The document explains the concept of word stress in English, emphasizing its relationship with syllables and the distinction between content and structure words. It outlines rules for determining stress placement on syllables and explains the importance of correct stress for effective communication. Furthermore, it provides various examples, quizzes, and activities to help learners understand and practice word stress.

1. WORD STRESSWORD STRESS
(TEACHING(TEACHING
TECHNIQUES)TECHNIQUES)
SHAGUFTA MOGHALSHAGUFTA MOGHAL

2. Understanding SyllablesUnderstanding Syllables
• To understand word stress, it helps to
understand syllables.
• Every word is made from syllables.
• Each word has one, two, three or more
syllables.
• Example: S.T.O

3. .word number of syllables
dog dog 1
green green 1
quite quite 1
quiet qui-et 2
orange or-ange 2
table ta-ble 2
expensive ex-pen-sive 3
interesting in-ter-est-ing 4
realistic re-al-is-tic 4
unexceptional un-ex-cep-tion-al 5
Notice that (with a few rare exceptions) every
syllable contains at least one vowel (a, e, i, o or u)
or vowel sound.

4. What is Word Stress?What is Word Stress?
• Manner in which stresses are distributed
on the syllables of a word —called
also word accent
• Let's take 3 words: photograph,
photographer and photographic.

5. shape total
syllables
stressed
syllable
PHO TO GRAPH 3 #1
PHO TO GRAPH
ER
4 #2
PHO TO GRAPH
IC
4 #3

6. Weak or small or quiet syllablesWeak or small or quiet syllables
• That are not stressed are weak or small or quiet.
•Native speakers of English listen for the
STRESSED syllables, not the weak syllables
•Word stress will instantly and automatically
improve your pronunciation and your
comprehension.

7. Difference:
Think again about the two words
photograph
and photographer.
Now imagine that you are speaking to
somebody by telephone over a very bad
line.
You may hear PHOto... or phoTO...

8. Content and structure wordContent and structure word
• Content words are the key words of a
sentence. They are the important words that
carry the meaning or sense.
• Structure words are not very important words.
They are small, simple words that make the
sentence correct grammatically.
If you remove the structure words from a sentence,
you will probably still understand the sentence.

9. SELL CAR GONE FRANCE
Imagine that you receive this telegram message:
Will you SELL my CAR because I’ve GONE to FRANCE
SELL my CAR I’ve GONE to FRANCE

10. Content words - stressed
Words carrying the meaning Example
main verbs SELL, GIVE, EMPLOY
nouns CAR, MUSIC, MARY
adjectives RED, BIG, INTERESTING
adverbs QUICKLY, LOUDLY, NEVER
negative auxiliaries DON'T, AREN'T, CAN'T
Structure words - unstressed
Words for correct grammar Example
pronouns he, we, they
prepositions on, at, into
articles a, an, the
conjunctions and, but, because
auxiliary verbs do, be, have, can, must

11. Important rule:
1. Content words are stressed
2. Structure words are unstressed
3. The time between stressed words is always
the same
4. One word has only one stress
5. We can only stress vowels, not consonants.

12. Why is Word Stress Important?Why is Word Stress Important?
English speakers use word stress to
communicate rapidly and accurately, even
in difficult conditions.

13. How Stresses words are written and recognized?How Stresses words are written and recognized?
•This is where they show which syllable is
stressed, usually with an apostrophe (') just
before or just after the stressed syllable.
Example:
Look at (and listen to) this example for the
word plastic. There are 2 syllables. Syllable
#1 is stressed.

14. example Phonetic
spelling:
dictionary A
phonetic
spelling:
dictionary B
PLAS TIC
/plæs'tIk/ /'plæs tIk/

15. • 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.

16. 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

17. Explanation:Explanation:
• The word present, for example is a two-
syllable word. If we stress the first syllable,
it is a noun (gift) or an adjective (opposite
of absent). But if we stress the second
syllable, it becomes a verb (to offer).

18. More examples:
• Export
• Import
• Contract
• object
can all be nouns or verbs depending on
whether the stress is on the first or second
syllable.

19. 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.

20. 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

21. 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

22. Game:Game:
• Teacher gives the students some pieces of paper in
which he/she writes the words and the stress
patterns.( 20 words and 20 patterns)
Teacher asks the students to match the words and
their stress patterns. Teacher gives one example
first.
Example : one piece with the word “competition “
one piece with the stress pattern “oooo “
Students can go around to find their words or their
stress patterns , then they will stick their words and
the stress patterns on the blackboard and read the
words aloud .

23. LIST OF WORDS AND STRESS PATTERNSLIST OF WORDS AND STRESS PATTERNS
opposition oooo friendly oo
technician ooo pilot oo
modest oo examination ooooo
record (n) oo production ooo
participation ooooo moral oo
progress (v) oo occasion ooo
present (v) oo discussion ooo
present (n) oo vegetarian oooo
record (v) oo explosion ooo
politician oooo desert (n) oo