BASIC STRESS RULES
IMPORTANT NOTE
The earlies stress patterns to predict
are those that depend on the grammatical category
to which a word belong.
1. Verb/noun pairs with identical spellings
In those cases where there is a difference,
the VERB has stress on the SECOND of two syllables,
the NOUN has stress on the FIRST of two syllables.
EXAMPLES VERBS NOUNS
Import / - '- / / '- - /
Insult / - '- / / '- - /
Torment / - '- / / '- - /
Convert / - '- / / '- - /
Object / - '- / / '- - /
protest / - '- / / '- - /
2. When certain suffixes are added to a word,
the stress remains in its original place on the stem.
The most productive of these suffixes are:
-ful; -able; -ible; -ly; -less; -ness
WORD PATTERN WORD PATTERN
Wonder / '- - / Wonderful / '- - - /
Spirit / '- - / Spiritless / '- - - /
Rely / - '- / Reliable / - '- - -/
Sense / '- - / Sensible / '- - - /
Happy / '- - / Happily / '- - - /
Fruitful / '- - / Fruitfulness / '- - - /
3. Certain suffixes attract the stress to the syllable
immediately preceding them.
The most important of theses suffixes are:
– ITY; - ION; and – IC.
3.1. Adj + - ITY noun-forming suffix:
the primary stress falls on the syllable
before the suffix.
If the Adj has 3 or more syllables,
the noun will have a secondary stress
earlier in the stem.
ADJECTIVE PATTERN NOUN PATTERN
Curious / '- - / Curiosity / ‚- - ‘- - - /
Solid / '- - / Solidity / - '- - - /
Solidarity / ‚- - '- - - /
Technical / '- - - / Technicality / ‚- - '- - - /
Rustic / '- - / Rusticity / - '- - - /
Solemn / '- - / Solemnity / - '- - - /
Sensible / '- - - / Sensibility / ‚- - '- - - /
Visible / '- - / Visibility / ‚- - '- - - /
Vulgar / '- - / Vulgarity / - '- - - /
Electric / - '- - / Electricity / - ‚- '- - - /
Selective / - '- - / Selectivity / - ‚- '- - - /
3.2. Verb + - ATION noun-forming suffix:
the primary stress falls on the first syllable of the suffix.
If the NOUN has more than 3 syllables, it will have
secondary stress on the stem where the primary stress
of the verb fell.
VERB PATTERN NOUN PATTERN
Cultivate / '- - - / Cultivation / ‚- - '- - /
Stratify / '- - - / Stratification / ‚- - - '- - /
Vegetate / '- - - / Vegetation / ‚- - '- - /
Oblige / - '- / Obligation / ‚- - '- - /
Ornament / '- - - / Ornamentation / ‚- - - '- - /
Solemnize / '- - - / Solemnization / ‚- - - '- - /
Stagnate / '- - - / Stagnation / - '- - /
Transform / - '- / Transformation / ‚- - '- - /
Vacillate / '- - - / Vacillation / ‚- - '- - /
3.3. Noun + - IC/- AL/- RY
adjective-forming suffix:
the primary stress falls on
syllable before the suffix.
If the Adj has more than 3
syllables, it will have
secondary stress earlier
on the stem.
NOUN PATTERN ADJECTIVE PATTERN
Drama / '- - / Dramatic / - ‘- - /
Dynamism / '- - - - / Dynamic / - '- - /
Monastery / '- - - - / Monastic / - '- - /
Orchestra / '- - - / Orchestral / - '- - /
President / '- - - / Presidential / ‚- - ‘- - /
Transcendent / - '- - / Transcendental / ‚- - ‘- - /
Ornament / '- - - / Ornamental / ‚- - ‘- - /
Sediment / '- - - / Sedimentary / ‚- - ‘- - - /
Stipend / '- - / Stipendiary / - ‘- - - /
3.4. Verb in – ATE
In British English two-syllable verbs in – ATE have
their stress on the last syllable.
Other verbs in – ATE have the pattern (-) ---
2-SYL. VERB PATTERN OTHER VERBS PATTERN
Delate / - '- / Discriminate / - '- - - /
Donate / - '- / Penetrate / '- - - /
Placate / - '- / Articulate / - '- - - /
Relate / - '- / Educate / '- - - /
Stimulate / '- - - /
3.5. Adjective in – ATIVE
Three-syllable adjectives have stress on the first syllable.
- If they are derived from two-syllable verbs in – ATE,
this will cause a shift in the placing of the stress.
- Adj. of more than 3 syllables keep the stress
on the original syllable of the verb.
VERB PATTERN ADJECTIVE PATTERN
Narrate / - '- / Narrative / '- - - /
Relate / - '- / Relative / '- - - /
Sedate / - '- / Sedative / '- - - /
Affirm / - '- / Affirmative / - '- - - /
Provoke / - '- / Provocative / - '- - - /
Speculate / '- - - / Speculative / '- - - - /
Imagine / - '- - / Imaginative / - '- - - - /
There is a similar difference between British and American
pronunciation in words ending in –ARY, -ONY, -ORY
WORDS RP US
Secretary / 'sekrətri / / 'sekrəteri /
Testimony / 'testiməni / / 'testiməuni /
Territory / 'terətri / / 'terətƆ:ri /
Alimony / 'æliməni / / 'æliməuni /
Momentary / 'məuməntri / / 'məumənteri /
Observatory / əb’zə:vətri / / əb’zə:vətƆ:ri /

Basic stress rules.pptxasdakjlasdjlsadk;skdw

  • 1.
