3 syllables: gra, da, tion. Stress on da.
gray-DAY-shuhn
/ɡɹeɪˈdeɪʃən/
gradation is pronounced gray-DAY-shuhn (/ɡɹeɪˈdeɪʃən/). It has three syllables (gra-da-tion), with the stress on "da". Gradation refers to a systematic, gradual change or progression in degree, tone, or color. It denotes a stepwise variation, often within a spectrum, where each step is subtly different from the next. The term is commonly used in fields like art, linguistics, and measurement to describe smooth, incremental differences.
Gradation refers to a systematic, gradual change or progression in degree, tone, or color. It denotes a stepwise variation, often within a spectrum, where each step is subtly different from the next. The term is commonly used in fields like art, linguistics, and measurement to describe smooth, incremental differences.
- Common phonetic challenges: (1) Misplacing the secondary stress or misplacing the primary stress on the second syllable; (2) Mispronouncing the /deɪ/ as a short /de/ or /daɪ/; (3) Final consonant cluster /tn̩/ vs /tən/ or /n/; - Corrections: slow the syllable boundary, emphasize the /ˈdeɪ/ syllable, articulate a clear /ʃ/ before the final nasal, practice with minimal pairs: gradation vs gradient and gradation vs gradual. Use tongue placement cues: front vowels in the stressed syllable; keep the lips rounded for /eɪ/.
"The gradation of the paint from light to dark created a soft, seamless transition."
"She studied the gradation of color in the sunset to replicate it in her artwork."
"The engineer examined the gradation of temperatures along the pipeline."
Pronounced /ɡræˈdeɪʃn̩/ (US) or /ˌɡræˈdeɪʃən/ (UK/AU). The primary stress is on the second syllable: gra-DA-tion. Start with a short /ɡ/ and /æ/ as in bag, then a clear /ˈdeɪ/ with a diphthong, and end with /ʃn̩/ or /ʃən/ depending on accent. An audible, light alveolar nasal after the /ʃ/ is common in connected speech. You’ll hear a subtle pause after the /ˈdeɪ/ in careful speech. Audio references: Cambridge/Dictionaries include speaker recordings; use Forvo for native variants.
Common errors: (1) misplacing stress, saying gra-DA-tion is incorrect in favor of gra-DAY-tion; (2) mispronouncing the /deɪ/ as a short /dʒ/ or /də/; (3) dropping or merging the final syllable, saying gra-DAY-zhn or gra-DAY-shn. Correction: keep the second syllable as a clear /ˈdeɪ/ with a distinct glide, maintain a short, unaccented final syllable /n̩/ or /ən/ after /ʃ/. Practice with minimal pairs and syllable-timed drills to preserve the /æ/ and /deɪ/ sequence.
US tends toward /ɡræˈdeɪʃn̩/ with strong rhotic influence on surrounding vowels, UK/AU often retain a slightly tighter /ˈɡrædeɪʃən/ and may have a shorter final syllable; AU commonly uses /ɡɹæˈdeɪʃən/ with non-rhotic tendencies in careful speech but rhotics appear in everyday speech. In practice, the main difference is in the final vowel and the degree of r-coloring. Listen for a clearer /ɪ/ in the UK/AU form and a more pronounced /ɹ/ onset in US; the /ə/ vs /ən/ ending can also shift slightly depending on the speaker.
The difficulty lies in the multi-syllabic cadence and the central vowel cluster around /deɪ/ plus the /ʃn/ sequence beginning the final syllable. The transition from a stressed syllable with a diphthong to a syllabic nasal /n̩/ or schwa plus /n/ is tricky for non-native ears. Additionally, US vs UK/AU differences in rhoticity and vowel reduction in the final syllable can cause mispronunciation if you don’t adapt the mouth for the subtle /ən/ vs /n̩/ ending. Practice with slow pace and mouth-position cues.
A distinct feature is the two-phoneme onset /ɡr/ followed by the stressed /æ/ and the diphthong /eɪ/ in the middle, with a final /ʃn/ or /ʃən/. People often search for 'how to say gradation' and 'gradation pronunciation' seeking guidance on the stressed syllable and the /deɪ/ diphthong. Including IPA, stress placement, and step-by-step articulation tips in your content helps match those queries. Provide audio references and minimal pair drills to address common confusion with
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- US: rhotic; pronounce /ɹ/ clearly in adjacent syllables, ensure /ɡræˈdeɪʃn̩/ with a light final syllable. - UK: non-rhotic; /ˈɡrædeɪʃən/ with a lighter rhotic influence; final syllable may reduce to /ən/. - AU: similar to UK but with a slightly flatter vowel quality; ensure alveolar /d/ is crisp and avoid trailing /n/ sound. Use IPA cues: /ɡræˈdeɪʃən/ vs /ɡɹæˈdeɪʃn̩/ for different accents.
Gradation comes from the Latin gradient- (gradus ‘step, degree’), from gradi ‘to step, go’. It entered English via Old French gradation, from Latin gradatio, from gradus. The root gradi is related to other English words like graduate, gradient, gradual, and gradualism. Its sense broadened from “stepwise progression” to include the idea of a measured, incremental change across a spectrum of values, colors, sounds, or intensities. The earliest attestations in English date to the 15th century, initially used in mathematical and musical contexts to denote a rising or falling sequence. By the 17th–18th centuries, gradation appeared more widely in art and optics to describe subtle tonal shifts, and in biology and linguistics to discuss progressive differences or morphs. Today, gradation retains its core meaning of orderly, incremental variation, often emphasizing smoothness and continuity rather than abrupt change.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "gradation" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "gradation"
-ion sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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