This document discusses content words and function words, and how stressing each word can help express meaning and communicate effectively. Content words include nouns, verbs, adjectives and sometimes adverbs, while function words help make sentences grammatical and include pronouns, prepositions, conjunctions and auxiliary verbs. The document provides examples and rules for stressing words and sentences to convey intended meaning.

2. This lesson is about content
and function words and how to
stress each word or sentence to
express the real meaning of the
sentence. Content and function
words will help us to be fluent in
speaking the English language.
These words will also help us
express our emotions, ideas and
thoughts. We can improve on
how we can communicate and
interact with different people
from across the world.

3. Content Words – content words are
usually nouns, verbs , adjectives, and
sometimes adverbs.
Content Words Examples
Nouns John, room, answer
Adjectives happy, new large
Full Verbs search, grow, hold, have
Adverbs Really, completely, very, also, enough
Numerals one , thousand, first
Interjections eh, ugh, phew, well
Yes/No Answer yes, no ( as answers )

4. Function Words – are words used to
make our sentences grammatically
correct. Pronouns, determiners, and
prepositions, and auxiliary verbs are
examples of function words.
Function Words Examples
Auxiliary Verbs am ,are, has, could, should
Prepositions at, on, to, near
Conjunctions and, so, but, however
Determiners a, an, the, some, many
Pronouns I, it, we, they, she, he

5. Note:
The same lexical word can function as either content
or function word depending on it's function in an
utterance.
Example 1
"I have come to see you” "have" is a functionword (auxiliary verb)
"I have three apples" "have" is a content word (full verb)
Example 2
"One has one's principles" "one" is a function word (pronoun)
“I have one apple" "one" is a content word (numeral)
Example 3
"I have no moremoney" "no" is a functionword (a negative particle)
" No I am not coming" "no" is a content word (Yes/No answer)

6. Stress - relative degree of loudness among syllables.
Stress is phonemic because a change here may change
the meaning of a word/sentence.
Stress Rules
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

7. 3. Stress on penultimate syllable (second from the end)
Rule Example
Words ending in –ic GRAPHic, geoGRAPHic,
geoLOGic
Words ending in -sion and -tion teleVIsion, revelation
4. Stress on ante-penultimate syllable (third from the
end)
Rule Example
Words ending in -cy, -ty, -
phy and –gy
deMOcracy, dependaBIlity,
phoTOgraphy, geology
Words ending in –al CRItical, geological

8. 5. Stress on 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