Analyse - analysis - analyses

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The verb is 'to analyse'. It is pronounced with the stress on the first syllable, and the vowel in the third syllable is the same as 'lies', 'ANN-er-lies' IPA: /ˈæn ə laɪz/.

The abstract noun that comes from it is analysis. This has the stress on the second syllable, and two very quick, light '-i-' sounds, like those in 'it' and 'is' in the last two syllables, 'ann-AL-er-sis'. IPA: /ə ˈnæl ə sɪs/.

Problems can be found when we look at the plural of the noun. As this was originally a Latin word, its plural - not regular in English - changes the '-is' into '-es'. We get analyses, 'an-Al-iss-sees', IPA: /ə ˈnæl ə siːz/ (for more detail on pronunciation see analyses). Unfortunately, this looks exactly the same as the 3rd person singular of the verb - the form we get after 'she' or 'he', etc. As usual, this is made by adding '-s' to the base form of the verb, so it looks like the plural of the noun - but the verb is pronounced differently. The verb, 'he analyses' is pronounced like the base form 'to analyse': with the stress on the first syllable, and the vowel in the third syllable like 'lies', IPA: /ˈæn ə laɪz ɪz/.

Many a reader aloud has been caught by this peculiarity of English. Try not to be embarrassed if you come across it - by not making the mistake at all!