2 syllables: con, structs. Stress on structs.
kuhn-STRUHKTS
/kənsˈtɹʌkts/
constructs is pronounced kuhn-STRUHKTS (/kənsˈtɹʌkts/). It has two syllables (con-structs), with the stress on "structs". Constructs refers to things that have been built or devised, or the mental framework or theories people create about a topic. In grammar and linguistics, it can refer to the cognitive schemas or models that people form about language or systems. The term often appears in academic or technical writing to describe how something is formed or organized.
Constructs refers to things that have been built or devised, or the mental framework or theories people create about a topic. In grammar and linguistics, it can refer to the cognitive schemas or models that people form about language or systems. The term often appears in academic or technical writing to describe how something is formed or organized.
"The architect sketches blueprints and then constructs a model of the building."
"In sociology, researchers analyze cultural constructs that shape social behavior."
"The theory constructs a framework for understanding market dynamics."
US: /ˈkɒnˌstrʌkts/; UK: /ˈkɒn.strʌkts/; AU: /ˈkɒn.strʌkts/. Start with a stressed first syllable /ˈkɒn/, then a light /str/ cluster transitioning to /ʌ/ in the second syllable, and end with /kts/. The syllable break is typically CON-STRUCTS, with primary stress on CON. Mouth: keep the jaw slightly open for /ɒ/ in US/UK, lips relaxed, tongue high in the back for /k/; the /str/ sequence blends tightly; finish with /kts/.”,
Common errors: (1) Misplacing stress by saying con-STRUCTS with wrong emphasis; (2) Slurring the /k/ into /s/ resulting in /ˈkɒnˌstrʌkst/ or /ˈkɒnˌstrʌkɪz/; (3) Dropping the final /s/ or mispronouncing /ts/ as /s/ or /t/. Correction: emphasize the primary stress on CON, ensure the /str/ cluster is tightly produced after the vowel, and finish with a clear /ts/ cluster by lightly releasing the tongue tip at the alveolar ridge and voicing the transition smoothly.”,
US: stronger /ɪ/ or /ʌ/ in the second syllable depending on speaker; rhotics influence the preceding vowel’s quality in connected speech. UK: /ˈkɒn.strʌkts/ with less rhotic influence and a crisper /t/ release in some dialects. AU: /ˈkɒn.strʌkts/ with potentially flatter intonation and shorter vowel lengths; near-unstressed final syllable. In all, the initial /k/ and /str/ clusters remain, with vowel quality shifting subtly by accent. IPA references here help you compare vowel height and rhoticity precisely.” ,
The difficulty comes from the consonant cluster /str/ after the back vowel /ɒ/ and the final /kts/ sequence, which requires rapid tongue-tip coordination and a clean release. Non-native speakers often insert a schwa or mis-tap the /t/ into /d/; also, final /s/ can be voiceless or devoiced in rapid speech. Practice by isolating /str/ and /kts/, then blending them with a short, controlled onset for the vowel.
In fast connected speech, English often reduces vowels and elides lightly, especially in fluent speech. You might hear a shorter /ɒ/ or a slightly weaker /t/ closure before /s/, but the core rhythm remains CON-STRUCTS. You’ll hear assimilation when adjacent sounds influence the vowel or consonant length, yet the pronunciation guide should maintain the /ɒ/ in the first syllable and a crisp /str/ cluster before /kts/.
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Constructs comes from the Latin con- ‘together’ and struxere ‘to pile up, arrange, build,’ which evolved into the Medieval Latin constructus meaning ‘a thing built, structure.’ In English, construct as a verb appeared in the 15th century from Latin constructus via Old French construire; as a noun in the 17th century via French construction from Latin. The plural noun constructs (for grammar or theory) entered usage as scholars spoke of social or cognitive constructs—mental models or agreed-upon ideas—reflecting a sense of something that has been built or put together. Over time, the word broadened beyond physical building to abstract frameworks, theories, and cultural meanings. Today constructs often collocate with adjectives like social, cognitive, linguistic, and cultural, signaling intangible architectures rather than literal edifices. The evolution tracks from physical building terms to metaphorical frameworks in disciplines like psychology, anthropology, linguistics, and philosophy, mirroring how humans systematize complex ideas into coherent structures.
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Words that rhyme with "constructs"
-cts sounds
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