2 syllables: grow, ing. Stress on grow.
GROH-ing
/ˈɡɹoʊɪŋ/
growing is pronounced GROH-ing (/ˈɡɹoʊɪŋ/). It has two syllables (grow-ing), with the stress on "grow". Growing is the progressive increase in size, amount, or importance, often referring to living organisms or economies. It denotes development over time and implies an ongoing process rather than a fixed state. In everyday use, it can describe physical growth, growth rates, or the expansion of a project or skill.
Growing is the progressive increase in size, amount, or importance, often referring to living organisms or economies. It denotes development over time and implies an ongoing process rather than a fixed state. In everyday use, it can describe physical growth, growth rates, or the expansion of a project or skill.
- Common Mistakes: • Under-pronouncing the middle vowel: many learners collapse /roʊ/ into a long /roʊ/ and skip the /ɪ/; fix by producing a brief, distinct /ɪ/ before /ŋ/. • Merging syllables: blending /ɡroʊ/ and /ɪŋ/ into a quick /ɡroʊɪŋ/ without a clear onset; practice with slow tempo to stabilize the glide. • Final /ŋ/ misarticulation: often produce a nasalized /ŋ/ without voicing contrast or fail to maintain alveolar closure; ensure the tip of the tongue contacts the alveolar ridge momentarily and release into /ŋ/.
"The garden is growing faster this spring than last year."
"Our customer base is growing, which means we need more staff."
"Interest in sustainable farming has been growing globally."
You pronounce it as /ˈɡroʊ.ɪŋ/ in US English and /ˈɡrəʊ.ɪŋ/ in UK/AU English. The primary stress is on the first syllable: GROH-ing. Start with a clear /g/ closure, followed by a long /oʊ/ or /rəʊ/ diphthong, then a short ə sound reduced to /ɪ/ before the final /ŋ/. Tip: ensure the middle vowel is not reduced to a mere schwa; keep it as a distinct /oʊ/ or /əʊ/ to avoid blending into “growin.” Audio example reference: [Pronounce or Forvo], listening to native speakers will help you hear the glide before the nasal.
Two common errors: 1) Reducing the second syllable too much, saying /ˈɡroʊŋ/ or /ˈɡroʊ.nɪŋ/ with an indistinct /ɪŋ/ cluster. Correction: keep the /ɪŋ/ clearly attached at the end: /ˈɡroʊ.ɪŋ/. 2) Merging the /ɪ/ with the /ŋ/ as /ɪŋ/ without a distinct onset, or approximating /roʊ/ to /roʊ/ quickly. Correction: maintain a brief but audible /ɪ/ before /ŋ/ and avoid pausing after /ɡroʊ/. Listening to minimal pairs can help you fine‑tune the middle vowel.
US: stressed on first syllable with a clear /oʊ/ sequence: /ˈɡroʊ.ɪŋ/. UK/AU: often a slightly shorter /əʊ/ or closer to /ˈɡrəʊ.ɪŋ/ with the first syllable less tense; rhoticity is generally non-rhotic in some UK contexts, affecting the influence of the /r/ before a vowel. In Australian English, vowel quality can be broader with a more centralized /ə/ before /ŋ/ and a mild non-rhotic tendency in broad accents. Overall, the key is keeping the first vowel as a true diphthong and preserving the /ŋ/ ending in all varieties.
The difficulty lies in stabilizing the mid vowel transition between the diphthong in /roʊ/ (or /rəʊ/) and the following /ɪ/ before the nasal /ŋ/. Muscular coordination is needed to prevent the /ɪ/ from being swallowed by the /ŋ/ or turned into a schwa. Additionally, the sequence requires a precise tongue position for the onset /g/ and keeping the /ŋ/ voiceless or lightly voiced, depending on context. Practicing the boundary between /roʊ/ and /ɪ/ with attention to mouth shape helps maintain clarity.
A distinctive feature is the subtle boundary between the stressed first syllable and the unreduced middle vowel. Unlike many two-syllable words, growing keeps a perceptible /ɪ/ before the final /ŋ/, which can be challenging when you speak quickly. The word also benefits from a crisp release after /g/ followed by a stable onset for /roʊ/ or /rəʊ/, avoiding a pseudo-syllabic blend that makes the word sound like /ɡroʊŋ/.
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- US: /ˈɡroʊɪŋ/ with a pure, bright /oʊ/ and a clear /ɪ/ before /ŋ/. Keep rhotic vowel quality minimal before the final nasal. - UK: /ˈɡrəʊɪŋ/ or /ˈɡrəʊn/? emphasize non-rhoticity; ensure the /r/ is not overly pronounced unless in an rhotic context; vowel is rounded and a little shorter. - AU: /ˈɡrəʊɪŋ/ with a broader vowel and slightly less stiff articulation; maintain the /ŋ/ with a crisp closure. Use IPA to verify differences and practice with minimal pairs that highlight the shift from /oʊ/ to /ɪ/.
Growing comes from the Old English word growan, meaning to rise, stand upright, or increase in size. The verb grew into its modern participle form growing by adding the -ing participle suffix to indicate ongoing action. The root grow traces through Germanic languages: Old English growan, Dutch groeien, German wachsen, all connected to the Proto-Germanic *grōnijan and the Proto-Indo-European root *ghre- meaning to grow. The semantic shift from literal physical growth to metaphorical growth (growth of crops, towns, skills) emerged in Middle English as people began to describe gradual change over time in both tangible and abstract domains. By the 16th–17th centuries, growing had solidified as a present participle used in progressive tenses and as an adjective describing ongoing processes, which remains its primary function in contemporary usage.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "growing" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "growing" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "growing"
-ing sounds
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