TRAV-uh-ling
/ˈtɹævəlɪŋ/
travelling is pronounced TRAV-uh-ling (/ˈtɹævəlɪŋ/). Travelling refers to the act of going from one place to another, especially over long distances, often for leisure or exploration. It can also describe the experience of making a journey, including the preparations and movement involved. The term is commonly used in British English and follows a double-L spelling variant of travel. It emphasizes motion, exploration, and the process of journeying rather than the destination itself.
Travelling refers to the act of going from one place to another, especially over long distances, often for leisure or exploration. It can also describe the experience of making a journey, including the preparations and movement involved. The term is commonly used in British English and follows a double-L spelling variant of travel. It emphasizes motion, exploration, and the process of journeying rather than the destination itself.
"We spent the summer travelling around Europe by train."
"She enjoys travelling light, with only a backpack and a jacket."
"The book chronicles his travelling experiences across remote regions."
Pronounce as /ˈtræv.əl.ɪŋ/ or /ˈtræv.ə.lɪŋ/ depending on dialect. Stress the first syllable: TRAV-əl-ING. The middle syllable is a schwa or a reduced vowel depending on speaker; keep it light. Note the double L in the British form does not double the spoken stop; the /l/ is clear but not elongated. Listen to native speakers for subtle timing cues and ensure the final -ing is a clipped, unstressed ending.
Two common errors: treating the middle syllable as a full vowel instead of a reduced schwa (TRAVEL-ING) and misplacing the stress by underemphasizing the initial syllable. Correct by emphasizing TRAV and using a short, relaxed vowel in the middle: /ˈtræv.əl.ɪŋ/. Avoid prolonging the middle vowel or the final -ing, which should be quick and light.
In UK English, /ˈtræv.ə.lɪŋ/ with a clear schwa in the middle and a light, sometimes non-rhotic ending; in US English, /ˈtræv.əl.ɪŋ/ often with a slightly more prominent final -ing and reduced emphasis on the middle vowel; in Australian English, /ˈtræv.ə.lɪŋ/ similar to US but with broader vowel qualities and a very slight intonation rise or fall depending on sentence type. The rhoticity is less pronounced in UK and AU varieties.
Key challenges include the sequence of three syllables with a subtle middle schwa and a final cluster that ends with -ing. Learners often mispronounce the middle as a full vowel (steamlining to /ˈtræv.trā-ling/), or overemphasize the final -ing. Focus on a quick, reduced duration for the middle vowel and a crisp, unstressed ending. Use IPA cues /ˈtræv.ə.lɪŋ/ to guide muscle placement.
In most varieties, the middle syllable uses a short, reduced vowel, typically a schwa /ə/ or a near-schwa depending on the speaker: /ˈtræv.ə.lɪŋ/. It is not a full ‘a’ as in car or cat. The exact vowel quality can vary: British English often leans toward a lighter /ə/; American and Australian speakers may produce a slightly more centralized /ə/ or even a reduced /ɪ/ in fast speech. Focus on a quick, relaxed center vowel in that syllable.
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The word travelling originates from the French verb voyager, from the Latin word via (road) and agere (to drive, lead). The English verb travel has roots in the Old French word voyager, then Middle English travels, with the -ing form evolving as an agentive or progressive gerund. The British spelling travelling with double l and -l await reflects the traditional British convention to double consonants after short vowels in certain morphemes before suffixes starting with a vowel. The first known use of travel in English dates to the 13th century, initially meaning “to journey, voyage” — its sense broadened with exploratory and migratory connotations through the Renaissance and Age of Exploration. The modern sense of travel encompassed both literal movement and the experience of journeying, with variations in spelling between American English (traveling) and British/Canadian usage (travelling) solidifying in the 18th–19th centuries. Over time, the word has adopted metaphorical uses (travel through ideas, travel of light) while retaining its core sense of moving across space from one locale to another.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "travelling" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "travelling" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "travelling"
-ing sounds
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