What are the patterns?

  English word stress is not always on the same syllable, like in some languages.  Many times, though, it is one of the last three syllables in the word.  Here are some examples of stress in different syllables of the word:

computer

languages

pronunciation

Could you hear a difference in tone, length, and loudness between the stressed and unstressed syllables?
 

  Sometimes you can predict the stress placement because of the type of word or the ending you put on it.  Here are some general rules:
 
 

Word type		Where is the stress?	Examples
Two syllables	Nouns	on the first syllable	center object flower
	Verbs	on the last syllable	release admit arrange
Compound	Nouns (N + N) (Adj. + N)	on the first part	desktop pencil case bookshelf greenhouse
	Adjectives (Adj. + P.P.)	on the last part (the verb part)	well-meant hard-headed old-fashioned
	Verbs (prep. + verb)		understand overlook outperform
Phrasal Verbs		on the particle	turn off buckle up hand out
Word with added ending	-ic	the syllable before the ending	economic geometric electrical
	-tion, -cian, -sion		technician graduation cohesion
	-phy, -gy, -try, -cy, -fy, -al	the third from the last syllable	photography biology geometry
	-meter		parameter thermometer barometer

Listen and Practice
 

• Where do you hear the main stress in these words?  Click to hear the word, then click on the syllable you think is the stressed syllable.

 

	1.  congratulations	con	gra	tu	la	tions
	2.  darkroom	dark	room
	3.  solid	so	lid
	4.  magnify	mag	ni	fy
	5.  sophisticated	so	phis	ti	ca	ted
	6.  undergo	un	der	go
	7.  topical	to	pi	cal
	8.  computer desk	com	pu	ter		desk
	9.  complete (v)	com	plete
	10. abstract (n)	ab	stract

• Listen for the word stress of the given words in the sentence.  Play the sentences and then listen to each highlighted word by clicking on it.

 

1. My teachers really amuse me.

2. That is kept confidential in the file cabinet.

3. The president's family lives in the White House.

4. According to my calendar, we have an appointment at three.

5. I'm going to print out the handouts for the geology class now.

Related Topics

• Phrasal Stress
• Emphasis
• Reduction

More Practice and Information

• English Stress  (from English Club)
• Stress quiz
Adult Learning Activities - from the California Distance Learning Project. Select a topic, choose a news story, listen or watch. (need Macromedia Flash Player)
Stress (R. Williams)  -- Lots of links to information and quizzes.

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