Are you struggling to perfect your English pronunciation? Knowing how to pronounce ‘purpose’ correctly can be a great start!

The word "purpose" can be dissected into sounds, aiding in pronunciation for both British and American English speakers. Here are the IPA transcriptions for each:

• American Pronunciation: /ˈpɜrpəs/
  • Begins with the /ˈpɜr/ sound, where the lips are slightly rounded, and the tongue is positioned in the middle of the mouth, not touching the roof.
  • Followed by the /pəs/ part, combining a 'p' sound made by both lips coming together briefly, followed by a schwa (/ə/), a quick, relaxed 'uh' sound, and ending with the 's' sound, produced by air passing out through the teeth.
• British Pronunciation: /ˈpɜːpəs/
  • Similar to the American pronunciation, the beginning /ˈpɜː/ sound has a slightly longer 'er' sound due to the non-rhotic nature of most British accents, meaning the 'r' is often not pronounced unless followed by a vowel.
  • The ending /pəs/ is pronounced similarly to the American version, with the schwa sound followed by 's'.

Purpose (n):

1. The reason for which something is done or created or for which something exists.
2. A person's sense of resolve or determination.

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