-ate sounds different in verbs and nouns

1. 1
   delegate/ˈdeləˌɡeɪt/iAlso said ˈdeləɡət.

   verb

   To give a job to someone else to carry out.
2. 2
   separate/ˈsepərˌeɪt/iAlso said ˈsepərɪt or ˈseprət.

   verb

   To split something into parts.
3. 3
   collaborate/kəˈlæbərˌeɪt/

   verb

   To work together with other people on the same job.
4. 4
   articulate/ɑːrˈtɪkjəˌleɪt/iAlso said ɑːrˈtɪkjələt.

   verb

   To put an idea into clear words.
5. 5
   initiate/ˌɪˈnɪʃiˌeɪt/

   verb

   To get something started for the first time.
6. 6
   estimate/ˈestəmət/iAlso said ˈestəˌmeɪt.

   noun

   A written guess at what a piece of work will cost.
7. 7
   duplicate/ˈduːpləkət/iAlso said ˈduːpləˌkeɪt.

   noun

   An exact copy of something.
8. 8
   appropriate/əˈproʊpriət/iAlso said əˈproʊpriˌeɪt.

   adjective

   Right for the person, place, or moment.
9. 9
   deliberate/dɪˈlɪbərət/iAlso said dɪˈlɪbərˌeɪt or dɪˈlɪbrət.

   adjective

   Planned in advance rather than done by accident.
10. 10
    adequate/ˈædəkwət/iAlso said ˈædəˌkweɪt.

    adjective

    Enough for what is needed.

The sentences

1. Could you delegate the rest to your team?

2. Let's separate the work into three clear parts.

3. We'll collaborate with the design team on this one.

4. Can you articulate the goal in one sentence?

5. Who wants to initiate the first round of testing?

6. Could you send me an estimate by tomorrow?

7. I think this file is a duplicate of that one.

8. Is that the appropriate person to ask?

9. Leaving that part out was a deliberate choice.

10. Is one week adequate for the whole job?

Pronunciation

• delegate/ˈdeləˌɡeɪt/

  As a verb the last syllable rhymes with "gate".

• separate/ˈsepərˌeɪt/

  As a verb the ending is a full ate sound, unlike the flat adjective.

• collaborate/kəˈlæbərˌeɪt/

  A verb, so the ending is a full 'ate' that rhymes with 'late': kuh-LAB-uh-rate.

• articulate/ɑːrˈtɪkjəˌleɪt/

  Stress sits on the second syllable, ar-TIC-, and the ending rhymes with "late".

• initiate/ˌɪˈnɪʃiˌeɪt/

  The middle "ti" comes out as "sh".

• estimate/ˈestəmət/

  The noun ends flat, "-mut", not "mate".

• duplicate/ˈduːpləkət/

  The noun ends "-kut", with no "ay" sound.

• appropriate/əˈproʊpriət/

  The adjective ends in a weak "-ut".

• deliberate/dɪˈlɪbərət/

  Stress on LIB, and the ending is a flat "-uh-rut" — not "-rate" like the verb.

• adequate/ˈædəkwət/

  An adjective, so the ending is a flat 'kwut', never 'kwate': AD-uh-kwut.

Questions

What do you say if you want someone else to handle part of the work?

You can ask them to delegate it, as in "Could you delegate the rest to your team?"

What does estimate mean here?

It's a noun: a written guess at what a piece of work will cost.

What's the difference between delegate and collaborate?

Delegate means giving a job to someone else to do; collaborate means working together with others on the same job.