One syllable: halls.
hawlz
/hɔlz/
halls is pronounced hawlz (/hɔlz/). It has one syllable (halls), with the stress on "halls". Halls refers to long, public indoor passages or rooms for gatherings, often leading to rooms or spaces within a building. It can also denote a building’s main corridors or a university’s ceremonial spaces. The word emphasizes architectural space and function rather than specific furniture, and it’s commonly used in describing entrances, lobbies, or corridors.
Halls refers to long, public indoor passages or rooms for gatherings, often leading to rooms or spaces within a building. It can also denote a building’s main corridors or a university’s ceremonial spaces. The word emphasizes architectural space and function rather than specific furniture, and it’s commonly used in describing entrances, lobbies, or corridors.
"The students filed down the dimly lit halls between classes."
"The school’s halls echoed with footsteps during the homecoming parade."
"We rented a hall for the conference and lined the walls with posters."
Pronounce as one syllable: /hɔːlz/ in US/UK/AU English. Start with an voiceless glottal or light h followed by an open-mid back rounded vowel [ɔː], then end with the final /lz/ cluster where the tongue briefly touches the alveolar ridge for the /l/ and immediately forms a voiced /z/ as in 'zoo'. Ensure no extra syllable—it's a single, smooth flow. Audio reference: say it as “h-ah-l-z” with a single beat.
Common errors: 1) separating into two syllables (“hall-s”) instead of a single syllable. 2) mispronouncing vowel as a short /ɒ/ like ‘hals’ rather than /ɔː/. 3) voicing mismatch in the final consonant, producing a soft /l/ without the final /z/. Correction: keep a relaxed but assertive /ɔː/ quality, span the glottal release with H, then glide into /lz/—finish with a light vocal fold vibration on /z/.
In US and UK non-rhotic contexts, the vowel in /hɔːlz/ remains a broad /ɔː/. The main variation is the rhoticity: Americans may have a slightly more pronounced r-coloring in surrounding words, but not in halls itself. Australian English tends to be similar to UK/US but with a slightly shorter /ɔː/ and a more clipped /lz/. Overall, all three maintain the /h/ onset and /lz/ coda, with minor vowel length differences.
The difficulty lies in maintaining a single, seamless syllable while producing the final /lz/ cluster. The /ɔː/ vowel requires a rounded, mid-back placement, and the transition from /l/ to /z/ must be quick and connected. Many learners insert a break or mispronounce the /z/ as a voiceless /s/ or fail to voice the final consonant. Focus on a fluent gliding from /ɔː/ into /lz/.
The unique feature is the final /lz/ cluster, which requires precise voicing: the /l/ is light and alveolar, followed immediately by a voiced /z/. Some speakers delay the /z/ slightly or devoice it to /s/ in rapid speech; avoid that by ensuring your vocal cords vibrate for the /z/ and keep the tongue lightly touching the alveolar ridge. This results in the crisp ‘lz’ ending that distinguishes halls from similar words like ‘hall’ or ‘holds.’
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US: you’ll hear a slightly larger, more open /ɔː/ and a sharp /z/ in rapid speech; UK: final /lz/ remains lb, but the /ɔː/ may be slightly tenser or longer in careful speech; AU: mild vowel shortening and a less pronounced rhotic quality in surrounding phrases; across all, keep the /l/ light, not heavy, and the /z/ voiced and crisp.
Halls comes from the Old English hal, which meant a hall, large room, or dwelling place, established in the early medieval period. The term is rooted in Proto-Germanic haljo- or hals, denoting a covered, enclosed space within a building. Over time, the word expanded to denote the main room of a house or, more commonly in modern usage, a large public space inside a building designed for gatherings. The plural form halls arose naturally as people described multiple large spaces (e.g., university halls, dining halls, great halls). The semantic shift toward architectural corridors and passageways reflects its association with enclosed, open, and frequently long interior areas used for movement or assembly. In literature and architectural discourse, halls have retained the sense of formality and grandeur, underscoring their social and ceremonial roles. The first known uses appear in Old English texts, where “hale” or “hal” described a hall-like interior space, later evolving in Middle English to “hall” with the plural “halls.”
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "halls" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "halls" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "halls"
-lls sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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