Word stress

1. When a word has two or more syllables, one of them is pronounced with an additional emphasis, and this is what is known as word stress.

2. Word stress is the emphasis placed on certain syllables in a word. The Syllables that are stressed tend to be louder and longer, while the unstressed syllables are shorter and softer

3. Word stress constitutes a word, it organizes the syllables of a word into a language unit having a definite accentual structure, that is a pattern of relationship among the syllables; a word does not exist without the word stress.

4. Word stress enables a person to identify a succession of syllables as a definite accentual pattern of a word.

5. Words with Suffixes and Prefixes • Prefixes: Stress usually does not fall on the prefix, but rather on the main part of the word. • Examples: reLAX, unHAPPY, disLIKE

6. Suffixes: Some suffixes affect the stress placement, while others do not. • Stress-changing suffixes: Words with suffixes like -ee, -eer, -ese, and -ique usually place the stress on the suffix. • Examples: employEE, enginEER, JapanESE, critIQUE

7. • Compound nouns: FOOTball, BLACKboard • Compound adjectives/verbs: old-FASHioned, overCOME

8. One word has only one stress.One word cannot have two stresses. If you hear two stresses, you hear two words. Two stresses cannot be one word. It is true that there can be a "secondary" stress in some words. But a secondary stress is much smaller than the main [primary] stress, and is only used in long words.)

9. Words having the stress on the first syllable: 1.Some compound words 2.Question words 3.Conjunctions 4.Exclamations 5.Reinforcement adjectives

10. There are three types of word stress: primary, secondary, and tertiary

11. 1)Primary stress is the strongest form of stress and is placed on the first syllable of a word

12. Secondary stress is not as strong as primary stress, but is still noticeable. It is placed on the second syllable of a word. For example, the word "present" is stressed on the second syllable: pre-SENT

13. Tertiary stress is the weakest form of stress and is placed on the third syllable of a word. For example, the word "photograph" is stressed on the third syllable: pho-TO-graph.

14. Key Features of Word Stress: 1. Loudness 2. ⁠Length 3. ⁠Pitch 4. ⁠Clarity

15. Multi-Syllable Words • For longer words, stress is typically on the root or main syllable. In words with Latin or Greek roots, stress placement often follows patterns from those languages. • Examples: eCONomy, deVELopment, eduCAtion

16. Nouns/adjectives: Stress usually falls on the first syllable.

17. Verbs: Stress typically shifts to the second syllable.

18. We can only stress vowels, not consonants. 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.

19. For words ending in 'cy', 'ty', 'phy', and "gy' the stressed syllable is the third from the end.