2 syllables: grad, ed. Stress on grad.
GRAY-duhd
/ˈɡɹeɪdəd/
graded is pronounced GRAY-duhd (/ˈɡɹeɪdəd/). It has two syllables (grad-ed), with the stress on "grad". Graded is the adjective or verb form related to assigning a grade or level, or to arrange items by quality. In education, it means to assess and assign a score; as an adjective, it describes something arranged by a grade level or degree. The term implies measurement, sorting, or categorization and is commonly used in academic and evaluative contexts.
Graded is the adjective or verb form related to assigning a grade or level, or to arrange items by quality. In education, it means to assess and assign a score; as an adjective, it describes something arranged by a grade level or degree. The term implies measurement, sorting, or categorization and is commonly used in academic and evaluative contexts.
"The papers were graded before the holiday."
"A graded reader helps learners progress at their own pace."
"She graded the assignments and returned them with feedback."
Say /ˈɡreɪd.ɪd/. Begin with the stressed syllable GRADE, featuring a long a vowel /eɪ/ as in 'grade', then add a light, quick /d/ plus a schwa-like or reduced ending /ɪd/ in fast speech. In careful speech, you may hear /ˈɡreɪd.ɪd/ with a distinct /ɪd/. Audio cues: start with your tongue high in the front (for /eɪ/), then the alveolar /d/ release followed by a weak vowel. Practice by saying 'grade' + 'ed' as two quick units.
Two common missteps: (1) Tying the /ɡreɪd/ part to a strong /d/ like /ɡreɪd.d/ instead of a light /d/ plus /ɪd/. (2) Skipping the final /ɪd/ and ending with a simple /d/ or a shortened /dɪd/. Correction: practice the final /ɪd/ as a quick, separate syllable: /ɪd/ with a soft tongue tip contact and a short vowel. Intentionally separate the syllable boundary: /ˈɡreɪ.dɪd/ and then blend to /ˈɡreɪd.ɪd/ in fluent speech.
US/UK/AU share the /ˈɡreɪ.dɪd/ base, but rhoticity and vowel quality vary slightly. US tends to have a slightly more rounded and tense /eɪ/ in 'grade' and a clearer /ɪ/ in /ɪd/, UK often maintains a marginally clipped /ɪd/ and less rhotic influence in vowels around the /r/ context, and AU follows US-like patterns but with broader vowel qualities and faster tongue motion. The final /d/ is typically crisp in all three, though Australians may elongate a touch more in formal speech.
The challenge lies in the quick, precise sequencing: the long /eɪ/ vowel in /reɪ/ demands a controlled tongue height and gliding movement to /d/, then the final /ɪd/ requires a light, touch-release with a short, controlled vowel. Many speakers also misplace the primary stress or blend /d/ with the following /ɪ/ leading to /ˈɡreɪd.ɪd/ or /ˈɡreɪd.ɡɪd/ mistakes. Focus on timing and boundary clarity between /eɪd/ and /ɪd/.
For graded, the ending is an /ɪd/ sequence in most accents, producing the two-syllable impression /ˈɡreɪ.dɪd/. The exact realization can depend on the preceding consonant and pace. After a voiced /d/ in 'grade', the /d/ in 'graded' is typically an extra syllabic touch with a brief schwa-like vowel before the final /d/; you end with a light /d/ release. In careful speech, you’ll hear /ˈɡreɪ.dɪd/ rather than a clipped /ˈɡreɪd/.
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Graded comes from the noun grade, which derives from Old French graide ‘step, rung, degree’ and Latin gradus ‘a step, degree’. The verb form grade appeared in English in the 15th century as a noun meaning ‘rank or class’ and a verb meaning ‘to arrange according to quality or level.’ Over time, grade broadened to mean slope (as in grade of a road) and to describe the act of assigning marks in education. The form graded (past tense or past participle of grade) emerged during the Early Modern English period as practices of measurement and assessment became standardized in schools and institutions. The core semantic core—measurement, ranking, and progression—has remained stable, with additional senses expanding to non-educational contexts like materials grading or road gradients.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "graded" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "graded" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "graded"
-ded sounds
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