Six Hard Words, Made Clearer
Relatively, diversified, vulnerable, favorable, priorities and comparison. Find the strong beat, soften the weak sounds and say each word with more confidence.
Listen, pause and repeat aloud. Try each short Say it task, compare with a model, then take the mastery quiz.
Listen together. At each Say it pause, answer briefly and take one tutor follow-up question. Finish with the mastery quiz.
Listen and repeat
Listen once. Play the recording again, pausing after each word or sentence to repeat it. The six word buttons below replay the same voice.
Read the recording transcript
Six useful words. Listen first, then repeat.
Relatively. Diversified. Vulnerable. Favorable. Priorities. Comparison.
Now listen to each word in a sentence.
Relatively. This route is relatively easy. Diversified. The company has diversified its services. Vulnerable. Young plants are vulnerable to frost. Favorable. The conditions are favorable. Priorities. My priorities are health and family. Comparison. This comparison is useful.
Now listen to all six words in a short passage.
The gardening club has diversified its activities. Growing herbs is relatively easy, but young plants are vulnerable to frost. The conditions look favorable this week. Our priorities are watering and shelter. This comparison of two growing methods will help us decide what to do.
One more time. Relatively. Diversified. Vulnerable. Favorable. Priorities. Comparison.
1. Meet the six words
The highlighted part takes the main stress: make it a little longer and clearer. The sound cues are a guide; use the recording as your model.
Tap Play to hear one word. Tap again to stop.
relatively
to a certain degree, especially when compared with something else
REL-uh-tiv-lee
/ˈrel.ə.t̬ɪv.li/Start strongly on REL. Keep the next vowel light, then join the ending smoothly: tiv-lee.
“This route is relatively easy.”
Keep in mind: Keep the vowel in -tive short, as in give.
diversified
made more varied, with a wider range of activities or products
dih-VER-suh-fyd or dai-VER-suh-fyd
/dɪˈvɝː.sə.faɪd/- dih /dɪ/: Usual American form; short vowel as in sit or fit.
- dai /daɪ/: Usual British form; rhymes with my and sky.
Both are accepted; stress VER in either version. The ending fied /faɪd/ rhymes with side.
“The company has diversified its services.”
Keep in mind: The final -ed adds a /d/ sound, with no extra syllable.
vulnerable
easily harmed or affected by something
VUL-ner-uh-buhl
/ˈvʌl.nɚ.ə.bəl/Begin with VUL, using the vowel in cup. Let the remaining sounds become lighter.
“Young plants are vulnerable to frost.”
Keep in mind: Build it slowly, then let the middle flow. The ending is light, not the word able /ˈeɪ.bəl/.
favorable
positive, helpful or likely to support success
FAY-ver-uh-buhl
/ˈfeɪ.vɚ.ə.bəl/Start with FAY, rhyming with day. Change from the quiet /f/ to the buzzing /v/.
“The conditions are favorable.”
Keep in mind: Keep the main stress at the start and the -able ending light.
priorities
the things that matter most or need attention first
pry-OR-uh-teez
/praɪˈɔːr.ə.t̬iz/Start with pry, then stress OR. The final -ties sounds like teez, with a buzzing /z/.
“My priorities are health and family.”
Keep in mind: Keep the ending /iz/. Priorities and prioritise have different endings.
comparison
looking at how two or more things are similar or different
kuhm-PAIR-ih-suhn
/kəmˈper.ɪ.sən/Start lightly with kuhm, then stress PAIR in this American English model.
“This comparison is useful.”
Keep in mind: The ending has a clear /s/ sound, followed by a light vowel and /n/.
A short note on accents and spelling
Favorable is the American spelling; favourable is the usual British spelling. The extra letter does not add a sound.
Diversified: you may hear an opening dih or dye. Both occur in English; VER keeps the main stress. British English commonly uses /daɪˈvɜː.sɪ.faɪd/.
Comparison: the stressed vowel is commonly /æ/ in British English and /e/ before /r/ in this American model. The stress remains on the second part.
The middle of vulnerable and favorable may compress in natural speech. Start with the careful model, then let the weak sounds flow. A clear /t/ is also fine where the American recording uses a quick, light tap in relatively or priorities.
2. Three habits for clearer speech
- Find one main beat. Start strongly in relatively, vulnerable and favorable. Move the main stress to the second part in diversified, priorities and comparison.
- Let weak vowels relax. /ə/ is a short, relaxed sound, like the opening of about. Keep the ending of vulnerable and favorable light. Avoid making every written vowel equally strong.
- Keep the endings distinct. Diversified ends in /faɪd/; priorities ends with /z/; comparison has /s/ in its final part. Finish the word without adding an extra vowel.
3. Put the words together
Read this short passage aloud. Start slowly, then read it again with a steady rhythm. You can hear it near the end of the recording.
The gardening club has diversified its activities. Growing herbs is relatively easy, but young plants are vulnerable to frost. The conditions look favorable this week. Our priorities are watering and shelter. This comparison of two growing methods will help us decide what to do.
Self-check: Replay the passage and compare your main stresses and endings. Choose one word to improve on your second reading.
Together: Your tutor chooses one useful correction. Repeat that phrase, then read the final two sentences again.
4. Check your sound choices
This quiz checks stress, sounds and listening. For questions 1 and 8, play the clip and listen to both repetitions before choosing. Replay as needed. Aim for 8 out of 10, then say your improved words aloud.
Pronunciation references
Sound and stress guidance was checked against Cambridge Dictionary. The plural priorities keeps the stress of priority, with a final /z/.
Opening-vowel variants for diversify are also listed in Collins Dictionary.