The word "pre tense" refers to something that is done or existing before a particular time. The spelling of this word can be explained using the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) as /priː tɛns/. The first syllable "pre" is pronounced as /priː/ and the second syllable "tense" is pronounced as /tɛns/. The "e" in "tense" is pronounced with a short "e" sound as in "bed." The combination of the letters "e" and "n" produces a nasalized "n" sound.