2 syllables: gra, ders. Stress on gra.
GRAY-durz
/ˈɡɹeɪdɚz/
graders is pronounced GRAY-durz (/ˈɡɹeɪdɚz/). It has two syllables (gra-ders), with the stress on "gra". Graders refers to people or devices that sort or classify items by size, color, or quality, often used in contexts like educational grading, food processing, or industrial sorting. The term can denote those who assign grades, or the machines that perform the sorting task automatically. In everyday usage, it typically appears in plural to describe multiple devices or personnel performing grading.
Graders refers to people or devices that sort or classify items by size, color, or quality, often used in contexts like educational grading, food processing, or industrial sorting. The term can denote those who assign grades, or the machines that perform the sorting task automatically. In everyday usage, it typically appears in plural to describe multiple devices or personnel performing grading.
"The graders separated the apples by size and weight."
"In the exam room, the graders reviewed each answer for accuracy."
"Factory workers monitored the graders to ensure consistent sorting speeds."
Graders is pronounced with the primary stress on the first syllable: /ˈɡreɪ.dərz/. Start with a clear /ɡ/ plosive, glide into /reɪ/ as in “ray,” then a soft /dər/ with a schwa-like middle, and end with an voiced /z/. In connected speech, you’ll blend the /r/ and /d/ lightly. Listen for the American pattern: ˈɡreɪ.dərz.
Common errors include misplacing the stress (e.g., /ˈɡreɪdɚz/ with weak first syllable) and mispronouncing the final /z/ as /s/ or /ɪz/. Another frequent slip is elongating the second syllable to /ˈɡreɪ.dəːz/. The correction: keep primary stress on the first syllable, pronounce /dər/ as a rapid, unstressed syllable with a subtle /ɚ/ or /ər/, and finish with a clean voiced /z/. Practice the cadence: ↗ ˈɡreɪ - dərz.
In US English, the final is a clear /z/; /ˈɡreɪ.dərz/. In many UK pronunciations, the final may be a more hissed /z/ but still voiced; some speakers delay or reduce the /r/ before the vowel. Australian speakers often reduce the /r/ in non-rhotic positions, giving /ˈɡreɪ.dəz/ with a softer rhotic quality. Overall, the initial /ˈɡreɪ/ remains stable, while rhoticity and vowel length of /ə/ can shift subtly across regions.
Difficulties stem from the cluster /ˈɡreɪ/ followed by a quick /dər/ with a rhotacized or non-rhotacized vowel depending on accent. The final /z/ requires voicing control to avoid a sibilant /s/; some speakers also vocalize the /ər/ as a schwa or reduce it. Mastery comes from practicing the transition between the stressed first syllable and the unstressed second, and maintaining a crisp, voiced final consonant in fluent speech.
What subtle vowel quality follows /ɡr/ in graders in fast speech, and how does that affect the /eɪ/ diphthong progression? In natural speech you’ll hear the /eɪ/ glide quickly into /ər/; ensure you keep the /eɪ/ fronted before the /d/ and maintain a brief, relaxed /ər/ without excessive schwa to prevent extra syllables.
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US: pronounce /ˈɡreɪ.dɚz/ with a rhotic /ɚ/ in the second syllable; keep the /ɡ/ plosive crisp and the /ˈeɪ/ diphthong bright. UK: often non-rhotic; the /r/ may be silent; you can reduce to /ˈɡreɪ.dəz/ with a weaker final /z/. AU: non-rhotic in most contexts; /ˈɡreɪ.dəz/ but with a broader vowel in /eɪ/ and a less pronounced /ɹ/. IPA references: US /ˈɡreɪ.dərz/, UK /ˈɡreɪ.dəz/, AU /ˈɡreɪ.dəz/. Focus on keeping the diphthong steady and finishing with a clear but not elongated /z/.
Graders derives from the verb grade, meaning to assign a rank or mark or to classify by quality. Grade itself originates from Old French gradiere or gred, linked to Latin gradus meaning step or degree, reflecting a sense of ranking or tier. The suffix -er denotes a person or thing performing the action; thus grader originally meant one who grades or sorts. The compound sense extended to machines or devices that perform grading, especially in manufacturing or education. First attested use in English dates to the 17th-18th centuries as a person who assigns grades or standards. Over time, specialized senses appeared in agriculture (sorting grain by size), textiles (grading cloth), and food industries (grading produce). In modern usage, graders can be human or automated systems integrated into production lines, often associated with quality control and efficiency. The etymology tracks a core idea of tiered assessment or sorting, evolving from rank/step concepts into mechanical devices that perform sorting tasks with precision and consistency. The word’s semantic scope expanded as technology advanced, making graders essential in contexts where uniformity and standardization matter, such as grading papers or sorting by size in a mill. By the late 19th and 20th centuries, the term was common in industrial vocabulary, aligning with the rise of automated sorting equipment. Modern usage retains both human and machine meanings, emphasizing assessment, ranking, and sorting accuracy.
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Words that rhyme with "graders"
-ers sounds
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