5 exercises on the pronunciation of -tion, -sion and -ssion endings.
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How is the "-tion" ending in "information" pronounced?
"-tion" = "-shun" (/ʃən/). So "information" is in-fer-MAY-shun. The "ti" becomes a "sh" sound, and the whole ending is unstressed (a schwa). This is one of the most reliable rules in English: "function", "exception", "iteration", "validation" all end in "-shun". The stress always lands on the syllable just before "-tion" (in-for-MA-tion). Master this and dozens of tech words become predictable instantly.
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How is the "-sion" in "version" pronounced?
"version" ends in "-zhun" (/ʒən/), a soft "zh" like the "s" in "measure": VER-zhun. When "-sion" follows a vowel (as in "ver-sion", "deci-sion", "revi-sion"), it usually voices to /ʒən/. Compare "ten-sion" (/ʃən/) where it follows a consonant and stays "-shun". So "version control" is "VER-zhun control". This voiced "zh" is a sound many learners under-pronounce; leaning into it makes "version" and "decision" sound natural.
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How is the "-ssion" in "compression" pronounced?
"compression" ends in "-shun" (/ʃən/): com-PRESH-un. After a double "s", the ending stays unvoiced "-shun", unlike single-"s" "-sion" which voices to "-zhun". So "compression", "session", "permission", "transmission" all use /ʃən/. Stress falls before the ending: com-PRESS-ion. Contrast this with "version" (-zhun). The rule of thumb: "-ssion" and consonant + "-sion" give "-shun"; vowel + "-sion" gives "-zhun". Useful for "session storage" and "permission denied".
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Where does the stress fall in "configuration" (ending "-tion")?
con-fig-u-RA-tion: stress lands on the syllable immediately before "-tion". The "-tion" rule is consistent - it pulls primary stress to the penultimate syllable. So "ap-pli-CA-tion", "au-then-ti-CA-tion", "or-ches-TRA-tion" all stress the syllable right before "-shun". Note how the stress moves compared to the base verb "con-FIG-ure". This stress-shift is predictable and worth drilling, since these long nouns appear constantly in technical writing and speech.
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How is "exception" pronounced?
ex-SEP-shun (/ɪkˈsɛpʃən/). The "-tion" gives "-shun", and stress sits on "SEP" right before it. The "x" sounds like "ks", and the opening "e" reduces to a short schwa. In programming you say this constantly: "throw an ex-SEP-shun", "catch the ex-SEP-shun", "unhandled ex-SEP-shun". Avoid stressing the first syllable ("EX-ception") - native speakers always stress "SEP". The clean "-shun" ending keeps it crisp and professional.