One syllable: clicks.
kliks
/klɪks/
clicks is pronounced kliks (/klɪks/). It has one syllable (clicks), with the stress on "clicks". Clicks is the plural noun or verb form referring to short, sharp sounds produced by quickly closing and releasing the teeth, lips, or tongue. In everyday use, it often denotes the action of clicking a button or mouse, or the sound of rapid, definitive taps. As a plural, it aligns with standard English pluralization patterns, and can function as a noun or verb in sentences.
Clicks is the plural noun or verb form referring to short, sharp sounds produced by quickly closing and releasing the teeth, lips, or tongue. In everyday use, it often denotes the action of clicking a button or mouse, or the sound of rapid, definitive taps. As a plural, it aligns with standard English pluralization patterns, and can function as a noun or verb in sentences.
- You might insert extra vowel length in the middle syllable, making it sound like /klɪːks/. Keep the /ɪ/ short and crisp. - Some speakers soften the final /s/ to an /z/ in casual speech; practice the voiceless /s/ and ensure air release is audible. - Another common error is delaying the /k/ release and letting the tongue glide into /l/; work on a quick plosive release, then immediate /l/ contact. - In connected speech, you may compress too much and reduce the /l/; keep a light contact with the tongue blade at the alveolar ridge. - Finally, avoid substituting the /ɪ/ with a schwa; maintain the short /ɪ/ for a clear, crisp word.
"- The computer requires you to clicks the next button to continue."
"- The camera shutter clicks loudly when you press the button."
"- She makes quick, accented clicks with her tongue when teaching phonetics."
Pronounce it as /klɪks/. Start with a light, released /k/ followed by a short /l/ and a lax /ɪ/ vowel (like ‘kit’), ending with an unvoiced /s/. The final /s/ should be crisp. Stress is on the single syllable: CLICKS. In connected speech, keep the sequence tight and avoid vowel lengthening on the /ɪ/.
Common mistakes include merging the /k/ and /l/ into a coalesced sound (like /kl/ slurring into something awkward) and elongating the vowel so it sounds like /klɪːks/ or misarticulating the final /s/ as /z/. To correct: produce a crisp /k/, immediately touch the tongue to the alveolar ridge for /l/, keep /ɪ/ short, and end with a clear /s/ (tip of tongue near the alveolar ridge, air release). Practice slow, then speed up maintaining clean consonants.
In US, UK, and AU, /klɪks/ remains the core; the main differences are vowel quality and rhoticity in surrounding speech. US speakers often have a marginally tenser /ɪ/ and a less rounded /ɪ/ than some UK variants. UK non-rhotic tendencies can affect the flow of adjacent vowels; AU generally features a flatter /ɪ/ and a clean final /s/. None retain a voiced ending here; the /s/ stays voiceless across regions.
The difficulty lies in the short, sharp stop of /k/ followed immediately by the alveolar /l/ and the rapid release into /ɪ/ then /s/. The sequence demands precise timing and muscular coordination: a quick plosive release, a liquid /l/ with light tongue contact, a brief, lax vowel, and a precise sibilant /s/. Beginners often lengthen the vowel or soften the /s/; steady practice in slow speed helps lock the timing.
The unique aspect is the combination of a hard consonant cluster (/k/ + /l/) followed by a short, lax vowel and crisp sibilance. Unlike simple CV words, the cluster requires clean elision and minimal vowel duration, and the final /s/ must remain voiceless and sharp even when spoken rapidly. This word also tests your ability to preserve a short, clipped vowel in an otherwise urgent consonant sequence.
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- US: Expect a slightly tenser /ɪ/ with a tighter tongue blade for /l/; rhoticity in surrounding speech is typical but does not affect the isolated word. - UK: Slightly more fronted /ɪ/ with crisp, unrounded lips, and a shorter vowel than in some US variants; keep the /l/ light and the /s/ very crisp. - AU: Flattened /ɪ/ with a quick, almost clipped cadence; avoid vowel reduction in casual speech and maintain a strong, audible /s/. IPA guides: /klɪks/ for all mainstream varieties. - General tip: keep the mouth slightly open at the vowel, and avoid tensing the jaw; the key is a quick, precise articulation of each segment.
The word click originates from the onomatopoeic representation of a short, sharp sound resembling a ‘click’. The plural form ‘clicks’ follows standard English pluralization by adding -s to the noun or verb. The modern spelling and usage consolidate across multiple English-speaking regions in the 19th and 20th centuries with the rise of mechanical devices and user interactions labeled as ‘clicks,’ such as door latches, firearm mechanisms, and computer interfaces. The earliest recorded senses of click described an audible action or mechanism producing a crisp sound, and the verb form extended to denote the act of producing such sounds or identifying actions that elicit a clicking response. Over time, ‘click’ broadened to refer to the clicking of a button, a camera, or a device, as well as colloquial phrasings like ‘a click of the tongue.’ The noun/verb conjugation kept its plural form in standard English usage, with “clicks” used both for multiple discrete sounds or multiple actions of clicking. First known written attestations of the term can be traced to mid-19th century technical catalogs and onomatopoeic references in literature, with widespread adoption in computing by the late 20th century as UI designers used ‘click’ to describe user interactions. Modern usage often isolates the sound itself (a click) from the action, while still maintaining the plural for multiple instances (clicks).
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "clicks" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "clicks"
-cks sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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