Learn How to Pronounce center
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How to pronounce:
center
Definition:
(nou) an area that is approximately central within some larger region (nou) the piece of ground in the outfield directly ahead of the catcher (nou) a building dedicated to a particular activity (nou) a point equidistant from the ends of a line or the extremities of a figure (nou) the choicest or most essential or most vital part of some idea or experience (nou) the object upon which interest and attention focuses (nou) a cluster of nerve cells governing a specific bodily process (nou) the middle of a military or naval formation (nou) the person who plays center on a basketball team (nou) the person who plays center on the line of scrimmage and snaps the ball to the quarterback (nou) a place where some particular activity is concentrated (nou) politically moderate persons; centrists (nou) the person who plays center on a hockey team (nou) the sweet central portion of a piece of candy that is enclosed in chocolate or some other covering (nou) mercantile establishment consisting of a carefully landscaped complex of shops representing leading merchandisers; usually includes restaurants and a convenient parking area; a modern version of the traditional marketplace (nou) the position on a hockey team of the player who participates in the face off at the beginning of the game (nou) the position of the player on the line of scrimmage who puts the ball in play (nou) a position on a basketball team of the player who participates in the jump that starts the game
Phonetic Transcription:
ˈsentə
Examples:
The girl likes to be the center of the attention.
She was the center of the attention of the worldwide media.
Some introverts love being the center of attention.
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Common mistakes of center pronunciation
- Misplacing the stress: Some learners place stress on the second syllable, saying "cen-TER" [ˈsɛn.tər] instead of the correct first syllable stress "CENTER" [ˈsɛn.tər]. Tip: Remember, the primary stress is on the first syllable.
- Incorrect vowel sound: A common mistake is pronouncing "center" with a long "e" sound, like "seen" [siːn]. The correct pronunciation uses a short "e" as in "pen" [pɛn]. Tip: Focus on the "e" sound being short and quick.
- Over-emphasizing the "t": Some people pronounce the "t" too forcefully, making it sound like "cen-ter" [ˈsɛn.tər] instead of the smoother "center" [ˈsɛn.tər]. Tip: Keep the "t" soft and connected to the preceding vowel.
- Ignoring regional variations: In American English, "center" [ˈsɛn.tər] may sound different from British English "centre" [ˈsɛn.tə]. Tip: Be aware of regional pronunciations and practice both to improve your understanding.
- Skipping the final "r": Non-native speakers may drop the "r" sound at the end, saying "centuh" [ˈsɛn.tə] instead of "center" [ˈsɛn.tər]. Tip: Practice pronouncing the "r" clearly to avoid this mistake.