3.4: Content Words

Content Words

Rules to remember

Rules to Remember: Content Words

1. Content words are usually stressed. Content words give the most important information in the sentence.
2. Function words are usually NOT stressed. Function words make your sentences grammatically correct.

Watch the Video

Content Words - Rachel's English

Watch the video about content words from Rachel's English. Then answer the questions below.

Video Questions 1

Write the correct answer on the lines below.

1. What are the four types of content words she mentions?
   • _________________
   • _________________
   • _________________
   • _________________

Video Questions 2

1. Content words give the ___________ in a sentence.
   • information
   • grammar
2. Function words give the __________ in a sentence.
   • information
   • grammar
3. Content words are _______________.
   • stressed
   • not stressed
4. Content words are ______________ in pitch.
   • higher
   • lower
5. Function words are ________________.
   • stressed
   • not stressed
6. Function words are _____________ in pitch.
   • higher
   • lower

Video Questions 3

1. Dad's at the bank.
2. She went to the store.
3. He'll be here soon.
4. She took the red car.
5. Sometimes it's hard to walk in a single woman's shoes.
6. Bob and I finally received our wedding gift from Michael.

Types of Content Words

Below is a chart that contains different types of content words. Work with a partner. Complete the chart with an additional example of each type of content word. Write your example on the line in each box. Then check your answers with the class.

Type of Content Word	Nouns	Verbs	Adjectives	Adverbs	Interjections	Wh- Words	Negative Auxiliaries
Examples	friend Bob work __________	eat play run __________	beautiful good angry __________	always cheerfully easily ___________	Wow! Oops! __________	why where what __________	can't isn't don't __________

Types of Function Words

Below is a chart that contains different types of function words. Work with a partner. Complete the chart with an additional example of each type of function word in each section. Write your example on the line in each box. Then check your answers with the class.

Type of Function Word	Articles	Prepositions	Pronouns	Auxiliaries	Conjunctions
Examples	a, an ___the__________	of, to, for, with ______________	he, she, I, you ______________	can, have, is ______________	but, or, so ______________

Review: Watch the Video

Elemental English - Stress and Rhythm in English: A Quick Overview

Watch the video.

Nursery Rhymes

It's easiest to hear the rhythm of English in songs and nursery rhymes. Read and listen to the nursery rhymes.

1. Clap your hands to the beat of the song. Which words land on the beat? Which words are emphasized? Underline them.
2. Which words are weak and less easy to hear? Write some examples here:
3. Is the entire content word stressed, or just one syllable? Which syllable is stressed? Circle the stressed syllable in each content word.

Twinkle, twinkle, little star

Twinkle, twinkle, little star,

How I wonder what you are.

Up above the world so high,

Like a diamond in the sky.

The incy wincy spider

The incy wincy spider

Climbed up the water spout

Down came the rain

And washed the spider out

Out came the sun

And dried up all the rain

So the incy wincy spider

Climbed up the spout again

Recording: Nursery Rhymes

Practice saying each of the nursery rhymes above. Then record yourself reading both nursery rhymes, and submit your video to your teacher.

Recording: Sentences

1. Read the sentences below. Circle the content words.
2. Compare the words you circled with your partner.
3. Practice reading the sentences aloud. Then make a video of yourself reading the sentences.

Read and Record

1. Toothpaste usually foams up in your mouth when your brush your teeth.
2. When you upcycle something, that means you find a new way to use it instead of throwing it in the trash.
3. If you lead a zero waste lifestyle, that means you don't make any trash.
4. Lauren said the consistency of the toothpaste can fluctuate a lot. When it's cold, teh toothpaste gets hard and when it's hot, the toothpaste can become liquid.
5. Peppermint and cinnamon are two examples of flavors you can put in your toothpaste.
6. I use baking soda in cookie and cake recipes, but you can also use it in your toothpaste recipe.

Zero Waste Toothpaste

Read this paragraph from the video Zero Waste Toothpaste.

1. Work with a partner and circle all the content words.
2. Listen to the first 23 seconds of the video. Listen for the words that are stressed and higher in pitch. Did Lauren emphasize the words you circled? Did you follow all the rules you learned about content words in this unit? Are there any exceptions? Why?

Hey everybody, this is Lauren from Trash is for Tossers and today I’m going to show you how to make Zero Waste Toothpaste! I absolutely love this recipe. It’s a great alternative to buying toothpaste in tubes that are either difficult or impossible to recycle. It also works extremely well! I’ve been using it for years and I still have almost all my teeth!

Recording: Content Words

1. Practice reading the excerpt below. Remember to stress the content words (in bold) and reduce the function words.
2. When you're ready, make a video of yourself reading the paragraph.

Hey everybody, this is Lauren from Trash is for Tossers and today I’m going to show you how to make Zero Waste Toothpaste! I absolutely love this recipe. It’s a great alternative to buying toothpaste in tubes that are either difficult or impossible to recycle. It also works extremely well! I’ve been using it for years and I still have almost all my teeth!