One syllable: goals.
/ɡoʊlz/
goals is pronounced /ɡoʊlz/. It has one syllable (goals), with the stress on "goals". Go-als refers to aims or targets that a person or group intends to achieve. In everyday use, it often appears in planning, performance reviews, or sports contexts. The word functions as a plural noun and is frequently paired with verbs like set, achieve, or pursue, and with adjectives such as short-term or long-term.
Say it backGo-als refers to aims or targets that a person or group intends to achieve. In everyday use, it often appears in planning, performance reviews, or sports contexts. The word functions as a plural noun and is frequently paired with verbs like set, achieve, or pursue, and with adjectives such as short-term or long-term.
"She set ambitious goals for the next quarter and outlined a clear plan to reach them."
"The team celebrated after reaching their goals for the season."
"Personal goals help you stay motivated during challenging projects."
Go-als is /ɡoʊlz/ in US, /ɡəʊlz/ in UK/AU. The main features are a long close-mid back rounded vowel in the first syllable and a final /lz/ cluster. Start with a rounded /oʊ/ glide, then end with /lz/ produced as a light voicing with the tongue touching the alveolar ridge for the /l/ before the z. Keep the /l/ darkened slightly and avoid adding an extra syllable. IPA details: US /ˈɡoʊlz/, UK /ˈɡəʊlz/, AU /ˈɡəʊlz/.
Common errors: (1) Slurring the /l/ into the /z/, producing /ɡoʊlz/ with unclear L—pronounce /l/ clearly before /z/. (2) Reducing the first syllable too much, like /ɡoʊlz/ with a weaker vowel; ensure a distinct /oʊ/ or /əʊ/ depending on dialect. (3) Omitting the final z sound, saying /ɡoʊl/; keep the final voiced /z/ crisp. Practice by isolating the /lz/ cluster with a quick mouth tap before voicing.
In US English, the first syllable has a clear /oʊ/ vowel with strong rhotic influence in adjacent speech, yielding /ˈɡoʊlz/. In many UK accents, the first vowel becomes /əʊ/ with less rhotic influence and more vowel reduction in casual speech, /ˈɡəʊlz/. Australian English similar to UK but with slightly broader diphthong and medial vowel qualities, often closer to /ˈɡəʊlz/. The final /l/ remains dark and the /z/ is voiced; only the preceding vowel shifts subtly by dialect.
Difficulties stem from the /oʊ/ vowel’s diphthong length and the word-final /lz/ cluster, which requires precise voicing and alveolar contact. Some speakers merge the /l/ into a light /w/ or drop the /z/ sound in fast speech. The transition from rounded vowel to alveolar lateral /l/ and voiced /z/ demands precise tongue-tip placement and voicing control, especially for non-rhotic speakers who may under-project final consonants.
The word is a single primary-stressed syllable on GO, followed by a syllable that carries the plural inflection as part of the same syllable cluster. The stress sits on the first syllable consistently across dialects, with the second syllable reduced in fluent speech. The consonant cluster /lz/ at the end is tight and requires a brief, voiced release. IPA cue: /ˈɡoʊlz/ (US), /ˈɡəʊlz/ (UK/AU).
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The plural noun goals derives from the verb to goal, itself from Old French goaler or gal, related to the notion of a boundary or end. In English, the sense of ‘something you aim for’ solidified in the late Middle English period as archaisms blended with sporting language. The modern sense—an objective or target to be achieved—was reinforced by organizational and educational discourse in the 19th and 20th centuries, expanding from literal finishing lines or goals in games to abstract personal and professional aims. The term is frequently collocated with phrases like set goals, achieve goals, and goal setting, reflecting its semantic shift from a boundary in sport to a concrete cognitive objective. First known uses appear in sports writing and coaching manuals, evolving through business and psychology literature as a communicative shorthand for planned outcomes.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "goals" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "goals" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "goals"
-les sounds
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