2) One-/Two-/Three-syllable words

a) One-syllable words
they bear one primary stress ; ex : lord /ˈlɔːd/, yes /ˈjes/, sure /ˈʃʊə/, flour ˈ/flaʊə/

b) Two-syllable words
Concerning VERBS & ADJECTIVES
• Only ONE of the 2 syllables can be stressed
• generally, strong syllables will be stressed
• strong syll. = syll. which needs more length & intensity than the others ;
VS weak syll. generally contain the monophthongs /ə/, /ɪ/, /i/ or /u/
• Ex:
divide /dɪˈvaɪd/ => the vowel sound /aɪ/ (diphthong) takes
more time and energy to be pronounced than the monophthong
/ɪ/ in the 1st syllable.
1st syll. = weak syll. => unstressed,
2nd syll. = strong syll. => stressed

acquire /əˈkwaɪə/, enter /ˈentə/, equal /ˈiːkwəl/, etc

• A final syllable in /əʊ/ is generally considered weak ; ex : yellow /ˈjeləʊ/

With NOUNS :
• If the second syllable contains a short vowel sound => stress on the 1st syll., otherwise
=> stress on 2nd syll.;
ex : product /ˈprɒdʌkt/ VS raccoon /rəˈkuːn/

c) Three(or more)-syllable words

• most of the time, stress on antepenultimate syllable (avant avant dernière) ; ex:
particular /pəˈtɪkjʊlə/
Including words ending in <-logy>, <-logist> & <-logize> ; ex : apology /əˈpɒlədʒi/,
apologize /əˈpɒlədʒaɪz/, biologist /baɪˈɒlədʒɪst/
in <-graphy> & <-grapher> ; ex : biography /baɪˈɒgrəfi/, biographer /baɪˈɒgrəfər/
in <-ate> ; ex : calculate /ˈkælkjʊleɪt/, investigate /ɪnˈvestɪgeɪt/
+words with weak suffixes, ending in : -er, -ly, -ment, -ness :
ex : gardener /ˈgɑːdənə/, happily /ˈhæpɪli/,
happiness /ˈhæpinɪs/, government /ˈgʌvənmənt/
That is why most 3 syll-words are stressed on the 1st syll.:
uniform /ˈjuːnɪfɔːm/, alphabet /ˈælfəbet/, telephone /ˈtelɪfəʊn/, anything /ˈeniθɪŋ/,
…

• Other rules (or exceptions) :

- words w/ ending in < i > [<–ity> (for nouns), <-ify>, <-ish> (for verbs), <-ic>, <-ible>, <-igible> (for
adjectives) & <–ion>, <-ia>, <-ian>, <-ious>, <-ient>, <-iate>], in <u> [<-uous>, <-uent>, <-uate>, <-ual>]
or <-eous>,
=> stress on the preceding syllable; ex : capacity /kəˈpæsɪti/, compatible /kəmˈpætɪbəl/,
Hispanic /hɪˈspænɪk/, efficient /ɪˈfɪʃənt/