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Session 11
ΰΈΰΈ²ΰΈ£ΰΈΰΈΰΈΰΉΰΈͺΰΈ΅ΰΈ’ΰΈΰΈ ΰΈ²ΰΈ©ΰΈ²ΰΈΰΈ±ΰΈΰΈΰΈ€ΰΈ©: ΰΈΰΈΰΈΰΈ²ΰΈ£ΰΉΰΈΰΉΰΈΰΉΰΈͺΰΈ΅ΰΈ’ΰΈ
ΰΈ§ΰΈ±ΰΈΰΈΰΈ΅ΰΉΰΈΰΈ²ΰΈΰΉΰΈ₯ΰΈ°ΰΉΰΈΰΈ₯ΰΈ£ΰΉ ΰΈ‘ΰΈ²ΰΈΰΉΰΈ§ΰΈ’ΰΈΰΈ±ΰΈΰΈΰΈΰΈΰΈΰΈ³ΰΈΰΈ²ΰΈ‘ΰΈΰΈ²ΰΈΰΈΰΈΈΰΈΰΈΰΈΉΰΉΰΈΰΈ‘ΰΈΰΈ²ΰΈ§ΰΉΰΈΰΈ’ ΰΉΰΈΰΈ΅ΰΉΰΈ’ΰΈ§ΰΈΰΈ±ΰΈΰΈΰΈΰΈΰΈ²ΰΈ£ΰΉΰΈΰΉΰΈΰΉΰΈͺΰΈ΅ΰΈ’ΰΈΰΈΰΈ³ΰΉΰΈΰΈ ΰΈ²ΰΈ©ΰΈ²ΰΈΰΈ±ΰΈΰΈΰΈ€ΰΈ©ΰΈΰΉΰΈ° ΰΈ‘ΰΈ²ΰΈΰΈ΄ΰΈΰΈΰΈ²ΰΈ‘ΰΈͺΰΈ΅ΰΉΰΉΰΈΰΈ₯ΰΉΰΈΰΈ₯ΰΈ±ΰΈΰΈΰΈ²ΰΈ£ΰΈΰΈΰΈΰΉΰΈͺΰΈ΅ΰΈ’ΰΈΰΈΰΈ±ΰΈΰΈΰΈ°ΰΈΰΈ°
Today's question from Thailand is about rules for word stress. Improve your pronunciation with Sian and Clare and learn four tips for word stress in English.
Activity 1
Pronunciation: Word stress rules
Where is the stress on this word?
ΰΈΰΈ³ΰΈΰΈ΅ΰΉΰΈΰΉΰΈΰΈΰΉΰΈΰΉΰΈΰΉΰΈͺΰΈ΅ΰΈ’ΰΈΰΈΰΈ΅ΰΉΰΈΰΈ’ΰΈ²ΰΈΰΈΰΉΰΉΰΈ?
