Syllables and

word stress
Syllables word
1. One-syllable words known as
A syllable is a single monosyllabic : cat, dog, car, sky.
unit of written or 2. Two-syllable words known as
spoken word, an disyllabic : hotel, poem, happy.

unbroken sound used 3. Three-syllable words known as

trisyllabic : Beautiful, metaphor,
to make up words. tomorrow.
4. four-syllable words known as
polysyllabic : dictionary, execution,
directory.

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Word stress
The way in which a certain part of a word is
emphasized more than others when speaking.

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1. Person
2. Beautiful
3. information
“ 1. 1. Person

2. 2. beautiful

3. 3. Information

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￮ 1. Coffee
￮ 2. Book
￮ 3. Computer

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￮ 1. Coffee
￮ 2. Book
￮ 3. Computer

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We can find the stress by looking at the phonetic
transcription.
But when we don’t have a dictionary, are there 8
any rules about stress?
 Words with two syllables

Noun and adjective with two syllable usually have stress on the first
syllable.
But in verbs with two syllable, the stress in on the second syllable.

NOUN ADJECTIVE VERB

 Picture  Tiring  Decide
 Minute  Happy  Forget
 Money  Normal  Explain
 Doctor  Purple  Arrive
 Water  Useful  Repeat 9
Be careful!
Execption:

Hotel

Happen

Exam

finish
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Stress in longer words
￮In the three syllable, the stress can be anywhere ;
beginning, middle, the end.

oWhile in the four syllables words, the stress almost

always in the middle.

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Stress in three syllables words
If a word end with If a word ends –tion, If a word ending with
the letter –y and has -sion, or cian, then –ic, the the stress is
three or more the stress is always also on the second
syllables, then the on the second last last syllable.
stress is two syllables syllable. ￮Economic
before the last one. ￮Information
￮Dramatic
￮Biology ￮Discussion
￮Atlantic
￮Luckily ￮Politician
￮Scientific
￮Activity ￮Situation
￮Possibility
That means, if a
word has three
syllables and ends in
–y, the stress is
almost always on the
first syllable :
Chemistry
Pregnancy
Robbery
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 enjoyable

If a longer word is made from a shorter

root word, then the stress is generally in
the same place as the root word.
Comfort
1. Comfortable
2. Discomfort
3. Uncomfortable
4. Comfortably
5. Comforting Enjoy
however, this rules take priority, that is
means that the stress can move when you
make a longer word from a root word.
Photogrpah > Photography > enjoying enjoyed
Photographic
Economy > Economic
Educate > Education

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Thanks!
Any questions?
You can find me at
￮ 082257798901
￮ devidvtr0@gmail.com

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