How To Pronounce Formally

formally

UK
Phonemic
/ˈfɔː.mə.li/
Phonetic
[ˈfʷɔːʴ.mə.li]
US
Phonemic
/ˈfɔːr.mə.li/

How To Say Formally Phonetically

UKFAW-muh-lee
USFOR-muh-lee

Say the part in capitals loudest. This plain spelling is a guide; the IPA above is exact.

In British English, formally is pronounced /ˈfɔː.mə.li/. The narrow phonetic transcription is [ˈfʷɔːʴ.mə.li]. In American English, it is pronounced /ˈfɔːr.mə.li/.

Formally has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the first syllable. The British and American pronunciations are different, so listen to both.

Slashes / / show the phonemic transcription, the sounds that change meaning. Square brackets [ ] show the phonetic transcription, with the finer detail of how the sounds are actually made.

Syllables, Stress And Endings

Syllables And Stress

fɔːməli

Formally has three syllables in British English, and the main stress is on the first syllable, shown in colour above. Its stress pattern is Ooo, where O is the stressed syllable.

Words That Rhyme With Formally

Transcription Tips For Formally

  1. Rule 29

    The Letter y

    The letter y before a vowel is usually a consonant, /j/. After a consonant it is usually a vowel.

    yes /jes/yam /jæm/city /ˈsɪt.i/

    Here. Formally /ˈfɔː.mə.li/

  2. Rule 1

    Double Letters

    Double letters usually realise one sound. There are some cases where double letters realise two sounds, which usually happens with cc and zz.

    letter /ˈlet.ə/bigger /ˈbɪɡ.ə/manner /ˈmæn.ə/

    Here. Formally /ˈfɔː.mə.li/

  3. Rule 3

    Mark The Stressed Syllable

    When a word has more than one syllable, the primary stress marker must be placed before the stressed syllable. It is wrong to write /lɔː.jə/ without the stress marker.

    lawyer /ˈlɔː.jə/

    Here. Formally /ˈfɔː.mə.li/

  4. Rule 7

    Stress Mark Replaces The Dot

    Do not place a syllable boundary marker where the stress marker appears. /ðeɪ.ə.naʊ.ˈhɪə/ is not acceptable.

    They are now here /ðeɪ.ə.naʊˈhɪə/

    Here. Formally /ˈfɔː.mə.li/

All 29 Transcription Rules

Questions About Formally

How do you say formally phonetically?

Formally sounds like FAW-muh-lee in British English and FOR-muh-lee in American English. The part in capitals is stressed.

How do you pronounce formally in British English?

In British English, formally is pronounced /ˈfɔː.mə.li/. The narrow phonetic transcription is [ˈfʷɔːʴ.mə.li].

How do you pronounce formally in American English?

In American English, formally is pronounced /ˈfɔːr.mə.li/.

How many syllables are in formally?

Formally has three syllables, /fɔː/ + /mə/ + /li/.

Where is the stress in formally?

The main stress is on the first syllable, /fɔː/.

Do British and American English pronounce formally the same way?

No. British English has /ˈfɔː.mə.li/ and American English has /ˈfɔːr.mə.li/.

Syllables And Tree Diagram Of Formally

Formally has three syllables. See how formally divides into syllables, its syllable structure and its tree diagram in the Adroit Phonology App.

Search All 11,366 Words In The App

Other Words With The Stress Pattern Ooo

Nearby Words

Learn English and Literature with Adroit Tutors on our website, and order course materials there too.

www.adroittutors.com