During is a function word used to indicate a period within which an event occurs, often linking two clauses. It marks temporal scope and is commonly used in spoken and written English to describe when something happens in relation to another action. In most contexts it operates as a preposition or conjunction, not a noun, and is pronounced as a single unstressed unit in connected speech.
- You may overextend the first syllable, saying /ˈdaɪrɪŋ/ instead of /ˈdʊrɪŋ/. To fix: shorten the vowel to /ʊ/ or /ʊə/ and keep rapid onset to /d/. - Another error is unnecessary extra syllable: avoid thinking of two full vowels; keep it as a single syllable + ing cluster /ˈdɜː(r)ɪŋ/ depending on accent. Practice by saying DUR-ing quickly and moving to
US: rhotic /r/ is pronounced; vowel is often /ʊ/ as in "put"; stress on first syllable. UK: non-rhotic, vowel may be /ɜː/ or /ɪ/ depending on speaker; the /r/ is not pronounced except before a vowel. AU: vowel quality close to /ʊ/ with light rhotic coloring in rhotic variants. Other notes: connect to following word with minimal pause; reduction in rapid speech. IPA references: /ˈdʊrɪŋ/, /ˈdɜːrɪŋ/.
"We stayed indoors during the rain."
"She read a book during the commute to work."
"During the meeting, please mute your microphone."
"Many birds sing during the early morning hours."
During comes from the Old English durende, a form combining duru ‘door, passage’ with the present participle suffix -ende. The root idea is ‘in the course of, through,’ reflecting duration and continuity. The word was used in medieval English to describe events that happen within a time frame, often in narrative or legal texts. Over time, during neutralized into the fixed function word we use today, serving as a temporal preposition or conjunction. Its usage broadened in Early Modern English as spoken language demanded more fluid temporal connectors, eventually becoming a common, unstressed word in everyday speech. First attested in variations of durende in the 12th-13th centuries, the form shortened through the centuries as English spelling and pronunciation stabilized. The modern form during appears in written records by the 15th century and has remained a high-frequency function word in both oral and written English, maintaining its core sense of “through the duration of.”
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "During" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "During" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "During"
-ger sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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Pronounce as /ˈdʊrɪŋ/ in US and UK English, with primary stress on the first syllable. The initial consonant is a clear /d/, followed by a short /ʊ/ or /ʊə/ vowel, then a reduced /r/ (in rhotic accents) or a rhotic-like vowel cluster, ending with /ɪŋ/. In Australian speech you’ll hear a similar pattern but with a slightly longer first vowel and more pronounced r-coloring in rhotic contexts. Try saying: DUR-ing. For connected speech, you can link to the next word smoothly: During + the → /ˈdʊrɪŋðə/. Audio references: consult pronunciation resources and native speaker samples for nuance.
Common errors include pronouncing it as /ˈdaɪrɪŋ/ (dy-aaring) with a long /aɪ/ instead of the short /ʊ/ or /ʊə/. Another mistake is over-pronouncing the /r/ in non-rhotic British varieties, making it sound like /ˈdɜːrɪŋ/ rather than a quicker /ˈdʊrɪŋ/. A third pitfall is treating it as two syllables with a full vowel between, rather than a reduced, quick form: /ˈdɜː(r)ɪŋ/ in rapid speech. Correction: keep the first vowel compact: /ˈdʊrɪŋ/ and let the final -ing cluster close with a soft nasal.
In US English, you’ll hear rhotic /r/ and a lax /ɪŋ/ ending; the first vowel is /ʊ/ as in 'put.' In UK English, the vowel can be closer to /ɜː/ in non-rhotic speech, with a shorter /ɪ/; some speakers reduce the /r/ entirely, so it sounds like /ˈdɜːɪŋ/. In Australian English, vowel quality is often broader, with a slightly more central /ʊ/ and a light rhotic influence in rhotic varieties. Across all, the ending -ing remains /ɪŋ/; linking to following vowels can alter perceived duration.
The difficulty lies in achieving a compact, unstressed first syllable with a short, lax vowel and a clean velar /d/ onset, followed by a rapid, nasal -ing cluster. Many speakers over-articulate the vowel (like /aɪ/ or /eɪ/), or insert an extra syllable, producing /ˈdɔːrɪŋ/ or /ˈdɑːrɪŋ/. The challenge is maintaining brevity and proper rhythm in connected speech, especially when the word occurs in the middle of a sentence. Practice with minimal pairs to lock in /ˈdʊrɪŋ/ and use fast, natural linking.
A key feature is the short, unstressed vowel in the first syllable followed by a rapid, nasal -ing. The initial consonant cluster /d/ + /ʊ/ requires precise tongue position: the tongue blade rises to touch the alveolar ridge for /d/ while the lips round slightly for /ʊ/. The final /ŋ/ often links to following words in connected speech, so you may hear a soft, nasal resonance rather than a hard n sound. Focus on keeping the first syllable short and the -ing suffix clear but not overemphasized.
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- Shadowing: listen to native speakers and repeat in sync, focusing on the first syllable’s short vowel. - Minimal pairs: DUR-ing vs door-ing (not common; instead, compare /ˈdɜːrɪŋ/ vs /ˈdʊrɪŋ/ in your own accent). - Rhythm: practice as unstressed function word in longer sentences; count beats: 1-2 for DUR-ing, then continue. - Stress patterns: treat during as a weak word; emphasize the content word after it. - Syllable drills: practice /d/ + /ʊ/ + /r/ + /ɪŋ/ in isolation, then in context. - Recording: record your practice and compare with native samples.
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