The document discusses rules of thumb for word stress in English. It explains that stress is louder volume and longer vowel sounds on certain syllables that can change a word's meaning. For two-syllable words, stress is usually on the first syllable whether it is a noun or adjective. Three-syllable words usually stress the first. Compound nouns stress the first part, while compound adjectives and verbs stress the second part. There are also rules for words ending in suffixes like -ic, -tion, -cy, and -al, which typically stress the syllable before the last one or two.

1. Word Stress
Rules of thumb

2. What is word stress?
What is a syllable?

3. How do we show word stress?
 English is a stress-timed language.
 Where we place stress can change the
meaning we convey.
 Our voice is louder on the stressed syllable
and the vowel sound is longer and
clearer.

4. 2- syllable nouns
 Present
 China
 Garden
 Usually stress is placed on first syllable.

5. 2-syllable adjectives
 Clever
 Stupid
 Angry
 Stress on first syllable.

6. Words with 3 syllables
 Microwave
 Photograph
 We usually stress the first syllable.

7. Compound nouns
 Greenhouse
 Blackbird
 For compound nouns, the stress is on the
first part.

8. Compound adjectives
 Bad-tempered
 Old-fashioned
 Stress on second part.

9. Compound verbs
 To understand
 to overflow
 Stress on second part.

10. Words ending in -ic
 Graphic
 Geologic
 Stress on penultimate syllable
 Penultimate = second from end.

11. Words ending in –sion and -tion
 Station
 Information
 Television
 Stress on penultimate syllable.

12. Words ending in –cy, -ty, -phy
and -gy
 Democracy
 Photography
 Geology
 Stress on ante-penultimate syllable.
 Ante-penultimate = third from end

13. Words ending in -al
 Critical
 Geological
 Stress on ante-penultimate syllable.

14. The End!!!!
 Easy, isn’t it?!