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Pronunciation

How to pronounce “select”

“select” is pronounced /səˈlɛkt/ (suh-LEKT) in American English and /sɪlɛkt/ in British English — 2 syllables, stressed on “ect”.
The sound

Say “select” in 2 beats

Say it like this

select

/səˈlɛkt/

The voice you hear here is American; the British form is /sɪlɛkt/ (see the table below), and a British voice is available in the app's settings.

2 beats
  1. selsə
  2. ectlɛktstress
IPA (American)
/səˈlɛkt/
IPA (British)
/sɪlɛkt/
Respelling
suh-LEKT
Syllables
2 — sel-ECT
Stress
Stress the second syllable: sel-ECT. “ect” is longer, louder and a step higher; the other syllable falls away from it.
Part of speech
verb, adjective
Difficulty
Pro — the sounds are ordinary, the rhythm is where it slips
Accents

American and British are not the same here

American

/səˈlɛkt/

British

/sɪlɛkt/

No audio here: sayit’s voice is American, so a British button would play the American word. Read the transcription instead.

Meaning

What “select” means

  1. verb

    pick out, select, or choose from a number of alternatives

    “Take any one of these cards”

  2. adjective

    of superior grade

    “choice wines”

  3. adjective

    selected or chosen for special qualifications

    “the blue-ribbon event of the season”

Say it in a sentence

“You may select any two puddings from the list.”
Sound by sound

The sounds inside this word

6 sounds, in the order you say them
ssəschwallɛshort ekktt

Each sound has its own page: where the tongue goes, what it is usually confused with, and words to drill it on.

Questions

“select”, answered

How do you pronounce “select”?

“select” is pronounced /səˈlɛkt/ (suh-LEKT) in American English and /sɪlɛkt/ in British English — 2 syllables, stressed on “ect”. Build it as sel-ECT, then run the second syllable a little longer than the rest and let the others reduce.

How many syllables does “select” have?

2: sel · ect. The beat lands on the second, “ect”.

Is “select” said differently in British English?

Yes. American English says /səˈlɛkt/ (suh-LEKT); British English says /sɪlɛkt/. Both are correct — choose the accent you are learning and stay inside it.

What does “select” mean?

As a verb: pick out, select, or choose from a number of alternatives For example: “Take any one of these cards” It carries 2 other senses as well — all of them said the same way.

Where is the stress in “select”?

Stress the second syllable: sel-ECT. “ect” is longer, louder and a step higher; the other syllable falls away from it.

Practise this word

Now say “select” and see every sound

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