Word Stress Basics
What is the definition of “word stress”?
The emphasis placed on one syllable in a word.
Where is stress placed in most two-syllable verbs?
On the second syllable.
What is sentence stress?
Stress on important words in a sentence.
Are nouns content or function words?
Content words.
True/False: Misplacing stress can make your speech unclear.
True.
In the word “banana,” which syllable is stressed?
The second syllable → baNAna.
Words ending in –ic, –sion, –tion usually have stress on which syllable?
The second-to-last syllable. (ex: geoGRAphic)
Which words are usually stressed: content words or function words?
Content words.
Give two examples of function words.
and, the, to, of, in, is, etc.
Which word is stressed incorrectly by many learners: COMfortable or comFORtable?
comFORTable → WRONG
COMfortable → CORRECT
What do we call the smallest unit of sound with a vowel?
A syllable.
Words ending in –ity or –ion normally have stress on…
The third-to-last syllable (antepenultimate).
In the sentence “I want to GO home,” which word gets the main stress?
“GO.”
Which group carries sentence meaning: content or function words?
Content words.
Fix the stress mistake: “adverTISEment.”
ADvertisement (BrE) / adverTISEment (AmE).
What type of words usually have stress on the first syllable? (nouns or verbs?)
Nouns.
In compound nouns (e.g., “classroom”), which part is stressed?
The first part: CLASSroom.
What type of stress do we use to show contrast?
Contrastive stress.
In the sentence “She is in the car,” which words are stressed?
She, car.
What happens if you stress all words equally?
Your speech sounds unnatural/robotic.
Give an example of a word where stress changes the meaning (“record,” “present,” etc.).
REcord (noun) vs reCORD (verb).
Why does “photograph,” “photographer,” and “photographic” have different stresses?
Because of stress shift when adding suffixes.
Identify the stressed word: “I SAID I wanted tea, not coffee.”
SAID (contrastive stress).
Why are function words usually unstressed?
They provide grammar, not main meaning.
Correct the stress error: “ecoNOmy” vs “EConomy.”
Correct: eCONomy.