2 syllables: lead, ing. Stress on lead.
LEE-ding
/ˈlidɪŋ/
leading is pronounced LEE-ding (/ˈlidɪŋ/). It has two syllables (lead-ing), with the stress on "lead". Leading can function as a present participle or gerund (the act of leading) or as an adjective meaning foremost or principal. It denotes guidance, direction, or being in a primary position, and in forms like 'leading role' or 'leading expert' it carries a sense of prominence. The term often implies influence, initiative, or being at the forefront of a field, movement, or organization.
Leading can function as a present participle or gerund (the act of leading) or as an adjective meaning foremost or principal. It denotes guidance, direction, or being in a primary position, and in forms like 'leading role' or 'leading expert' it carries a sense of prominence. The term often implies influence, initiative, or being at the forefront of a field, movement, or organization.
- You may over-slap the /d/ in fast speech, making it sound like /lɪdɪŋ/ instead of the crisp /ˈliː.dɪŋ/. Slow down the transition from /iː/ to /d/ to preserve the long vowel quality. - Some learners glide the /iː/ into a shorter /ɪ/ in rapid speech; practice keeping the long /iː/ to maintain the word’s prominence, especially in phrases like 'leading engineer' where it carries weight. - The final /ŋ/ can be lost in casual speech, turning it into /ˈliː.dɪn/; keep the velar nasal by finishing with the back of the tongue contacting the soft palate. - In some dialects, the /d/ can be flapped or softened; aim for the dental/alveolar stop /d/ with a brief, clear closure. - Imitate native speech by recording yourself and comparing with a model; small shifts in vowel length or consonant timing can alter the perceived credibility of your leadership statements.
"The company is leading in renewable energy research."
"She is leading a team of engineers on the project."
"He is one of the leading voices in climate policy."
Pronounce it as /ˈliː.dɪŋ/. The first syllable carries primary stress. The 'ea' in the first syllable sounds like the long 'ee' in 'see,' followed by a soft 'd' consonant, then a short 'i' in the second syllable, and a final 'ŋ' as in 'sing.' Keep the mouth rounded for /iː/ and finish with the velar nasal /ŋ/. In connected speech, the two syllables may blend, but retain steady beat for clarity.
Common errors include prolonging the second syllable, pronouncing the /ŋ/ as /ŋg/ (leadingg), or turning /liː/ into a lax /lɪ/ under rapid speech. Some speakers reduce /ˈliː.dɪŋ/ to /ˈlɪdɪŋ/ by shrinking the long vowel. To correct: keep /iː/ long and crisp, avoid intrusive vowel noise, and end firmly with the velar nasal /ŋ/ without adding voiced endings. Practice with minimal pairs like 'lead' versus 'lead-ing' to feel the difference in length and tension.
US/UK/AU all share /ˈliː.dɪŋ/. The rhotic US may retain stronger post-vocalic fluidity around /ɪ/; UK and AU may have slightly crisper /d/ and less vowel lengthening in rapid speech. In some US dialects, you may hear a weaker /d/ timing, producing more of a tapping touch /ˈliːɾɪŋ/ in casual speech. In AU, the final /ŋ/ tends to be clean, with backward jaw relaxation. Overall core is the long /iː/ plus /d/ plus /ɪŋ/. IPA remains /ˈliː.dɪŋ/ for all major varieties.
The difficulty comes from the long vowel /iː/ followed by a light /d/ and the velar nasal /ŋ/ at the end; the transition between vocalic length and a short, clipped consonant can trip speakers up, especially in rapid or connected speech. Another challenge is maintaining clear stress on the first syllable while not over-enunciating the second syllable. Practicing the precise mouth shapes—high front tongue position for /iː/, then a quick move to /d/ with the tongue behind the teeth, ending with /ŋ/—helps. Some learners also worry about the “lea-ding” contrast with the noun 'lead'.
No. All letters participate in pronunciation. The pronunciation is /ˈliː.dɪŋ/: the letters l-e-a-d-i-n-g map to sounds: L /l/, E-A combination /iː/ in the first syllable, D /d/, I-n-g final cluster /ɪŋ/. There is no silent letter; the sequence is clearly articulated with two syllables and a final velar nasal.
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- US: Expect a clear, slightly longer /iː/ and a chewy /d/. Maintain rhoticity in surrounding words but keep /ˈliː.dɪŋ/ intact; IPA: /ˈliː.dɪŋ/. - UK: Crisp /d/ with precise tongue tip contact; keep /iː/ full and deliver /ŋ/ cleanly; IPA: /ˈliː.dɪŋ/. - AU: Similar to UK/US but often quicker tempo; reduce vowels in fast speech but keep /iː/ prominent when emphasizing leadership; IPA: /ˈliː.dɪŋ/. General tip: keep the mouth in a high, stretched position for /iː/ and shift to a rapid but precise contact for /d/ before the nasal /ŋ/.
Leading derives from the verb lead, which comes from Old English lǣdan meaning to guide, conduct, or bring forth. The noun or adjective senses arise from the idea of one who leads or is in the lead. The word lead itself has Germanic roots; historically, it also shares a lineage with Dutch leiden and German führen, all conveying the act of guiding. In Middle English, leading as a present participle surfaced to describe ongoing action “acting as leader,” and later as an adjective to describe prominence, such as ‘the leading figure’ by the 16th century. The modern usage expanded to contexts like sports, industry, and narrative roles, where “leading” signals preeminence or initiating influence. First known uses appear in literary and legal texts of medieval and early modern England as communities described leaders in governance or conflict, and by the 19th and 20th centuries, the phrase “leading position” became common in business and science prose, cementing its modern, status-oriented connotation.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "leading" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "leading"
-ing sounds
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