The vowel that stretches before a voiced ending

1. 1
   bad/bæd/

   adjective

   Not good; unpleasant or poor in quality.
2. 2
   bead/biːd/

   noun

   A small ball with a hole through it for threading on a string.
3. 3
   ride/raɪd/

   noun

   A trip in a car or other vehicle.
4. 4
   size/saɪz/

   noun

   How big or small something is.
5. 5
   huge/hjuːdʒ/iAlso said juːdʒ.

   adjective

   Very big in size or amount.
6. 6
   plead/pliːd/

   verb

   To ask for something in an urgent, desperate way.
7. 7
   judge/dʒʌdʒ/

   noun

   The official who decides cases in a court of law.
8. 8
   save/seɪv/

   verb

   To keep something for later instead of using it now.
9. 9
   live/laɪv/iAlso said lɪv.

   adjective

   Happening right now, as people watch or listen.
10. 10
    wide/waɪd/

    adverb

    Over a broad space, with the sides far apart.

The sentences

1. The traffic was really bad on the way home.

2. One bead fell off the string and rolled away.

3. The ride to the airport took about an hour.

4. Do you have this in a smaller size, please?

5. The line outside the museum was absolutely huge today.

6. I had to plead with them for one more day.

7. The judge asked everyone in the room to stand.

8. Let's save the rest of the cake for tomorrow.

9. We're watching a live broadcast from the stadium right now.

10. The gate was standing wide open when we arrived.

Pronunciation

• size/saɪz/

  The final s is a z sound, and the i before it runs long.

• huge/hjuːdʒ/

  The h is spoken, then a y sound: HYOOJ.

• judge/dʒʌdʒ/

  Both ends are the same j sound; the d is not said on its own.

• live/laɪv/

  Rhymes with five here, not with give.

Questions

How do I say "bad" so it doesn't sound like "bat"?

Let the vowel run long before the d, as in "The traffic was really bad on the way home."

What does "live" mean in "We're watching a live broadcast"?

It means happening right now, as people watch or listen, and it rhymes with five, not give.

How do I pronounce "wide"?

Say it as in "The gate was standing wide open when we arrived," with the vowel running long before the d.