2 syllables: per, formed. Stress on formed.
pur-FAWRMD
/pɚˈfɔɹmd/
performed is pronounced pur-FAWRMD (/pɚˈfɔɹmd/). It has two syllables (per-formed), with the stress on "formed". Performed means carried out or accomplished, especially in front of an audience or within a formal setting. It can describe completing a task, delivering a piece of work, or acting in a role. The term often implies a degree of skill, presentation, or fidelity to expectations, and is used across contexts from everyday tasks to artistic performances.
Performed means carried out or accomplished, especially in front of an audience or within a formal setting. It can describe completing a task, delivering a piece of work, or acting in a role. The term often implies a degree of skill, presentation, or fidelity to expectations, and is used across contexts from everyday tasks to artistic performances.
- You may unintentionally flatten the stressed second syllable into the first by over-quieting or rushing. Focus on keeping the first syllable light and unstressed (/pə/ or /pɚ/), then clearly articulate /ˈfɔːrmd/. - Another frequent error is mispronouncing the final /md/ sequence as /m/ + /d/ separated; practice tightly blending to a voiced alveolar /d/ with a brief vowel before it, then transition. - A third mistake is reducing the /ɔː/ to a more open /ɒ/ or /ɔ/ in some dialects; ensure rounded, longer /ɔː/ sound and the rhotic or semi-rhotic influence depending on accent. Correction tips: use slow practice with a leaky mouth model of /p/ + /ɚ/ + /ˈfɔːr/ + /md/. Record and compare with a native speaker. Use minimal pairs like “formed” vs “performed” to train the added /pə/ onset and the stress shift.
"The choir performed beautifully last night."
"She performed the experiment exactly as outlined in the protocol."
"He performed the piano concerto with remarkable control."
Pronounce as /pɚˈfɔːrmd/ (US) or /pəˈfɔːmd/ (UK/AU). The primary stress is on the second syllable: per-FORMED. Start with a schwa /ɚ/ or /ə/ in unstressed initial syllable, then /ˈfɔːr/ with a rhotic vowel in US and a longer, rounded /ɔː/ in others, and finish with a voiced /d/ or a syllabic /d/ depending on context. Practice saying “pur-formd” quickly, then smooth into the full word. Listen to natural speech to confirm the final /ɹ/ in American speech leaks into the /ɔːr/ sequence.
Common errors include misplacing stress (saying per-FORMED with the stress on the first syllable), pronouncing the /ɔː/ as a short /ɒ/ or /ɑː/, and mishandling the final /d/ so it sounds like /t/ or /ɪd/. Correction: emphasize the second syllable with /ˈfɔːr/ or /ˈfɔːmd/ depending on accent, keep the /ɹ/ before the r-colored vowel in US, and release the final /d/ clearly unless your pace reduces it to a syllabic /d/. Practice with minimal pairs like “formed” vs “performed.”
In US English you’ll hear /pɚˈfɔːrmd/, with a rhotic r and a merged /ɔːr/ sequence; the final /d/ is clear. UK English tends toward /pəˈfɔːmd/ with a non-rhotic variant, sometimes a longer /ɔː/ and a lighter /d/ sound. Australian English is similar to UK but may have a slightly more centralized vowel quality and a subtle length difference. The key differences: rhoticity, vowel height/length, and consonant release. Listen for the rounded /ɔː/ and the presence of postvocalic /r/ in US accents.
The difficulty lies in the three-part sequence: a stressed syllable with /ˈfɔːr/ that blends into a rapid /md/ cluster, and the final /d/ that can devoice or assimilate in fluent speech. Achieve clarity by keeping the /r/ rear tongue position in US, ensuring the /ɔː/ is fully rounded, and delivering a crisp /d/ without adding extra vowel. Also manage the transition from rhotic to the following alveolar stop in quick speech.
Yes. The word’s second syllable carries primary stress and the vowel is a long /ɔː/ in most dialects. A common trap is letting the /ɚ/ or schwa in the first syllable bleed into the stressed syllable, softening the contrast. Keep the unstressed first syllable light and quick, and hit the /ˈfɔːrmd/ with a clear, rounded vowel and a firm alveolar /d/. Also be aware of potential linking in fluent speech—avoid over-aspirating the /f/ and ensure the /r/ is pronounced in rhotic accents.
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- US: rhotic /r/ after /ɔː/ in the /ɔːr/ cluster; keep tongue tip up near alveolar ridge; allow the /r/ to color the preceding vowel. - UK: non-rhotic; the /r/ often not pronounced unless before a vowel; the /ɔː/ is long and rounded; the sequence is /pəˈfɔːmd/ with a clearer, crisper final /d/. - AU: tends toward US-like rhotics but with some vowel centralization; maintain a broad /ɔː/ and ensure the final /d/ is audible but not overly released. IPA references: US /pɚˈfɔːrm/ (rythics vary); UK /pəˈfɔːmd/; AU /pəˈfɔːmd/. Focus on vowel length, rhotic coloring, and final stop release.
Performed comes from the verb perform, which derives from the Latin performare, itself from per- ‘through, to the end’ + facere ‘to make, do’. The word entered English in the 14th century with the sense of executing a task or presenting a work, often in a public or ceremonial context. Early uses leaned toward accomplishing duties or presenting plays and ceremonies, evolving through Middle English to include musical or theatrical execution. By the 17th–18th centuries, perform carried broader implications of carrying out duties, showing competence, or acting in roles in both everyday work and the performing arts. In modern English, perform commonly collocates with tasks, duties, duties, tests, acts, and productions, while formal contexts often pair it with professional, public, or theatrical. The transformation from “to do” to “to present” reflects a shift from private completion to public display and interpretation, especially in artistic and professional environments.
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Words that rhyme with "performed"
-med sounds
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