Word Stress

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Word stress means making one part of a word stronger than the other parts. A stressed part of a word sounds louder, longer, and clearer. The other parts sound softer. Word stress helps people understand what we are saying. It is important for correct pronunciation.

How Word Stress Works

Every word with two or more parts has one part that is stronger. Native speakers know where to put the stress naturally. People learning a language must practice to get it right. Examples:

  • The word "HAP-py" has stress on the first syllable.
  • The word "a-BOUT" has stress on the second syllable.
  • The word "beau-ti-FUL" has stress on the second syllable.

Word Stress can change meaning

Word stress can change the meaning of a word. Some words have different meanings depending on which syllable is stressed. Many noun-verb pairs in English follow this pattern. Examples:

  • The word "RE-cord" is a noun, but the word "re-CORD" is a verb.
  • The word "CON-tract" is a noun, but the word "con-TRACT" is a verb.
  • The word "PRE-sent" is a noun, but the word "pre-SENT" is a verb.

Rules for Word Stress in English

There is no single rule for word stress in English, but some general patterns help in learning correct stress placement.

  1. Most two-syllable nouns and adjectives have stress on the first syllable.

    • TA-ble
    • HAP-py
    • WIN-dow

  2. Most two-syllable verbs have stress on the second syllable.

    • a-RRIVE
    • be-LIEVE
    • a-DOPT

  3. Most three-syllable words have stress on the first or second syllable.

    • "AN-i-mal" (stress on the first syllable)
    • "com-PU-ter" (stress on the second syllable)

  4. Prefixes and suffixes can affect word stress.

    • The word "NA-tion" has stress on the first syllable.
    • The word "na-TION-al" has stress on the second syllable.
    • The word "in-DUS-try" has stress on the first syllable.
    • The word "in-dus-TRI-al" has stress on the third syllable.

Word Stress and Sentence Stress

Word stress is different from sentence stress. Word stress happens within a single word. Sentence stress happens when certain words are emphasized in a sentence. Example:

  • "I BOUGHT a new CAR." (The important words "BOUGHT" and "CAR" are stressed.)
  • "She CAN'T come TODAY." (The important words "CAN'T" and "TODAY" are stressed.)

Why Word Stress is Important

Word stress helps in understanding speech by making words clear. It helps in learning correct pronunciation by guiding how words should sound. It helps in avoiding misunderstandings by preventing confusion between words with different stress patterns. It helps in improving fluency by making speech more natural.

Conclusion

Word stress is an important part of pronunciation in English. It helps in making words clear by emphasizing the correct syllable. It can change the meaning of words in some cases. It follows general patterns, but there are exceptions. It is different from sentence stress, which focuses on emphasizing words in a sentence. It plays a major role in effective communication and fluency. It helps in speaking English more naturally and clearly.

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