3 syllables: cor, rect, ly. Stress on rect.
kur-EKT-lee
/kɚˈɛktli/
correctly is pronounced kur-EKT-lee (/kɚˈɛktli/). It has three syllables (cor-rect-ly), with the stress on "rect". Correctly means in a correct or proper way, with accurate accuracy and attention to detail. It implies performing an action or applying knowledge according to established rules or standards. The term often appears in instruction, evaluation, or guidance contexts, signaling adherence to expected procedures or outcomes.
Correctly means in a correct or proper way, with accurate accuracy and attention to detail. It implies performing an action or applying knowledge according to established rules or standards. The term often appears in instruction, evaluation, or guidance contexts, signaling adherence to expected procedures or outcomes.
"She followed the recipe correctly and the cake turned out perfectly."
"Please label the files correctly so they’re easy to find."
"If you answer the test questions correctly, you’ll earn full credit."
Pronounce as /ˈkɒr.ekt.li/ in UK and /ˈkɔːr.ekt.li/ in many US dialects. The first syllable carries primary stress. The middle syllable is a short, clipped /t/ after /k/, and the final -ly forms /li/ with a light, y-like transition. Mouth: start with an open-mid back rounded vowel for /ɔː/ (US) or /ɒ/ (UK), keep the tongue high behind the alveolar ridge for /r/, release into /ekt/ with a crisp /k/ and a brief /t/. End with /li/ where the tongue lightly touches the alveolar ridge for /l/ before a clear /i/ vowel.
Two frequent errors: (1) Misplacing the syllable boundary, saying /ˈkɔːr.kɛkt.li/ with a hard, overemphasized /kɛk/; keep the middle as /ekt/ with a soft transition, not a separate syllable. (2) Weak final /li/ or an indistinct /l/, so the word ends flat; ensure the final /l/ is light but present, followed by a crisp /i/. Exercise: say stuff like fix-it-fast to feel the /kt/ cluster, then slide into /li/ without tensing the jaw.
US: /ˈkɔːr.ekt.li/ with rhotic /r/ and a longer back vowel in some dialects. UK: /ˈkɒːk.tli/ or /ˈkɒr.ekt.li/ depending on region, but typically a shorter /ɒ/ and crisp /kt/ cluster. Australia: often /ˈkɒː.dʒeɪ/ would be wrong; in Australian English you might hear /ˈkɒː.ɹɛkt.li/ with a non-rhotic or weak rhotic depending on speaker. The key differences are rhoticity and vowel quality in the first syllable, plus how the /r/ is pronounced in non-rhotic contexts.
Three factors: (1) The /kt/ cluster requires precise timing and airflow control to avoid a heavy consonant blend; (2) The final /li/ relies on a clear light /l/ and a short, high-front vowel; many speakers fuse or blur the /t/ and /l/ transition; (3) The initial stressed syllable demands a full mid-back vowel before a rolling /r/ in rhotic accents. Focus on crisp /t/ release and a clean /li/ ending to master it.
In fast, casual speech, some speakers reduce /li/ to a syllabic alveolar approximant or very light /lɪ/ with reduced vowel quality, but the primary stress remains on the first syllable. Expect speakers to keep a hint of /li/ to preserve meaning, especially in formal contexts; otherwise you may sound rushed or mispronounce the word. IPA guidance: try maintaining /-li/ as /li/ but with reduced vowel length rather than eliminating it.
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US: emphasize rhotic /r/ in the first syllable and maintain a longer, rounded /ɔː/ or /ɔ/ depending on dialect; UK: often shorter /ɒ/ with less rounding, keep the /ɒ/ and a crisp /kt/; AU: may feature a broader /ɒ/ with a non-rhotic tendency in some speakers, but many AU speakers retain a clear /r/ before vowels. Reference IPA forms: US /ˈkɔːr.ekt.li/, UK /ˈkɒr.ekt.li/, AU /ˈkɒː.rekt.li/; pay attention to vowel length and rhotic presence.
The word correctly derives from the adverb correctly, formed from the root word correct with the adverbial suffix -ly. Correct traces to the Latin word rectus meaning straight, right, or proper, which entered English via Old French as correct or rectus-based terms in legal and moral contexts. The modern sense of “in a correct manner” emerged in Middle English through translations and scholastic use, consolidating during the Early Modern English period as education and instruction proliferated. First attested in the 15th–16th centuries in texts dealing with rules, logic, and correctness in conduct, the word broadened to describe adherence to standards across domains, from grammar and arithmetic to procedures and behavior. Over time, “correctly” has retained its focus on alignment with a norm or set of standards, while also acquiring nuanced usage in everyday instruction, scientific reporting, and professional documentation. In contemporary usage, it commonly modifies verbs (do correctly), indicating method or accuracy, and is a staple in pedagogy and quality control discourse.
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Words that rhyme with "correctly"
-tly sounds
-lly sounds
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