dependent clauses (not a complete sentence on their own). First known English uses appear in legal and scholastic texts that discuss sentence construction, with later grammars formalizing the idea of clause types (e.g., noun clauses, relative clauses) to describe how ideas are embedded within larger sentences.
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