One syllable: tilled.
tild
/tɪld/
tilled is pronounced tild (/tɪld/). It has one syllable (tilled), with the stress on "tilled". Tilled is the past tense of till, meaning to turn over soil in preparation for planting. It can also be used metaphorically to mean prepared or organized for action. The pronunciation features a clear, single-stress syllable followed by a light final consonant, reflecting its monosyllabic root form in common usage.
Tilled is the past tense of till, meaning to turn over soil in preparation for planting. It can also be used metaphorically to mean prepared or organized for action. The pronunciation features a clear, single-stress syllable followed by a light final consonant, reflecting its monosyllabic root form in common usage.
"The farmer tilled the field before sowing the seeds."
"We tilled the garden last weekend to improve drainage."
"Her plans were tilled with care, leaving no detail unconsidered."
Tilled is pronounced with a single stressed syllable: /tɪld/. Start with a short, lax 't' release, then a short 'i' as in 'kit', followed by a clear 'ld' cluster where the tongue taps the alveolar ridge for the 'l' and quickly closes to a voiceless 'd'. The final sound is a crisp alveolar stop. IPA: US/UK/AUS: /tɪld/. You’ll feel the tongue briefly high at the front and the lips relaxed at the onset of the 'l'.
Common errors include elongating the vowel to /iː/ as in 'peel' or turning the final /d/ into a voiced /ð/ or /z/ sound in rapid speech. Some speakers overemphasize the 'l' creating /tɪlɫd/. Correction: keep the vowel short /ɪ/, maintain a light, rapid 'l', and finish with a crisp /d/. Practice with 'till' vs 'tilled' to monitor the final stop stability.
Across US/UK/AU, the core /tɪld/ is similar, but rhotics and vowel quality differ. US tends to have a slightly tenser /ɪ/ and clear /ld/ release; UK can exhibit a shorter, clipped /ɪ/ in fast speech; AU often merges vowel length with a more centralized /ɪ/ under reduced stress. Stress remains on the monosyllable; the 'l' is light but audible, and the final /d/ remains voiceless.
The difficulty lies in transitioning smoothly from the alveolar stop /t/ to the /ɪ/ vowel and into the /ld/ consonant cluster without introducing a vowel gap or voicing error. The 'l' can become syllabic in rapid speech, or the /d/ can devoice if the preceding consonants are voiceless. Focus on maintaining a quick, even 't', short /ɪ/, light /l/, and a crisp final /d/.
The sequence /tɪld/ includes a consonant cluster /ld/ that can cause a subtle epenthetic vowel if mis-timed. The tongue should move from the alveolar /t/ to the alveolar ridge for /l/ without creating an extra vowel. The tip of the tongue lightly touches the alveolar ridge for the /t/ release, then slides to /l/ with a short lift, finishing with /d/.
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US vs UK vs AU: • US tends to maintain a tighter /ɪ/ and a crisp /d/, with a more pronounced final stop. • UK can reduce vowel length slightly; keep /ɪ/ short and precise. • AU tends toward a slightly more centralized /ɪ/ and a softer /d/ release in casual speech. IPA references: /tɪld/ in all accents, with small vowel shifts: US /tɪld/; UK /tɪld/ (short /ɪ/), AU /tɪld/ (slightly centralized /ɪ/).
tilled derives from till, meaning to plow or cultivate soil. The word reaches back to Old English tilian (to cultivate, plow, till), tied to Proto-Germanic *tiljanan
💡 Etymology tip: Understanding word origins can help you remember pronunciation patterns and recognize related words in the same language family.
Help others use "tilled" correctly by contributing grammar tips, common mistakes, and context guidance.
💡 These words have similar meanings to "tilled" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "tilled" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "tilled"
-led sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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