3 syllables: e, lect, ing. Stress on lect.
il-EK-ting
/ɪˈlɛktɪŋ/
electing is pronounced il-EK-ting (/ɪˈlɛktɪŋ/). It has three syllables (e-lect-ing), with the stress on "lect". Electing is the gerund or present participle of elect, meaning to choose or vote for someone or something, especially in a formal or official process. It refers to the act of casting a vote or selecting a candidate, often within a political or organizational context. In usage, it denotes the process or occasion of selecting through voting, not the outcome.
Electing is the gerund or present participle of elect, meaning to choose or vote for someone or something, especially in a formal or official process. It refers to the act of casting a vote or selecting a candidate, often within a political or organizational context. In usage, it denotes the process or occasion of selecting through voting, not the outcome.
- You may pronounce it as /ɪˈlɛktɪŋ/ with a clipped first vowel; ensure you use /i/ or /iː/ quality distinct from /ɪ/ by practicing a longer but still clipped first vowel near 'ee' sound. - In rapid speech, the /t/ can be swallowed into a flapped /ɾ/ or omitted; practice with word pairs to reinforce a clear /t/ before /ɪŋ/. - The /l/ can color the vowel, giving a dark, heavy quality; relax the tongue blade slightly and keep a light alveolar contact. - Finally, the final /ŋ/ should be velar close to the soft palate; avoid letting it nasalize too early or turning /tɪŋ/ into /tɪn/.
"The committee is electing a new chairperson this afternoon."
"Voters are electing representatives to the city council."
"She is electing her leader after a long debate."
- Primary stress on the second syllable: i-LEC-ting. IPA US/UK: iˈlɛktɪŋ. Begin with a short, clear schwa-less first vowel in 'e-': the 'e' here is a short open vowel /ɪ/ or /ə/ depending on accent, followed by /ˈlɛk/ with a light /l/ and a clear /ɛ/ as in 'let'. End with the nasal 'ng' /ŋ/. In careful speech, say /ˈlɛk/ as a single unit then add /tɪŋ/. Practice by isolating: /i/ as in 'machine' (but shorter), /ˈlɛk/ as in 'lek' and finish with /tɪŋ/, making sure your tongue taps to avoid a soft 't' blending. Audio reference would guide you to the crisp T before the nasal.
Common errors: 1) Flattening the first syllable to /ɪ/ or /i/ giving i-LECK-ting with too-short first vowel; fix by using a clipped but distinct /i/ from 'see' before /ˈlɛk/. 2) Dropping the /t/ or turning it into a flap or fast release; ensure an explicit /t/ before /ɪŋ/. 3) Erroneous /d/ or /θ/ replacement in 'lect' cluster; keep it as /t/ and avoid a stop-release into /ŋ/. Practice with slow, clear articulation: i-LEK-ting, then gradually speed.
US: /iˈlɛktɪŋ/ with strong /ɪ/ in final syllable and clear /t/ release before /ɪ/. UK: /ɪˈlɛk.tɪŋ/ may show a slight syllable-timing with a crisp /t/; non-rhotic influence can soften r-like qualities; AU: /iˈlɛktɪŋ/ similar to US but with a sometimes more rounded vowel in the first syllable and shorter neutral vowel in unstressed positions. All share the /ˈlɛk/ stress nucleus but vary minute vowel durations and T-voicing in connected speech.
The main challenge is the consonant cluster /t/ immediately followed by /ɪŋ/, which requires precise closure and quick release to avoid a blended or flapped sound. Additionally, the preceding /l/ can color the vowel with a light, almost 'dark' quality, especially for non-native speakers. Finally, maintaining the stressed nucleus /ˈlɛk/ while keeping the final /ɪŋ/ distinct requires controlled alveolar and tongue-peak timing. IPA cues help anchor the articulation.
No. In standard pronunciation, all letters in electing participate: the syllables /iˈlɛk/ + /tɪŋ/ include a pronounced /t/ and the final /ŋ/. You might occasionally hear a very soft /t/ in rapid speech, but it is not silent; it often becomes a light, unreleased stop before the nasal in fast speech. Focus on keeping /t/ audible to avoid confusion with /ɪŋ/.
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US: clear /t/ release, /ɪ/ close to 'kit' quality; UK: crisp /t/ with less vowel reduction in /ɪ/; AU: often a more centralized /ɪ/ and a slightly less pronounced /t/; all maintain rhoticity differences in surrounding words. Use IPA as anchors: iˈlɛktɪŋ (US/UK) and iˈlɛktɪŋ (AU) with attention to vowel length and final nasal.
The word electing derives from the verb elect, which comes from the Latin eligere, a combination of e- (out, away) and legere (to choose, select). The Latin eligere meant 'to choose from; to select.' In Late Latin, eligere evolved into electus, the past participle of eligere, meaning 'chosen' or 'selected.' English borrowed elect in the 14th century, with electing appearing as a present participle or gerund form by the 15th century as part of the verbal system that forms -ing participles. The sense concentrated on choosing or selecting by vote or formal process, expanding in political discourse as modern democratic processes developed. Over time, electing became a standard way to describe the act of voting in progress (e.g., electing officials) and retains strong formal and political connotations, particularly in contexts emphasizing procedure and legitimacy.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "electing" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "electing"
-ing sounds
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