PRESENTATION

LECTURE 5:
STRESS
GROUP 6:
VŨ THỊ NGA
LÊ THỊ NHUNG
ĐỖ THỊ LAN PHƯƠNG
VŨ THỊ VÂN
Introduction

1 2 3

Sentence stress Word class pair Strong form

& weak form
1. Sentence stress

Definition
Sentence stress: is an extra force put on a particular word in a sentence.
Sentence stress is not fixed. It depends on the speaker’s feelings and
attitudes and the message that he wants to get across to the listener.
1. Sentence stress
The first group
the content words are normally
stressed, including: nouns,
adjectives, numerals, adverbs,
verbs (except auxiliaries) in all
forms..
The latter group
the function words are usually unstressed, including:
articles, personal pronouns, possessive adjectives,
auxiliary verbs, prepositions, conjunctions, relative and
reflexive pronouns.
A. Omission of stress
(lexical words unstressed)

1. Emphasis and contrast

If special attention has to be called to a particular word, the preceding and the
following words lose their stress. Despite loss of stress, such words still
preserve full pronunciation.

Example:
I 'never 'told you 'that 'story.
I 'never told 'you that 'story.
A. Omission of stress
(lexical words unstressed)
2. Repetition
If a word in a sentence (or in a reply) is repeated, it is
not stressed the second time.

Ex: This is a 'pen. It is a 'red, pen.

3. Inversion
When the verb takes the position before the subject of the sentence, it is
usually unstressed.

Ex: After a 'storm comes a 'calm.

A. Omission of stress
(lexical words unstressed)
4. 'What' and 'Such' in exclamations
In exclamations and emphatic assertions, it is not ‘what’ and ‘such’
which are stressed but the word which follows them.

Ex: What a 'beautiful 'picture!

A. Omission of stress
(lexical words unstressed)
5. Adverbs of degree, especially ‘about, so, enough,
such’ often lose their stress.
Example:
I have 'got enough 'money.
I have ' never 'heard such 'nonsense in 'all my 'life.
A. Omission of stress
(lexical words unstressed)
6. Pronominal adverbs
Pronominal adverbs such as ‘there, then, so, yet’ are usually
unstressed when they stand at the end of the utterance:

Example:
'What did you 'see then?
Do you 'think so?
1. Sentence stress
B. INSERTION OF STRESS
(GRAMMATICAL WORDS STRESSED)
 Function words as prepositions and relative pronouns may receive stress under favourable
conditions when preceded or followed only by unstressed words.

Example:
We 'live round the 'corner. We were 'round the 'corner.
She’s 'working with her 'sister. She’s 'with her 'sister.
B. INSERTION OF STRESS (GRAMMATICAL WORDS STRESSED)

 polysyllabic prepositions are stressed even more often

Example:
He 'left the 'room with'out a 'word. He a'ppeared from be'hind the 'wall.

 auxiliary and modal verbs stressed for specific purposes

 in imperative sentences ex: 'Don’t 'do it!

 when followed by n’t ex: It 'wasn’t 'very ex'pensive.

 when the lexical verb is suppressed ex: 'Yes, I 'have.

 when in final position in a sentence ex: I 'asked him how he 'was.

 for the sake of emphasis ex: I 'do believe you.

2. Word class pairs
There are several dozens pairs of two syllable words with identical spelling which differ
from stress placement, apparently according to word class (noun, verb or adjective).

 Verb  second syllable

 Noun, adjective  first syllable

Examples:

Noun Verb

Present /ˈprezənt/ Present /prɪˈzent/

Desert /’dez әt/ Desert /dɪ’zз:t/
3. Weak forms and
strong forms
3.1. Content Words and Function Words
Content words
 the meaningful words that have an
independent meaning and refer to a thing,
an event, a property, etc.
 carry the content of the sentence.
 stressed
 Including:
nouns: cat, idea,..
verbs: go, think,..
adjectives: big, beautiful,..
adverbs: quickly, carefully,..
Ex: The keys are lost.
Content words: keys, lost
Function words: the, are
Function words
 have no or little lexical meaning.
 convey only grammatical information and
express various grammatical relations.
 unstressed
 Including:
auxiliary verbs: do, was,..
prepositions: to, for,..
conjunctions: and, but,..
articles: a, an,..
so on...
3.2. Strong form and weak
form
Definition
Weak form refers to
a pronunciation, usually schwa /ə/, that
some words have when they are unstressed
as opposed to when they are stressed (strong form)

Example: I like 'that' I hope ‘that’ she will

/ðæt/ /ðət/

Lecture 5: Stress
Which word classes have both strong
forms and weak forms?
Grammar words such as:
• Auxiliary verbs
• Prepositions
• Conjunctions
 3.2. Strong form and weak form
Strong form Weak form

LECTURE 5: STRESS
You /ju:/ /jə/
He /hi:/ /i/
And /ænd/ /ənd/
But /bʌt/ /bət/
From /frɒm/ /frəm/
Of /ɒv/ /əv/
To /tu:/ /tə/
/fɔ:/ /fə/
For
 3.2. Strong form and weak form

Some examples:

LECTURE 5: STRESS
1. He's already gone to work
/hiz ɔːlˈredi ɡɒn tə wɜːrk/

2. She comes from Scotland

/ʃi kʌmz frəm ˈskɒtlənd/
 3.2. Strong form and weak
form
It's compulsory to use strong form when:

• The word occurs at the end of a sentence

• When a weak form is being contrasted with another

word

Example:
The letter is from him, not to him.
 3.2. Strong form and weak
It's compulsory to use strong form when:
form
• A coordinated use of prepositions

• When a weak form word is given stress for the purpose of

emphasis.

Example:
You must choose us or them, you cannot have all

• When a weak form word is being cited or quoted

Example:
You should put 'and' at the end of a sentence.
PRACTICAL
EXERCISES
4. Exercises
Choose the correct answer:
1. When the verb takes the position before the subject of the
sentence, it is usually
A. stressed
B. unstressed
2. ‘What a beautiful girl!’
‘What’ in the sentence is usually
A. stressed
B. unstressed
4. Exercises
Choose the correct answer:
3. ‘That is a car. It is a beautiful car.’
‘car’ in the second sentence is usually
A. stressed
B. unstressed

4. Which words carry little meaning but make a sentence

grammatically correct?
A. Content words
B. Function words
4. Exercises
Choose the correct answer:
5. ‘I don’t think so.’
‘so’ in the sentence is usually
A. stressed
B. unstressed

6. Which words in a sentence are usually stressed?

A. Content words
B. Function words
Exercises
7. Listen to the woman saying this
sentence:
Can you pass me the black hat?
How many different ways does she
say it?
A. three
B. five
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