3. Find the numbers of the syllables in the following
words
•dog
•green
•quite
•quiet
•orange
•table
•expensive
•interesting
•realistic
•unexceptional
4. .word number of
syllables
dog [ dɒɡ ] 1
green [ ɡriːn ] 1
quite [ kwaɪt ] 1
quiet [ˈkwaɪət] 1
orange [ˈɒrɪndʒ ] 2
table [teibl] 2
expensive [ ɪkˈspensɪv ] 3
interesting [ ˈɪntrəstɪŋ ] 3
realistic [ˌriːəˈlɪstɪk ] 4
unexceptional [ ˌʌn.ɪkˈsep.ʃən.əl ] 5
Notice that (with a few rare exceptions) every
syllable contains at least one vowel (a, e, i, o or u)
or vowel sound.
5. What isWord Stress?
In English, we do not say each syllable with the same
force or strength. In one word, we accentuate ONE
syllable. We say one syllable
• Higher
• Stronger
• Louder
and all the other syllables very quietly.
Let's take 3 words:
Photograph photographer photographic.
7. Why isWord Stress Important?
English speakers use word stress to communicate
rapidly
accurately
even in difficult conditions.
8. This is where they show which syllable is
stressed, usually with an apostrophe (') just
before the stressed syllable. Look at this
example for the word plastic. There are 2
syllables. Syllable #1 is stressed.
example Phonetic spelling of stress in
the dictionary
PLAS TIC Oo
/'plæs tIk/
9. Rules of Word Stress in English
There are two very simple rules about
word stress:
One word has only one stress
We can only stress vowels, not
consonants.
10. Here are some more, rather complicated, rules that can help
you understand where to put the stress. But do not rely on them
too much, because there are many exceptions. It is better to try
to "feel" the music of the language and to add the stress
naturally.
1 Stress on first syllable
rule example
Most 2-syllable nouns PRESent, EXport, CHIna, TAble
Most 2-syllable adjectives PRESent, SLENder, CLEVer, HAPpy
2 Stress on last syllable
rule example
Most 2-syllable verbs to preSENT, to exPORT, to deCIDE, to beGIN
11. 3 Stress on penultimate syllable (penultimate = second from end)
rule
example
Words ending in -ic GRAPHic, geoGRAPHic, geoLOGic
Words ending in -sion and -tion teleVIsion, reveLAtion
For a few words, native English speakers don't always
"agree" on where to put the stress. For example, some
people say teleVIsion and others say TELevision.
Another example is: CONtroversy and conTROversy.
12. 4 Stress on ante-penultimate syllable (ante-penultimate = third from end)
rule
example
Words ending in -cy, -ty, -phy
and -gy
deMOcracy, dependaBility, phoTOgraphy,
geOLogy
Words ending in -al CRItical, geoLOGical
5 Compound words (words with two parts)
rule
example
For compound nouns, the stress is on the first part BLACKbird, GREENhouse
For compound adjectives, the stress is on the
second part
bad-TEMpered, old-
FASHioned
For compound verbs, the stress is on the second
part
to underSTAND, to
overFLOW
13. Word Stress Quiz
1 Can you pass me a plas/tic knife?
2 I want to take a pho/to/graphy class.
3 Chi/na is the place where I was born.
4 I can't de/cide which book to borrow.
5 Do you un/der/stand this lesson?
6 Sparky is a very hap/py puppy.
7 It is cri/ti/cal that you finish your essay.
8 My Grandfather wears an old/-fash/ioned coat.
9 There is a lot of traf/fic on the highway today.
plas
to
chi
cide
stand
hap
cri
fash
traf