taxi
A) first syllable ΰΈΰΈ’ΰΈ²ΰΈΰΈΰΉΰΉΰΈ£ΰΈ
B) second syllable ΰΈΰΈ’ΰΈ²ΰΈΰΈΰΉΰΈΰΈ΅ΰΉΰΈͺΰΈΰΈ
C) both syllables ΰΈΰΈ±ΰΉΰΈΰΈͺΰΈΰΈΰΈΰΈ’ΰΈ²ΰΈΰΈΰΉ
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Word stress rules
1) Most 2 syllable nouns and adjectives have stress on the first syllable
ΰΈΰΈ³ΰΈΰΈ²ΰΈ‘ΰΉΰΈ₯ΰΈ°ΰΈΰΈ³ΰΈΰΈΈΰΈΰΈ¨ΰΈ±ΰΈΰΈΰΉΰΈΰΈ΅ΰΉΰΈ‘ΰΈ΅ΰΈͺΰΈΰΈΰΈΰΈ’ΰΈ²ΰΈΰΈΰΉΰΈͺΰΉΰΈ§ΰΈΰΈ‘ΰΈ²ΰΈΰΈΰΈ°ΰΉΰΈΰΉΰΈΰΉΰΈͺΰΈ΅ΰΈ’ΰΈΰΈΰΈ΅ΰΉΰΈΰΈ’ΰΈ²ΰΈΰΈΰΉΰΉΰΈ£ΰΈ::
- taxi
- sandwich
- coffee
- garden
- clever
- yellow
Some exceptions to the rule ΰΉΰΈΰΉΰΈ‘ΰΈ΅ΰΈΰΉΰΈΰΈ’ΰΈΰΉΰΈ§ΰΉΰΈΰΉΰΈΰΉΰΈΰΈΰΈ²ΰΈΰΈΰΈ³ ΰΉΰΈΰΉΰΈ:
- police
- hotel
2) Most 2 syllable verbs have the stress on the second syllable:
ΰΈΰΈ³ΰΈΰΈ£ΰΈ΄ΰΈ’ΰΈ²ΰΈͺΰΈΰΈΰΈΰΈ’ΰΈ²ΰΈΰΈΰΉΰΈͺΰΉΰΈ§ΰΈΰΈ‘ΰΈ²ΰΈΰΈΰΈ°ΰΉΰΈΰΉΰΈΰΉΰΈͺΰΈ΅ΰΈ’ΰΈΰΈΰΈ’ΰΈ²ΰΈΰΈΰΉΰΈΰΈ΅ΰΉΰΈͺΰΈΰΈ:
- reply
- relax
- enjoy
- decide
Some exceptions to the rule ΰΉΰΈΰΉΰΈ‘ΰΈ΅ΰΈΰΉΰΈΰΈ’ΰΈΰΉΰΈ§ΰΉΰΈΰΉΰΈΰΉΰΈΰΈΰΈ²ΰΈΰΈΰΈ³ ΰΉΰΈΰΉΰΈ:
- practise
3) Words ending in -sion, -tion and -ic normally have the stress on the syllable before the last syllable.
ΰΈΰΈ³ΰΈΰΈ΅ΰΉΰΈ₯ΰΈΰΈΰΉΰΈ²ΰΈ’ΰΈΰΉΰΈ§ΰΈ’ -sion, -tion ΰΉΰΈ₯ΰΈ° -ic ΰΈΰΈ²ΰΈ‘ΰΈΰΈΰΈΰΈ΄ΰΉΰΈ₯ΰΉΰΈ§ΰΈΰΈ°ΰΉΰΈΰΉΰΈΰΉΰΈͺΰΈ΅ΰΈ’ΰΈΰΈΰΈ’ΰΈ²ΰΈΰΈΰΉΰΈΰΉΰΈΰΈΰΈͺΰΈΈΰΈΰΈΰΉΰΈ²ΰΈ’
- relaxation
- television
- dramatic
- athletic
4) For compound nouns – a noun made up of two or more existing words - the stress is on the first noun.
