Learning English Grammar

Stress

STRESS
- refers to the emphasis given on a particular word or syllable which is pronounced more forcefully

- refers to the relative force with which sound or a syllable is spoken

- also the emphasis placed on the sound or syllable which is spoken the most forceful in a word

STRESS RULE

Two-Syllable

 a. NOUN - on the first syllable

Example: 

center

flower

object 

b. VERB - on the last syllable

      Example:  

admit

arrangerelease

Compound

a. NOUN (N+N) (Adj + N) - on the first part

     Example:  

bookshelf

desktop

greenhouse

pencil case

b. ADJECTIVES (Adj + P.P.) - on the last part (the verb part)

    Example:  

hard-headed

old-fashioned

well-meant

c. VERBS (prep + verb) - on the last part (the verb part)

     Example: 

outperform
overlook
understand

1. Words ending in -ian, -ics,  -ic,  -sion,  -tion usually have the stress on the penultimate syllable
Example:

      com - mu - ni - cá - tion

    fan - tás - tic

2. When the word ends in -al,  -crat, -ist,  -meter,  -cy,  -y, -gy,  -pny,  -ry,  -try,  -ity the stress generally falls on the ante-penultimate syllable.
Example:

de - móc - ra - cy
ge - ól - o - gy

3. When the wordsend in -ee or -eer the stress is usually placed on the last syllable.
Example:

en - gi - neér
trainée

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