WORD STRESS

Objectives
After this lesson, students will be able to:

 Define word stress

 list and explain the rules for determining word stress

 Apply gained knowledge to do word stress exercises

 What is word stress?
All words that have more than one
syllable have word stress
One syllable is longer and louder
than the other
For examples:

bamboo family

provide easy
 Rules Of Word Stress

There are some general

rules to keep in mind
about word stress as you
practice pronunciation
 Rules Of Word Stress

Things to remember:
 A word can only have one stress
 Only vowels are stressed, not
consonants
The vowels in English: a, e, i, o, u
 There are many exceptions to the
rules
 Rules Of Word Stress
1. Two syllable Nouns and Adjectives: Examples:
• summer (n)
• student (n)
In most two syllable nouns and • color (n)
adjectives, the first syllable takes on • palace (n)
the stress. • noisy (adj)
• quiet (adj)
• ready (adj)
 Rules Of Word Stress
2. Two syllable Verbs and Prepositions: Examples:
• invite (v)
• prepare (v)
In most two syllable verbs and • provide (v)
prepositions, the stress is on the • support (v)
second syllable. • between (prep)
• among (prep)
• beside (prep)
 Rules Of Word Stress
Exceptions

Some Nouns and Adjectives get Some Verbs and Prepositions

stress on the second syllable: get stress on the first syllable:

• afraid (adj) • versus (prep)

• asleep (adj) • circa (prep)
• career (n) • borrow (v)
• today (n) • enter (v)
• tonight (n) • suffer (v)
 Rules Of Word Stress
3. Word with more than 2 syllables
Examples:
• cinema
• international
 Usually, the stress is on the third
• qualify
from the last syllable
• biology
• psychology
• character
 Rules Of Word Stress
4. Compound Nouns
Examples:
• desktop (n)
 A compound noun is a noun made
out of two nouns
• pencil case (n)
 In a compound noun, the first
• bookshelf (n)
word usually takes on the stress • greenhouse (n)
• seafood (n)
• toothpaste (n)
 Rules Of Word Stress
5. Compound Adjectives
 A compound noun is an
adjectives composed of at least
two words
 In a compound noun, the stress is
placed within the second word
Examples:
• bad-tempered (adj)
• old-fashioned (adj)
• good-looking (adj)
• well-known (adj)
• hand-made (adj)
• self-confident (adj)
 Rules Of Word Stress
6. Compound Verbs and Phrasal verbs Examples:
• understand (v)
 In a compound verb, the stress is • overlook (v)
on the second part • detest (v)

 In a phrasal verb, the stress is on Examples:

the particle • turn off
• look for
 Rules Of Word Stress

7. Prefixes and Suffixes Examples:

• become
 Usually, prefixes and suffixes do • overact
not take the stress of a word. • upload
• lately
• quickly
• treatment
 Rules Of Word Stress

8. Words having dual role

Noun Verb
conflict conflict
defect defect
export export
permit permit
record record
increase increase
protest protest
 Quick check
Determine which of the following is the correct stressed syllable

1. a. convict b. convict

2. a. black-board b. black-board

3. a. properly b. properly