7.5: Speaking Tip- Syllable Stress

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A: Did you say your major is teaching English?

B: No! I said teaching SPAnish.

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When you need to stress or emphasize a word in English so another person understands you, you can pronounce the syllables of the word differently. This is called “stress.”

Syllable stress = making a word or syllable louder or higher, so it is noticed by listeners.

Rules:

Stress the first syllable of: Most two-syllable nouns (examples: PENcil, JACKet) Most two-syllable adjectives (examples: LOVEly , HAPpy)

Stress the last syllable of: Most two-syllable verbs (examples: reQUIRE, deCIDE)

Stress the middle syllable of: Most three syllable words (toMAto, comPUter)

Practice Questions

Read the conversation below with a partner. Practice saying the stressed syllables louder and higher.

A: Hey! what are you studying?

B: I’m studying biology.

A: Did you say geOlogy?

B: No, I said biOlogy.

A: Oh, sorry! Cool. Biology sounds interesting. What kind of job do you want?

B: I want to be a climate scientist.

A: A WHAT?

B: A CLImate scientist. They study the weather and how it changes.

A: Oh! Cool. Good luck!

B: Thanks!