EK-struh
/ˈɛkstɹə/
extra is pronounced EK-struh (/ˈɛkstɹə/). Extra refers to something additional or more than what is needed or expected. In everyday use it can modify adjectives (e.g., extra careful), function as a noun (the extra on a film crew), or serve as an intensifier in informal speech. The sense emphasizes surplus, beyond the ordinary, often carrying a tone of emphasis or exaggeration depending on context.
Extra refers to something additional or more than what is needed or expected. In everyday use it can modify adjectives (e.g., extra careful), function as a noun (the extra on a film crew), or serve as an intensifier in informal speech. The sense emphasizes surplus, beyond the ordinary, often carrying a tone of emphasis or exaggeration depending on context.
- You may soften or omit the /ks/ cluster, producing a simple /sk/ or /s/ after the first syllable. Keep the /k/ and /s/ together to form the /ks/ cluster; avoid a palatalization or linking sound that changes it to /kz/ or /s/. - The second syllable can swallow the vowel: don’t stretch it into /əː/ or /eɪ/. Aim for a crisp /ə/ (schwa) or a reduced vowel in fast speech. - Stress drift: avoid shifting primary stress to the second syllable; keep primary stress on the first: /ˈek.strə/. Practice saying EK-strə slowly, then reduce speed while maintaining the stresses and the /ks/ cluster.
"She added extra sauce to the plate for extra flavor."
"He wore an extra layer of clothing because it was freezing."
"In the film, there’s an extra who isn’t part of the main cast."
Pronounce it as two syllables: /ˈek.strə/ in US/UK/AU. Put primary stress on the first syllable: EK-strə. The vowels are a short ‘e’ as in 'bed' and a schwa in the second syllable. Keep the two consonants clearly: /k/ followed by /s/ in the cluster /ks/. Tip: say ‘EK’ with a crisp stop, then glide into a relaxed, quick ‘strə’.
Common mistakes include turning the first syllable into a longer 'ee' sound (ee-tra) or making the second syllable overly reduced to a weak vowel. Some speakers insert an extra syllable (ex-tra) or mispronounce the /ks/ cluster as separate sounds (ek-s-tra). Correction: keep /ks/ as a single cluster after the first vowel, and articulate the second syllable with a light, central vowel: /ˈek.strə/.
In US/UK/AU, primary stress remains on the first syllable: /ˈek.strə/. The rhoticity in US may color the /r/ in rapid speech, but final /ə/ remains a schwa. In non-rhotic UK accents, the /r/ is not pronounced after vowels, so /ˈek.strə/ remains; in AU, vowels tend to be broader with a more centralized /ə/. Overall: the pattern stays two syllables with a stable /ˈek/ onset; the main variation is the duration and quality of the second syllable’s vowel.
The difficulty lies in the /ks/ cluster after the /e/ vowel and the second syllable’s reduced vowel. The /k/ and /s/ must fuse cleanly into /ks/ rather than a separate ‘k-s’ sequence, which many learners mispronounce as /x/ or /ks/. Additionally, keeping the second syllable as a reduced schwa without turning it into a full /əː/ requires precise relaxation of the jaw and tongue in a short window.
No, there is no /t/ sound in 'extra'. The pronunciation is /ˈek.strə/. The 't' is not voiced; the /k/ occurs in the /ks/ cluster immediately after the /e/ vowel, which can feel like a hard transition. Ensure you don’t insert a /t/ sound by articulating the /k/ and /s/ clearly and letting the /t/ be silent.
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- US: rhotic, may hear a slightly longer /r/ preceding a vowel when connected speech; keep /r/ out of the final schwa unless the following word begins with a vowel. - UK: non-rhotic; /r/ not pronounced after vowels; keep /ˈek.strə/ crisp with a shorter final vowel. - AU: similar to US with a tendency toward a lighter, lessened final syllable; keep the schwa relaxed and neutral. IPA references: US /ˈek.strə/, UK /ˈek.strə/, AU /ˈek.strə/.
Extra originates from Latin extra, meaning 'outside, beyond,' derived from ex- 'out' + trans 'across' or beyond. The term entered English via Late Latin and Old French in contexts relating to being ‘outside the ordinary’ or ‘beyond the usual limits.’ By the 16th–17th centuries, extra was used as an adjective meaning ‘more than usual’ and later broadened into a noun and modifier in both formal and informal speech. The modern sense of ‘additional, supplementary’ reflects a natural linguistic expansion from the idea of excess beyond a baseline. In contemporary usage, extra often carries a colloquial emphasis, especially in slang or adverbial form (‘extra!’ or ‘that was extra’) to signal heightened affect or extravagance. The word’s adaptability across adjectives, nouns, and adverbs demonstrates its versatility in English, with semantic shifts paralleling trends in casual discourse and marketing language.
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Words that rhyme with "extra"
-tro sounds
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