3 syllables: con, duct, ed. Stress on duct.
kuhn-DUHK-tuhd
/kəˈndʌktəd/
conducted is pronounced kuhn-DUHK-tuhd (/kəˈndʌktəd/). It has three syllables (con-duct-ed), with the stress on "duct". Conducted is the past tense of conduct, meaning led, managed, or directed an activity or study. It implies organized execution or supervision, often implying systematic care or authority. In pronunciation, the word is two syllables with stress on the second syllable: con-DUCT-ed, and the final -ed typically sounds as an additional syllable in natural speech.
Conducted is the past tense of conduct, meaning led, managed, or directed an activity or study. It implies organized execution or supervision, often implying systematic care or authority. In pronunciation, the word is two syllables with stress on the second syllable: con-DUCT-ed, and the final -ed typically sounds as an additional syllable in natural speech.
- Misplacing stress on the first syllable, saying con-DUCTed with the emphasis wrong. Correct by practicing the strong secondary stress on the /dʌk/ segment. - Slurring the final -ed into a simple /d/ or /t/; practice the /ɪd/ ending as a distinct, short syllable. - Erroneous vowel quality in the middle: mispronouncing /ʌ/ as /ɜː/ or /uː/; fix by using a relaxed, mid-central to low-mid back vowel /ʌ/. To correct, practice with a mirror: show the mouth opening for /ə/ and then drop to /ʌ/ with a slight jaw drop. - Overly quick speech leading to a missing /t/ release; slow down through the /k/ release so you keep the /t/ audible.
"The orchestra was conducted by a renowned maestro."
"Researchers conducted a series of experiments to verify the results."
"The meeting was conducted efficiently despite the late start."
Pronounce as /kənˈdʌk.tɪd/ in careful speech or /kənˈdʌktɪd/ in faster speech. The primary stress falls on the second syllable: con-DUCT-ed. Start with a light schwa before /k/, then the /d/ blends into /ʌ/; the final -ed is an extra syllable: /-ɪd/ in many speakers. Mouth position: lips relaxed, tongue neutral for first syllable; raise the mid-back of the tongue for /dʌk/; finish with a short /ɪd/ or /t/ release depending on the accent. Audio reference: you can compare to /kənˈdʌkt/ in “conduct” plus a light “ed” sound.
Common errors: treating the word as mono-syllabic (con-ducted as one beat) or reducing the second syllable too much. Another frequent mistake is misplacing the stress, sounding like con-DUCT-ed with stress on the first syllable. Also, learners may pronounce /uː/ instead of /ʌ/ in the middle syllable or omit the final /ɪd/ entirely. Corrections: keep the secondary stress on the /ˈdʌk/ segment, use a clear short /ɪ/ or /ɪd/ at the end, and ensure the /k/ is released cleanly before the /t/ or /d/ depending on the flow.
US: /kənˈdʌk.tɪd/ with a rhotic initial schwa and a clear /t/ before the final /ɪd/. UK: /kənˈdʌk.tɪd/ but with slightly stronger vowel reduction and often unreleased /t/ in casual speech. AU: /kənˈdʌk.tɪd/ similar to US but with a flatter /ɐ/ in some speakers; the /t/ can become a light flap [ɾ] in rapid speech. In all, stress remains on the second syllable; vowel quality in the second syllable is typically /ʌ/; the final /ɪd/ is the tricky segment and may reduce in connected speech.
The difficulty lies in the two-part vowel-consonant cluster with unclear final syllable. The middle syllable houses /d/ plus /ʌ/ and /k/ in quick succession, requiring precise tongue elevation and a clean /t/ or /d/ release for the final /-ɪd/. Speakers often merge the d-sound with the following consonant, or reduce the final /ɪd/ to a quick /ɪ/ or silent ending. Practicing the full /kənˈdʌktɪd/ with deliberate release of /t/ before the /ɪd/ helps clarity.
Yes. The word contains the same root as conduct but shifts stress to the root boundary between /dʌk/ and /tɪd/. The consonant sequence /kd/ across syllable boundary can feel like a tricky link for non-native speakers because English often links the /k/ release to the following /t/. Emphasizing the /k/ release before the /t/ and keeping the /t/ duration short helps maintain the correct rhythm and avoids a clipped ending. This makes the word feel natural in formal speech and slower, deliberate diction.
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- US: Emphasize rhoticity in the first syllable: kən- with a clear /ə/; second syllable /ˈdʌk/ is stressed; final /ɪd/ should be light, almost like /dɪd/ when careful. - UK: Slightly stronger non-rhotic influence; the /r/ is absent, and vowel qualities may be crisper; maintain /k/ release before /t/ while avoiding an elongated /ɜː/ in /ə/; practice with /kənˈdʌktɪd/. - AU: More lenient vowel reduction; the /ɪ/ in final can become an unstressed /ɪ/ or /ɪd/; keep the /t/ crisp; adapt with a little more jaw openness in the middle vowel. IPA references: US /kənˈdʌktɪd/, UK /kənˈdʌktɪd/, AU /kənˈdʌktɪd/.
Conducted derives from the verb conduct, from Old French conduire, based on Latin conducere, con- (together) + ducere (to lead, lead). The noun form conduct emerges in English earlier (early 15th century) to describe behavior or the manner in which something is carried out. The verb conduct, with the -ed suffix, attains its past tense form in Middle English via pronunciation shifts from -en to -ed as the participle and past tense, aligning with regular English past tense formation, though with some assimilation in rapid speech. Over time, conduct took on more abstract senses: behavior (late Middle English) and method or organization of an activity (modern). The phrase “conducted with” or “conducted by” became common in formal contexts such as music, science, and audits, reflecting authority and procedural rigor. First known uses appear in legal, academic, and musical contexts in the 1400s–1600s, with the sense of leading a performance or study becoming standardized in the 18th and 19th centuries as orchestral and laboratory practices evolved.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "conducted" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "conducted"
-uct sounds
-ted sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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