Learn How to Pronounce serve
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How to pronounce:
serve
Definition:
(nou) a stroke that puts the ball in play
Phonetic Transcription:
sɜːv
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How to perfect your pronunciation of: serve
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Common mistakes of serve pronunciation
- Misplacing the vowel sound: Some learners pronounce "serve" with a long "e" sound, as in "see." The correct pronunciation is /sɜrv/ in US English and /sɜːv/ in UK English. Tip: Focus on the short "er" sound, similar to "her."
- Ignoring the silent "e": A common mistake is to pronounce the final "e" in "serve." In both US and UK pronunciations, the "e" is silent. Tip: Remember that the word ends with the "v" sound, not "ve."
- Overemphasizing the "s": Some learners stress the "s" too much, making it sound like "suh-rv." The correct stress is on the first syllable, /ˈsɜrv/ (US) and /ˈsɜːv/ (UK). Tip: Keep the "s" sound light and smooth.
- Incorrect stress placement: A few may incorrectly place stress on the second syllable, saying "ser-VE." The correct stress is on the first syllable: /ˈsɜrv/ (US) and /ˈsɜːv/ (UK). Tip: Practice saying "serve" with emphasis on "ser."
- Confusing with similar words: Learners sometimes confuse "serve" with "surf." While "serve" is pronounced /sɜrv/ (US) and /sɜːv/ (UK), "surf" is /sɜrf/ (US) and /sɜːf/ (UK). Tip: Pay attention to the vowel sounds to distinguish between them.