  • 2.
    IMPORTANT NOTE The earliesstress patterns to predict are those that depend on the grammatical category to which a word belong.
  • 3.
    1. Verb/noun pairswith identical spellings In those cases where there is a difference, the VERB has stress on the SECOND of two syllables, the NOUN has stress on the FIRST of two syllables.
  • 4.
    EXAMPLES VERBS NOUNS Import/ - '- / / '- - / Insult / - '- / / '- - / Torment / - '- / / '- - / Convert / - '- / / '- - / Object / - '- / / '- - / protest / - '- / / '- - /
  • 5.
    2. When certainsuffixes are added to a word, the stress remains in its original place on the stem. The most productive of these suffixes are: -ful; -able; -ible; -ly; -less; -ness
  • 6.
    WORD PATTERN WORDPATTERN Wonder / '- - / Wonderful / '- - - / Spirit / '- - / Spiritless / '- - - / Rely / - '- / Reliable / - '- - -/ Sense / '- - / Sensible / '- - - / Happy / '- - / Happily / '- - - / Fruitful / '- - / Fruitfulness / '- - - /
  • 7.
    3. Certain suffixesattract the stress to the syllable immediately preceding them. The most important of theses suffixes are: – ITY; - ION; and – IC.
  • 8.
    3.1. Adj +- ITY noun-forming suffix: the primary stress falls on the syllable before the suffix. If the Adj has 3 or more syllables, the noun will have a secondary stress earlier in the stem.
  • 9.
    ADJECTIVE PATTERN NOUNPATTERN Curious / '- - / Curiosity / ‚- - ‘- - - / Solid / '- - / Solidity / - '- - - / Solidarity / ‚- - '- - - / Technical / '- - - / Technicality / ‚- - '- - - / Rustic / '- - / Rusticity / - '- - - / Solemn / '- - / Solemnity / - '- - - / Sensible / '- - - / Sensibility / ‚- - '- - - / Visible / '- - / Visibility / ‚- - '- - - / Vulgar / '- - / Vulgarity / - '- - - / Electric / - '- - / Electricity / - ‚- '- - - / Selective / - '- - / Selectivity / - ‚- '- - - /
  • 10.
    3.2. Verb +- ATION noun-forming suffix: the primary stress falls on the first syllable of the suffix. If the NOUN has more than 3 syllables, it will have secondary stress on the stem where the primary stress of the verb fell.
  • 11.
    VERB PATTERN NOUNPATTERN Cultivate / '- - - / Cultivation / ‚- - '- - / Stratify / '- - - / Stratification / ‚- - - '- - / Vegetate / '- - - / Vegetation / ‚- - '- - / Oblige / - '- / Obligation / ‚- - '- - / Ornament / '- - - / Ornamentation / ‚- - - '- - / Solemnize / '- - - / Solemnization / ‚- - - '- - / Stagnate / '- - - / Stagnation / - '- - / Transform / - '- / Transformation / ‚- - '- - / Vacillate / '- - - / Vacillation / ‚- - '- - /
  • 12.
    3.3. Noun +- IC/- AL/- RY adjective-forming suffix: the primary stress falls on syllable before the suffix. If the Adj has more than 3 syllables, it will have secondary stress earlier on the stem.
  • 13.
    NOUN PATTERN ADJECTIVEPATTERN Drama / '- - / Dramatic / - ‘- - / Dynamism / '- - - - / Dynamic / - '- - / Monastery / '- - - - / Monastic / - '- - / Orchestra / '- - - / Orchestral / - '- - / President / '- - - / Presidential / ‚- - ‘- - / Transcendent / - '- - / Transcendental / ‚- - ‘- - / Ornament / '- - - / Ornamental / ‚- - ‘- - / Sediment / '- - - / Sedimentary / ‚- - ‘- - - / Stipend / '- - / Stipendiary / - ‘- - - /
  • 14.
    3.4. Verb in– ATE In British English two-syllable verbs in – ATE have their stress on the last syllable. Other verbs in – ATE have the pattern (-) ---
  • 15.
    2-SYL. VERB PATTERNOTHER VERBS PATTERN Delate / - '- / Discriminate / - '- - - / Donate / - '- / Penetrate / '- - - / Placate / - '- / Articulate / - '- - - / Relate / - '- / Educate / '- - - / Stimulate / '- - - /
  • 16.
    3.5. Adjective in– ATIVE Three-syllable adjectives have stress on the first syllable. - If they are derived from two-syllable verbs in – ATE, this will cause a shift in the placing of the stress. - Adj. of more than 3 syllables keep the stress on the original syllable of the verb.
  • 17.
    VERB PATTERN ADJECTIVEPATTERN Narrate / - '- / Narrative / '- - - / Relate / - '- / Relative / '- - - / Sedate / - '- / Sedative / '- - - / Affirm / - '- / Affirmative / - '- - - / Provoke / - '- / Provocative / - '- - - / Speculate / '- - - / Speculative / '- - - - / Imagine / - '- - / Imaginative / - '- - - - /
  • 18.
    There is asimilar difference between British and American pronunciation in words ending in –ARY, -ONY, -ORY WORDS RP US Secretary / 'sekrətri / / 'sekrəteri / Testimony / 'testiməni / / 'testiməuni / Territory / 'terətri / / 'terətƆ:ri / Alimony / 'æliməni / / 'æliməuni / Momentary / 'məuməntri / / 'məumənteri / Observatory / əb’zə:vətri / / əb’zə:vətƆ:ri /