TAY-king
/ˈteɪkɪŋ/
taking is pronounced TAY-king (/ˈteɪkɪŋ/). Taking is the present participle of take, or the gerund form describing the act or process of grasping, acquiring, or removing something. In phonology terms, it is a two-syllable word typically pronounced with primary stress on the first syllable; the ending often features a reduced, unstressed -ing. The meaning shifts with context—from taking notes to taking a breath—while the pronunciation remains relatively stable across common usages in English.
Taking is the present participle of take, or the gerund form describing the act or process of grasping, acquiring, or removing something. In phonology terms, it is a two-syllable word typically pronounced with primary stress on the first syllable; the ending often features a reduced, unstressed -ing. The meaning shifts with context—from taking notes to taking a breath—while the pronunciation remains relatively stable across common usages in English.
"She is taking notes during the lecture."
"They were taking a break after the long hike."
"The project is taking longer than expected."
Pronounce it as /ˈteɪ.kɪŋ/. The first syllable carries primary stress: /ˈteɪ/. Use the long diphthong /eɪ/ as in 'day,' then move quickly to a light /k/ onset for the second syllable /kɪŋ/, finishing with the alveolar nasal /ŋ/. In careful speech, you’ll hear two distinct syllables; in quick speech, the second syllable remains identifiable but slightly reduced.
Common errors include pronouncing the first syllable as /ˈtæ.kɪŋ/ (short /æ/ as in cat) or slurring the /t/ into the /k/, producing /tæ.ˈkɪŋ/ or /ˈteɪkɪŋ/ without the final nasal clarity. Another pitfall is alveolar flapping or overly soft /ŋ/ in rapid speech. Correction: maintain the /eɪ/ in the first syllable, clearly articulate /t/ before /k/ to avoid /tæ/ or /tɑ/; end with a crisp /ŋ/ with the tip of the tongue touching the alveolar ridge.
In US English, /ˈteɪ.kɪŋ/ with a rhotic vocalic flow and clear /t/; UK English often features a slightly shorter /eɪ/ and a crisper /t/ depending on region, but generally /ˈteɪ.kɪŋ/. Australian English maintains /ˈteɪ.kɪŋ/ with a non-rhotic tendency in some speakers, but most recognition remains the same: the final /ŋ/ is standard. The main difference is vowel length and placement of the /t/; US tends toward a clearer /t/ and reduced /ɪ/ in rapid speech, while UK/AU can exhibit subtle vowel shifts in connected speech.
The challenge lies in the two-syllable rhythm and the transition from the /eɪ/ diphthong to the /ɪ/ vowel, followed by a final /ŋ/. The /t/ and /k/ sequence can cause a slight blurring if you don’t fully separate the syllables. Also, many speakers reduce the /ɪ/ in casual speech, which can obscure the second syllable’s clarity. Focus on maintaining the /eɪ/ then releasing into /kɪŋ/ with a crisp /ŋ/.
The word is a clear two-syllable unit with strong initial stress that must be preserved even in connected speech. Unlike some gerunds that blend with following words, taking often requires the speaker to maintain the /ˈteɪ/ onset while producing a distinct /kɪŋ/ tail, ensuring the /ŋ/ does not merge with a following consonant. It’s a good test of clean syllable separation in rapid delivery.
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The word taking originates from the Old English tacian, from the verb tacian ‘to take’ which itself is related to the Proto-Germanic *takanan, from the Proto-Indo-European root *tak- meaning ‘to grasp or seize.’ In Middle English, taking evolved as a present participle form, with -ing functioning as a gerund/participle suffix. The modern sense of “the act of taking” emerged as English verbs expanded their participial forms to function as adjectives and nouns (e.g., ‘taking notes’). The sense also broadened in compounds (e.g., ‘taking over,’ ‘taking action’) and in phrasal constructions, where the verb takes on idiomatic meaning. First known uses appear in Old and Middle English texts, with the verb and its participle forms appearing in varied spellings as scribes mapped pronunciation to evolving orthography. By Early Modern English, the -ing participle had a stable role, and ‘taking’ had become a common everyday word in both spoken and written English.” ,
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Words that rhyme with "taking"
-ing sounds
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