STAN-ding
/ˈstændɪŋ/
standing is pronounced STAN-ding (/ˈstændɪŋ/). Standing is the act of upright posture maintained on one’s feet, typically in a vertical position for support or duration. It also describes a qualifier or status in contexts like “standing order” or “standing ovation.” The term combines the verb stand with the present participle -ing, signaling ongoing action or state, and is commonly used across everyday and formal language.
Standing is the act of upright posture maintained on one’s feet, typically in a vertical position for support or duration. It also describes a qualifier or status in contexts like “standing order” or “standing ovation.” The term combines the verb stand with the present participle -ing, signaling ongoing action or state, and is commonly used across everyday and formal language.
"She stood quietly by the doorway, waiting for the call."
"The committee recommended standing rules to ensure consistency."
"He has a strong standing in the community after years of service."
Pronounce as /ˈstæn.dɪŋ/ in careful speech or /ˈstændɪŋ/ in broad US/UK. The primary stress is on the first syllable: STAN-ding. Start with /st/ lip-closure, move to /æ/ or /a/ vowel in the first syllable, then glide to /n/ and end with a nasal /ŋ/. Keep the /d/ light and avoid an extra syllable; the second syllable is a quick schwa-like /dɪŋ/ or /dən/ in connected speech. For listening, hear the crisp /æ/ followed by a clear /ŋ/ at the end.
Common errors: (1) Substituting /æ/ with /a/ in the first syllable (e.g., ‘stánding’ with a back low vowel). Correction: use a centralized to front low vowel /æ/ with the jaw slightly lowered and lips relaxed. (2) Overpronouncing the /d/ as a hard /d/ before /ŋ/, causing a “d-ging” blend; keep the /d/ light and immediately nasalize into /ŋ/. (3) Slurring the second syllable into /ɪn/ or /ən/ without clear /ŋ/; aim for a crisp nasal /ŋ/ with a shorter vowel. Practice precise timing between /n/ and /ŋ/.
In US English, /ˈstændɪŋ/ with rhoticity generally preserved; the /æ/ is open-front, and the second syllable often reduces to /dəŋ/ in connected speech. In UK English, /ˈstændɪŋ/ maintains non-rhoticity with the same vowel in many southern dialets; reduction to /ˈstændn̩/ or /ˈstæ̽ndɪŋ/ can occur in rapid speech. Australian English tends toward a flatter /æ/ and quicker /d/ to /n/ transition; final /ŋ/ remains. All share the primary stress on the first syllable; vowel quality may shift slightly due to regional vowel shifts.
The difficulty comes from the abrupt transition from the front open vowel /æ/ to the alveolar /n/ and the velar nasal /ŋ/ with a light /d/ in between; achieving a clean /t/ vs /d/ boundary before /ŋ/ can be tricky in rapid speech. The tongue must move quickly through a flat-front vowel to a nasal without adding extra vowels. Also, the vowel /æ/ can be challenging for speakers whose L1 uses different front vowels, and the final nasal requires precise velar articulation without letting the syllable nasalize into /ŋ/ too early.
No, standing is pronounced with all letters audible. The sequence /ˈstændɪŋ/ uses s-t-æ-n-d-ɪ-ŋ; there is no silent letter. The challenge is making the /d/ and /ŋ/ transitions smooth rather than silent or overly aspirated. Pay attention to a crisp /d/ followed immediately by a strong /ŋ/ without inserting a schwa.
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US: rhotic, vowel shifts less pronounced; UK: non-rhotic tendencies in some regions, but /ˈstændɪŋ/ remains; AU: vowel height tends towards centralized /æ/ and quicker transitions. Vowel quality: US often has a sharper /æ/, UK may show a slightly lower /æ/; AU can approach /æ/ but with more centralized tongue. Consonants: Ensure /st/ cluster is firm, /d/ is light before /ɪ/ or /ŋ/, and /ŋ/ is clear. IPA references: US /ˈstændɪŋ/, UK /ˈstændɪŋ/, AU /ˈstændɪŋ/.
Standing derives from the Old English word standan, from Proto-Germanic *standaną, related to Old Saxon standan, Dutch staan, and German stehen. The etymology traces to the Proto-Indo-European root *st- meaning “to stand, cause to stand.” In Middle English, standing emerged as the present participle of stand, evolving to denote the state or action of remaining upright, or the duration and condition (e.g., “standing order,” “standing ovation”). The sense of social or personal status (“standing in a community”) developed later, leveraging the metaphor of “standing” as how one holds oneself in regard or position. Over centuries, standing broadened to cover physical posture, legal and social status, and fixed conditions, becoming a versatile noun/adjective in modern English. First attested senses appear in late Old English to early Middle English literature, with evolving semantics shaped by legal, social, and everyday usage.Modern usage spans physical posture (“standing still”), social standing (“his standing in the field”), and idiomatic phrases (“standing committee,” “standing ovation”).
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Words that rhyme with "standing"
-ing sounds
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