2 syllables: gui, ded. Stress on gui.
GEYE-duhd
/ˈɡaɪdəd/
guided is pronounced GEYE-duhd (/ˈɡaɪdəd/). It has two syllables (gui-ded), with the stress on "gui". Guided is the past-participle/adjective form of guide, meaning led or directed by someone or something. It denotes instruction or assistance that follows a plan, route, or framework. In usage, it often modifies nouns (guided tour, guided meditation) or functions as a passive-like adjective, implying supervision or structured direction. (2–4 sentences, ~60 words).
Guided is the past-participle/adjective form of guide, meaning led or directed by someone or something. It denotes instruction or assistance that follows a plan, route, or framework. In usage, it often modifies nouns (guided tour, guided meditation) or functions as a passive-like adjective, implying supervision or structured direction. (2–4 sentences, ~60 words)
- You often confuse the second syllable’s vowel; ensure a crisp /ɪ/; avoid merging into the /aɪ/ of the first syllable. - Do not omit or devoice the final /d/; you should produce a clear alveolar stop. - Don’t rush the transition between /aɪ/ and /dɪd/; separate the syllables briefly to maintain clarity. - Practice with a slight pause between syllables to ensure the /d/ is released and the /ɪ/ is heard. - In fast speech, you might reduce /ɪ/ to a schwa; revert to a distinct /ɪ/ to keep the second syllable audible. - Use minimal pairs to distinguish /aɪ/ vs /eɪ/ in the first syllable in quick speech. - Record yourself and compare to native audio to monitor cadence and articulation.
"The museum offered a guided tour led by a bilingual docent."
"We followed the guided meditation to help calm our minds."
"A guided rocket launch sequence ensures safety and precision."
You pronounce it as /ˈɡaɪ.dɪd/ in US/UK/AU. Primary stress on the first syllable: GAI- with the diphthong /aɪ/ as in high. The second syllable uses /dɪd/ with a clear /d/ at the end. Tip: keep the tongue high for /aɪ/, then release into a short, crisp /dɪd/ without adding extra vowel length. Sounds like “GAI-did.”
Common mistakes: (1) Slurring the second syllable into the first, producing /ˈɡaɪd/ instead of /ˈɡaɪ.dɪd/. (2) Releasing the /d/ as a stops without a following vowel, giving /ˈɡaɪ.d/ incomplete. (3) Using an unrounded, neutral vowel for /ɪ/; aim for a short, crisp /ɪ/ as in child. Corrections: insert a deliberate /d/ and a light schwa-like /ɪ/ in the second syllable if needed, ensure a clean /d/ release. Practice by saying ‘gai-did’ slowly, then naturally.
Across accents, the vowel in the first syllable remains a diphthong /aɪ/ in US/UK/AU. Rhoticity does not affect pronunciation of the word itself, but linking and intonation differ: US may glide the /ɪ/ slightly towards a lax /ɪ/ sound, UK tends toward a crisp /ɪ/; AU often reduces vowel length a touch in fast speech. The final /d/ remains a clear alveolar stop; in some casual UK speech, it can be unreleased. Overall, the core is /ˈɡaɪ.dɪd/ with minor vowel adjustments.
The difficulty lies in the final /ɪd/ sequence after a voiced consonant; you must insert a light, short /ɪ/ before the final /d/ without lengthening it. The spellings also conceal the two-phoneme suffix /-ɪd/ after /d/: you land on a crisp /d/ release, not an elongated vowel. Some speakers reduce the /ɪ/ to a schwa in rapid speech, which shifts quality and can muddy the distinction. Focus on a clean transition between /d/ and /ɪ/ then /d/.
Guided contains no silent letters. All letters are pronounced: /ˈɡaɪ.dɪd/. The second syllable centers on a short /ɪ/ and a final /d/; the spelling matches the sound, with the typical -ed ending pronounced as /d/ after a voiced consonant. If you see -ed after a voiced stop, expect a /d/ sound rather than /t/ or /ɪd/ depending on context, which helps confirm the pronunciation.
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- US: Maintain rhoticity but keep the /ɪ/ crisp; emphasize the final /d/ without voicing drift. - UK: Keep the second syllable tight with a precise /ɪ/; avoid trailing vowel; often more clipped. - AU: Slightly more centralized vowel in the second syllable; ensure /d/ is clear and final. All: notice the diphthong /aɪ/ in the first syllable; keep it distinct from /ɪ/. IPA: /ˈɡaɪ.dɪd/ in all major varieties. - Focus on a clean /d/ release; avoid glottalization in casual speech. - Stress remains on the first syllable; maintain even pacing across dialects.
Guided derives from guide, from Old French guider, from Late Latin guidare, from Latin direx, “to direct, lead,” related to the Proto-Indo-European root beg- meaning “to bend, shape, shape the course.” The English form emerged in Middle English as “guiden” or “guide,” with the adjective/participle adopting -ed to indicate past action or state (guided). The semantic shift centers on someone actively directing or leading a process, tour, or activity. Historically, guided functions both as a verb (to guide) and as an adjective/passive participle (a guided tour). Over time, “guided” acquired frequent collocations in education, tourism, and instruction, signaling a controlled, purposeful traversal or mentorship. First known written usage traces to medieval inventories and travel writings where “guided” described escorted journeys, later expanding into modern contexts like guided tours, guided meditation, and guided workflows, retaining the sense of intentional direction and support. 200–300 words.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "guided" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "guided" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "guided"
-ded sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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