3TH TERM LESSON 9: 

 STRESS

LESSON 9:  STRESS
Glossary:
beat : nhịp
content word : từ (có) nội dung
emphasis : sự nhấn mạnh
emphasized : được nhấn mạnh
length : độ dài
loudness : độ lớn (âm thanh)
pitch : độ cao thấp
predict : dự đoán/ dự báo
reduction : sự rút gọn/ giảm
rhythm : nhịp
sentence stress : trọng âm câu
stress : trọng âm
stress placement : việc đặt trọng âm
stressed syllable : âm tiết có trọng âm
structure word : từ cấu trúc
tone : thanh điệu ( giọng)
unstressed syllable : âm tiết không có trọng âm
word stress : trọng âm từ

Word stress
In every word in English, there is one main emphasized syllable. The vowel sound in this syllable sounds higher
in pitch, longer, and louder, and this is called stress. This helps create the rhythm of the language, and knowing
how to recognize the stressed syllable will help you with comprehension. Placing the stress where it should be
when you're speaking helps native speakers understand you better as well.

Common English word stress 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?

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 3TH TERM LESSON 9:  STRESS
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
center
Nouns on the first syllable object
flower
Two syllables
release
Verbs on the last syllable admit
arrange
desktop
Nouns
pencil case
(N + N) on the first part
bookshelf
(Adj. + N)
greenhouse
well-meant
Compound Adjectives
hard-headed
(Adj. + P.P.)
old-fashioned
on the last part (the verb part)
understand
Verbs
overlook
(prep. + verb)
outperform
turn off
Phrasal Verbs on the particle buckle up
hand out
economic
-ic geometric
electrical
the syllable before the ending
technician
-tion, -cian, -sion graduation
cohesion
Word with added ending
photography
-phy, -gy, -try, -cy, -fy, -al biology
geometry
the third from the last syllable
parameter
-meter thermometer
barometer

Sentence stress (4)

Sentence stress is the music of spoken English. Like word stress, sentence stress can help us to understand spoken
English, especially when spoken fast.
Sentence stress is what gives English its rhythm or "beat". We should remember that word stress is accent on one
syllable within a word. Sentence stress is accent on certain words within a sentence.

Rules for Sentence Stress in English

In English sentences, not all words are given equal emphasis. Key words (usually the words that contain new or
important information) are stressed and pronounced more slowly and clearly than other words. Take, for example,
the question "Are you going to go to Boston?" If the focus of the question is on where the listener will go, the
sentence will sound something like "Ya gonna go ta Boston"; the word "Boston" would be pronounced clearly and

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 3TH TERM LESSON 9:  STRESS
with more emphasis. If, in contrast, the emphasis is on who is going, the sentence would sound like "Are you
gonna go ta Boston?" While students don't necessarily need to learn to reduce the unimportant words in sentence,
they should learn to stress key ones. (Students should also be made aware of English word reductions for listening
comprehension.)
The basic rules of sentence stress are:
o content words are stressed
o structure words are unstressed
o the time between stressed words is always the same
The following tables can help you decide which words are content words and which words are structure words:
Content words - stressed
Words carrying the
Example
meaning
main verbs SELL, GIVE, EMPLOY
nouns CAR, MUSIC, MARY
adjectives RED, BIG, INTERESTING
adverbs QUICKLY, LOUDLY, NEVER
negative auxiliaries DON'T, AREN'T, CAN'T
Structure words - unstressed
Words for correct grammar Example
pronouns he, we, they
prepositions on, at, into
articles a, an, the
conjunctions and, but, because
auxiliary verbs do, be, have, can, must

Exceptions
The above rules are for for what is called "neutral" or normal stress. But sometimes we can stress a word that
would normally be only a structure word, for example to correct information. Look at the following dialogue:
"They've been to Mongolia, haven't they?"
"No, THEY haven't, but WE have."
Note also that when "be" is used as a main verb, it is usually unstressed (even though in this case it is a content
word).
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Source: http://www.englishclub.com/pronunciation/sentence-stress.htm

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