Word Stress

Learning Objectives

Identify syllables stressed in words in order to improve pronunciation

Word stress– the emphasis placed on a specific syllable of a word when pronouncing it. In words that have more than one syllable, one syllable will be stressed (accentuated)

Stress on first Syllable

Stress on last syllable

Most 2-syllable nouns

PRESent

EXport

CHIna

TAble

Most 2-syllable verbs

preSENT

exPORT

deCIDE

beGIN

Most 2-syllable adjectives

PRESent

SLENder

CLEVer

HAPpy

Stress on syllable second from end

Stress on syllable second from end

Words ending in -ic

GRAPHic

geoGRAPHic

geoLOGic

Words ending in -cy, -ty, -phy and -gy

deMOcracy

dependaBIlity

phoTOgraphy

geOLogy

Words ending in -sion and -tion

teleVIsion

reveLAtion

Words ending in -al

CRItical

geoLOGical

Compound nouns

Stress is on the first part

 

Compound adjectives

Stress is on the second part

 

BLACKbird

GREENhouse

bad-TEMpered

old-FASHioned
Compound verbs, stress is on the second part

underSTAND

overFLOW

 

tips for teaching

One word cannot have two stresses.

 

Only vowels are stressed, not consonants.