๐ฏ A2โB1
โฑ๏ธ 5 min
๐ฌ The word that confused everyone: A student asked for the menu at a restaurant โ but said “DESsert” for “desSERT” (the sweet course). The waiter heard “DEsert” (the sandy place). Same letters. Different stress. Different world.
Word Stress โ Stress the Right Syllable!
In English, one syllable in every word is stressed โ said louder, longer, and higher. Getting this wrong makes words hard to understand.
Stress Patterns โ Common Rules
| Pattern | Rule | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Nouns (2 syllables) | Usually stress 1st syllable | TA-ble ยท WIN-dow ยท MU-sic |
| Verbs (2 syllables) | Often stress 2nd syllable | re-LAKS ยท be-GIN ยท de-CIDE |
| -tion / -sion words | Stress syllable before | edu-CA-tion ยท pro-NUN-ci-a-tion |
| Noun vs Verb pairs | Noun: 1st ยท Verb: 2nd | RE-cord (n) vs re-CORD (v) |
Noun/Verb Pairs (same spelling, different stress)
PREsent (noun/adj) โ a gift / here now
preSENT (verb) โ to show or give
preSENT (verb) โ to show or give
REfuse (noun) โ rubbish / waste
reFUSE (verb) โ to say no
reFUSE (verb) โ to say no
PERmit (noun) โ a document
perMIT (verb) โ to allow
perMIT (verb) โ to allow
OBject (noun) โ a thing
obJECT (verb) โ to disagree
obJECT (verb) โ to disagree
๐ฏ Quick Practice โ Mark the Stress
Put the stressed syllable IN CAPITALS:
- education (e-du-ca-tion)
- “I need to re-cord this.” (verb)
- pronunciation (pro-nun-ci-a-tion)
- “Give me that pre-sent!” (noun)
Reveal Answers โผ
- e-du-CA-tion
- re-CORD
- pro-NUN-ci-a-tion
- PRE-sent
โ Takeaway: Always check word stress in a dictionary (look for the ห mark). Noun/verb pairs often differ. -tion words: stress the syllable before -tion.
Independent project; not affiliated with, endorsed by, or accredited by Cambridge University Press & Assessment. Confers no qualification.
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