2 syllables: haul, ing. Stress on haul.
HAW-ling
/ˈhɔlɪŋ/
hauling is pronounced HAW-ling (/ˈhɔlɪŋ/). It has two syllables (haul-ing), with the stress on "haul". Hauling refers to pulling or transporting something with force or effort, often over a distance. It conveys a sense of heavy, sustained movement or effort, such as hauling goods on a truck or hauling oneself up a hill. The term emphasizes physical exertion and the action of moving load from one place to another.
Hauling refers to pulling or transporting something with force or effort, often over a distance. It conveys a sense of heavy, sustained movement or effort, such as hauling goods on a truck or hauling oneself up a hill. The term emphasizes physical exertion and the action of moving load from one place to another.
- You may flatten the stressed first syllable and make /ɔː/ too short; ensure the long vowel remains; pause briefly after /ɔː/ to separate from /l/. - The /l/ can blend into the following /ɪŋ/ if you’re tight in tempo; keep the /l/ tongue position active before moving to /ɪ/. - The final /ŋ/ is a velar nasal; don’t replace with /n/ or /ŋ/ in a hard cut; let the velar closure complete the syllable.
"The crew spent the afternoon hauling crates up the ramp into the warehouse."
"She was hauling a heavy trailer through the muddy field, strain evident in her voice."
"They spent hours hauling the broken-down car out of the ditch."
Hauling is pronounced with two syllables: /ˈhɔː.lɪŋ/ in US and UK IPA. The first syllable has primary stress: HAWL- (with /ɔː/ as the long open-mid back rounded vowel). The second syllable is a lax /lɪŋ/ with a light, quick -ing ending. Tip: keep the /ɔː/ length steady and end with a clean alveolar nasal /ŋ/.
Common errors include reducing the two syllables to a single quick sound or misplacing the stress. People often say /haul-in/ with a short /ɪ/ in the second syllable, or merge the /l/ into the /ɔː/ leading to /ˈha-lɪŋ/. To correct: emphasize the /ɔː/ in the first syllable, then clearly articulate the /l/ and the final /ɪŋ/ sequence as separate but smooth sounds.
In American English, the /ɔː/ in /ˈhɔː.lɪŋ/ often shifts toward a more open back /ɑː/ in many dialects, and rhoticity affects the vowel quality slightly. In UK English, /ɔː/ is typically a pure long open-mid back vowel, with clearer non-rhoticity shaping the following /lɪŋ/. Australian accents may exhibit a slightly higher nucleus for /ɔː/ and a faster, lighter /ɪŋ/ tail. Overall, the stress location remains on the first syllable across all three.
The challenge lies in the mid-back vowel /ɔː/ followed by a light /l/ transitioning into a velar nasal /ŋ/. The sequence requires maintaining a stable vowel while rapidly moving from a rounded, open vowel into the alveolar approximant /l/ and then the nasal /ŋ/. Many speakers reduce the /ɔː/ or blur the /l/ into the preceding vowel, which distorts the two-syllable rhythm and the final nasal. Focusing on clear separation helps.
Is the 'haul-' syllable always stressed in connected speech, or can the suffix affect emphasis? In standard English, the primary stress remains on the first syllable /ˈhɔː.lɪŋ/ in most contexts, including present participle forms like hauling. The suffix -ing does not typically shift primary stress but can affect perceived emphasis in long sentences where contrastive stress might apply on the second syllable depending on focus. Practicing stress in context will help you hear when emphasis shifts.
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- US: emphasize rhoticity and the more open /ɔː/ variant, maintain clear /l/ and delay the -ing slightly; /ˈhɔː.lɪŋ/. - UK: lean into a purer /ɔː/ and non-rhotic quality of /l/ following the vowel; keep /l/ lightly articulated then /ɪŋ/. - AU: you may hear a slightly higher vowel nucleus and quicker glides; keep the jaw relaxed but maintain ~/ɔː/ and a crisp final /ŋ/; IPA: /ˈhɔː.lɪŋ/.
Hauling comes from the verb haul, which traces to Old French haler, from Late Latin halare, meaning to pull or haul. The sense evolved in English to describe the act of drawing something with force, especially a heavy load. In the 14th–15th centuries, haul began to denote not only to pull but to transport goods by pulling along a vehicle or rope. By the 17th century, phrases like hauling and carpentry terminology emerged to describe the movement of timber or cargo. The word retains that core image of exertion: applying sustained force to move something over a distance. The modern sense often involves vehicles or heavy loads, but figurative uses (hauling ass, hauling yourself) exist as well, preserving the emphasis on energy and momentum in the action.
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Help others use "hauling" correctly by contributing grammar tips, common mistakes, and context guidance.
💡 These words have similar meanings to "hauling" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "hauling" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "hauling"
-ing sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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