One syllable: Tasks.
tasks
/tæsks/
Tasks is pronounced tasks (/tæsks/). It has one syllable (Tasks), with the stress on "Tasks". Tasks (noun, plural) refers to a set of duties or assignments to be completed. It can denote everyday chores, project responsibilities, or items on a to‑do list. The term emphasizes concrete work to be performed, often used in work, school, and planning contexts.
nounTasks (noun, plural) refers to a set of duties or assignments to be completed. It can denote everyday chores, project responsibilities, or items on a to‑do list. The term emphasizes concrete work to be performed, often used in work, school, and planning contexts.
How to Pronounce Tasks
"She organized the day by breaking each task into manageable steps."
"The manager assigned several tasks to the team for the sprint."
"He checked off completed tasks on his list as the day progressed."
Pronounce it as /tæskz/ (US) or /tɑːskz/ (UK). The initial /t/ is a crisp, alveolar stop, followed by short /æ/ (US) or long-ish /ɑː/ (UK). Then /sk/ clusters cleanly, and the final /z/ is a voiced z-sound. In connected speech you may hear a light assimilation to neighboring sounds but keep the /sk/ cluster distinct. Practice with the 2-syllable rhythm of a single beat on TASK and a subtle z at the end. IPA guidance: US /tæskz/, UK /tɑːskz/. Audio reference: choose a speech dictionary or pronunciation video for ‘task’ and add the plural /-z/.
Common errors: (1) Over-voicing the final /s/ instead of /z/ leading to /tæssk/; keep the final sound voiced as /z/. (2) Slurring the /sk/ into /s/ or /ks/, producing /tæks/ or /tæsk/; ensure the /sk/ combination is clear before the /z/. (3) Vowel reduction in rapid speech—avoid converting /æ/ to a schwa in US casual speech when saying a list; keep a clear short /æ/ in stressed position. Corrections: exaggerate the /k/ release before the /z/ and maintain the tongue blade high behind the upper teeth for /sk/; use minimal pairs like task-z vs task-ss to reinforce the final /z/.
US: /tæskz/ with a short /æ/ and a clearly voiced final /z/. UK: /tɑːskz/ or /tæsks/ in some dialects, with a broader vowel and possibly reduced final vowel; non-rhotic regions may link the /z/ a bit differently. Australia: /tæskz/ with the /æ/ staying near American value; some speakers may have a slightly higher vowel quality. Across accents, the key differences are vowel length and quality in the first syllable and the realization of the /s/ preceding the final /z/—ensure you keep /sk/ crisp and the final /z/ voiced.
The difficulty lies in the consonant cluster /sk/ preceded by a short front vowel and followed by a voiced /z/. The /s/ and /k/ must be tightly coordinated to avoid a lisp or /s/ before /z/. For non-native speakers, the final /z/ can cause voicing confusion, especially in rapid listing. Practicing the /sk/ + /z/ transition with a finger-tlicking step-down of the alveolar placement helps you maintain the switch from alveolar to bilabial-voicing. Focus on keeping the tongue blade high for the /s/ and pushing air through the /k/ before voicing the /z/.
A distinctive aspect is the final /z/ after a /sk/ cluster, which can cause a subtle blend in fast speech. The plural suffix /-z/ requires voice onset timing to be clearly on; you should avoid a devoiced or silent final s sound. Pay attention to the contrast between the singular /tæsk/ and the plural /tæskz/—never drop the /z/ in plural usage. IPA reminder: /tæskz/ (US).
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The word tasks comes from Middle English taske, which denoted a duty or assignment, derived from Old French tasque (task/duty), from Latin tactus ‘touch’ via a sense of something laid upon one to do. The form taske appears in 14th–15th century English; over time, spelling normalized to task. The pluralization to tasks aligns with English plural morphology for countable nouns. The term gradually broadened from a singular “task” meaning a duty to a pluralizable noun describing multiple duties within a workload, a usage that solidified in organizational and workplace English. Historically, “task” has roots in administrative and military vocabularies, where assignments and missions were specified in lists. In contemporary usage, “task” has general applicability across domains—education, business, computing, and personal productivity—retaining its core sense of a discrete, actionable piece of work scheduled or required by someone in authority or by one’s own plan.
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Words that rhyme with "Tasks"
-sks sounds
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