One syllable: good.
guud
/ɡʊd/
good is pronounced guud (/ɡʊd/). It has one syllable (good), with the stress on "good". Good is an adjective describing something beneficial, favorable, or satisfactory. In everyday use, it often functions as a general positive appraisal (e.g., a good idea) and can also serve as an intensifier in phrases like 'not bad' or 'that’s good enough.' The term appears in fixed collocations and idioms, and its meaning can shift slightly with context and tone. (2–4 sentences, ~60 words).
adjectiveGood is an adjective describing something beneficial, favorable, or satisfactory. In everyday use, it often functions as a general positive appraisal (e.g., a good idea) and can also serve as an intensifier in phrases like 'not bad' or 'that’s good enough.' The term appears in fixed collocations and idioms, and its meaning can shift slightly with context and tone. (2–4 sentences, ~60 words)
How to Pronounce Good
"That slideshow looks good on the big screen."
"It’s good to see you again after so long."
"She did a good job organizing the event."
Pronounce as /ɡʊd/. The initial /ɡ/ is a hard G, the vowel is a short, rounded /ʊ/ as in 'foot' but shorter, and the final /d/ is a light alveolar stop. In rapid speech you may hear a more centralized vowel closer to /ɡəːd/ for some speakers, but precise articulation is /ɡʊd/. Stress is on the single syllable.
Common mistakes include using a longer, lax vowel like /oʊ/ as in 'goat' (sounding like 'good' with a diphthong) and producing /ɡuːd/ with a drawn-out vowel. Some speakers also replace /ɡ/ with a softer /k/ or omit the final /d/ in casual speech. Correct these by ensuring a clipped /ʊ/ vowel, firm initial /g/ closure, and a clear alveolar /d/ stop at the end.
In US accents, /ɡʊd/ is relatively centralized with a quick, lax /ʊ/ and audible /d/. UK speakers may produce a slightly shorter vowel and crisper /d/ with less rounding, while Australian speakers often reduce the vowel further toward a centralized /ɐ/ or /ʊ/ in rapid speech, with a flatter intonation. Rhoticity is not a factor here, but vowel quality and vowel length can vary subtly.
The challenge lies in the short, rounded /ʊ/ vowel and the precise tongue position for /ɡ/ and /d/. Many learners anticipate a longer vowel or merge /ʊ/ with /ʌ/ or /oʊ/, and they may struggle with starting and finishing the alveolar stop cleanly in rapid speech. Practicing with minimal pairs helps isolate the vowel quality and stop release.
Is there a typical Canadian pronunciation variant for 'good'? In some Canadian varieties, speakers may slightly raise or lax the vowel, approaching /ɡʊːd/ or merging toward /ɡɒd/ in some dialects. However, the most common general articulation remains /ɡʊd/ with a short, rounded vowel and clear /d/ end, though regional speakers may show subtle vowel height shifts.
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Good traces to Old English god/a: ‘god’ (adj) and ‘gōd’ with meanings related to this era’s sense of beneficial, advantageous, or virtuous. The semantic field expands from describing moral virtue to overall quality. Proto-Germanic *gōdaz is the root, linked to Gothic gōds, Old Norse godr, and Dutch goed, all implying strength, usefulness, or moral worth. The modern sense of ‘good’ as positive appraisal emerges through Middle English shifts in pragmatic evaluation, with the comparatives/ superlatives ‘better’ and ‘best’ reflecting contrast against a baseline of quality. First known uses appear in Old English and early Middle English texts as a general positive attribute attached to objects, actions, and persons, evolving to cover taste, fitness, and competency in contemporary English. The word’s brevity and versatility helped it persist as a high-frequency adjective across centuries and dialects, adapting to idiomatic phrases such as ‘good enough’ and ‘good for you’ that remain common in modern speech.
💡 Etymology tip: Understanding word origins can help you remember pronunciation patterns and recognize related words in the same language family.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "good" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "good" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "good"
-ood sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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