🔊 These two words sound EXACTLY the same
/wʊd/
Different spelling. Different meaning. Identical pronunciation.
The L in “would” is completely silent.
mouth shape
lips slightly rounded — /ʊ/ is shorter and more relaxed than /uː/ — like 'put', 'foot', 'good'
wood
/wʊd/
vowel length
modal verb: 'I would like tea' — the L is silent, sounds exactly like 'wood'
mouth shape
identical to wood — /wʊd/ — the L is completely silent
would
/wʊd/
vowel length
Spelling spotlight
wood
spelled with OO
would
silent O and L
Both oo and oul (with silent letters) represent the same sound /ʊ/.
Key difference
There is no pronunciation difference — both are /wʊd/. The short /ʊ/ sound is like the vowel in foot, good, and could. The “L” in “would” and “could” and “should” is always silent. Context tells you which word is meant.
Example sentences
wood:“The table is made of wood.”
would:“I would like some tea, please.”
would:“Would you like to come?”
Hear it in a sentence
“The cabin walls were made of dark, polished wood.”
“He said he would call back but never did.”
Hear it in the wild
Real speech from native speakers — the most reliable way to check a pronunciation, since automated audio can vary by device and browser.
wood
Hear native speakers say “wood” in real sentences — news, lectures, and podcasts.
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would
Hear native speakers say “would” in real sentences — news, lectures, and podcasts.
Opens YouTube-sourced clips in a new tab.
How teachers explain this
Approved tips from the community, sorted by helpfulness
Word families
wood family ▸
Related pairs
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