How to Pronounce “preference”

American (US)

/ˈpɹɛf(ə)ɹ(ə)ns/

British (UK)

/ˈpɹɛf(ə)ɹ(ə)ns/

noun — The selection of one thing or person over others (with the main adposition being "for" in relation to the thing or person, but possibly also "of").

Example: He has a preference for crisp wines.

The final e is silent. The transcription /ˈpɹɛf(ə)ɹ(ə)ns/ ends on a consonant sound, so the written e at the end of “preference” is not pronounced.

Where the stress falls. “preference” has 3 syllables, and the transcription /ˈpɹɛf(ə)ɹ(ə)ns/ puts the primary stress mark (ˈ) before the first one — so the first syllable is the longest and loudest. The others are said quickly and lightly.

An unstressed vowel reduces to schwa. /ˈpɹɛf(ə)ɹ(ə)ns/ contains a schwa /ə/ — the short, neutral “uh” that English unstressed syllables collapse into. Saying /ə/ there, instead of the vowel the spelling suggests, is most of what makes the word sound native.

What does "preference" mean?

preference (noun): The selection of one thing or person over others (with the main adposition being "for" in relation to the thing or person, but possibly also "of"). For example — He has a preference for crisp wines.

How do you pronounce "preference" in American vs British English?

Both accents use the same sequence of phonemes for "preference", /ˈpɹɛf(ə)ɹ(ə)ns/, so the difference you hear is in how the vowels are coloured rather than in which sounds are used. Play both on this page to compare.

What is the IPA transcription of "preference"?

/ˈpɹɛf(ə)ɹ(ə)ns/ in American English, /ˈpɹɛf(ə)ɹ(ə)ns/ in British English.

Which syllable is stressed in "preference"?

“preference” has 3 syllables, and the transcription /ˈpɹɛf(ə)ɹ(ə)ns/ puts the primary stress mark (ˈ) before the first one — so the first syllable is the longest and loudest. The others are said quickly and lightly.