ΰΈΰΈ³ΰΈΰΈ²ΰΈ‘ΰΈΰΈ£ΰΈ°ΰΈͺΰΈ‘ - ΰΉΰΈ«ΰΉΰΉΰΈΰΉΰΈΰΉΰΈͺΰΈ΅ΰΈ’ΰΈΰΈΰΈ΅ΰΉΰΈΰΈ³ΰΉΰΈ£ΰΈ
- postbox
- teacup
- bookshop
Now try this fun quiz to test your knowledge of word stress :)
Stress practice
3 Questions
For each word decide where the stress falls. If you can't remember the rules, click on the hint button to help you. ΰΉΰΈΰΉΰΈΰΈΰΈΰΈΆΰΈΰΈ«ΰΈ±ΰΈΰΈΰΈ΅ΰΉ ΰΉΰΈ«ΰΉΰΉΰΈ₯ΰΈ·ΰΈΰΈΰΈΰΈ²ΰΈ£ΰΉΰΈΰΉΰΈΰΉΰΈͺΰΈ΅ΰΈ’ΰΈΰΈΰΈ΅ΰΉΰΈΰΈΉΰΈΰΈΰΉΰΈΰΈΰΉΰΈΰΉΰΈΰΉΰΈ₯ΰΈ°ΰΈΰΈ³ ΰΉΰΈΰΉΰΈ«ΰΈ²ΰΈΰΈΰΈ³ΰΈΰΈΰΉΰΈ‘ΰΉΰΉΰΈΰΉΰΉΰΈ«ΰΉΰΈΰΈ₯ΰΈ΄ΰΈΰΈΰΈΉΰΈΰΈ±ΰΈ§ΰΈΰΉΰΈ§ΰΈ’ΰΈΰΉΰΈ°
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Activity
For each word decide where the stress falls. If you can't remember the rules, click on the hint button to help you. ΰΉΰΈΰΉΰΈΰΈΰΈΰΈΆΰΈΰΈ«ΰΈ±ΰΈΰΈΰΈ΅ΰΉ ΰΉΰΈ«ΰΉΰΉΰΈ₯ΰΈ·ΰΈΰΈΰΈΰΈ²ΰΈ£ΰΉΰΈΰΉΰΈΰΉΰΈͺΰΈ΅ΰΈ’ΰΈΰΈΰΈ΅ΰΉΰΈΰΈΉΰΈΰΈΰΉΰΈΰΈΰΉΰΈΰΉΰΈΰΉΰΈ₯ΰΈ°ΰΈΰΈ³ ΰΉΰΈΰΉΰΈ«ΰΈ²ΰΈΰΈΰΈ³ΰΈΰΈΰΉΰΈ‘ΰΉΰΉΰΈΰΉΰΉΰΈ«ΰΉΰΈΰΈ₯ΰΈ΄ΰΈΰΈΰΈΉΰΈΰΈ±ΰΈ§ΰΈΰΉΰΈ§ΰΈ’ΰΈΰΉΰΈ°
Hint
Most 2 syllable verbs have the stress on the second syllable. ΰΈΰΈ³ΰΈΰΈ£ΰΈ΄ΰΈ’ΰΈ²ΰΈͺΰΈΰΈΰΈΰΈ’ΰΈ²ΰΈΰΈΰΉΰΈͺΰΉΰΈ§ΰΈΰΈ‘ΰΈ²ΰΈΰΈΰΈ°ΰΉΰΈΰΉΰΈΰΉΰΈͺΰΈ΅ΰΈ’ΰΈΰΈΰΈ’ΰΈ²ΰΈΰΈΰΉΰΈΰΈ΅ΰΉΰΈͺΰΈΰΈ:Question 1 of 3
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Activity
For each word decide where the stress falls. If you can't remember the rules, click on the hint button to help you. ΰΉΰΈΰΉΰΈΰΈΰΈΰΈΆΰΈΰΈ«ΰΈ±ΰΈΰΈΰΈ΅ΰΉ ΰΉΰΈ«ΰΉΰΉΰΈ₯ΰΈ·ΰΈΰΈΰΈΰΈ²ΰΈ£ΰΉΰΈΰΉΰΈΰΉΰΈͺΰΈ΅ΰΈ’ΰΈΰΈΰΈ΅ΰΉΰΈΰΈΉΰΈΰΈΰΉΰΈΰΈΰΉΰΈΰΉΰΈΰΉΰΈ₯ΰΈ°ΰΈΰΈ³ ΰΉΰΈΰΉΰΈ«ΰΈ²ΰΈΰΈΰΈ³ΰΈΰΈΰΉΰΈ‘ΰΉΰΉΰΈΰΉΰΉΰΈ«ΰΉΰΈΰΈ₯ΰΈ΄ΰΈΰΈΰΈΉΰΈΰΈ±ΰΈ§ΰΈΰΉΰΈ§ΰΈ’ΰΈΰΉΰΈ°
Hint
Words ending in -sion, -tion and -ic normally have the stress on the syllable before the last syllable. ΰΈΰΈ³ΰΈΰΈ΅ΰΉΰΈ₯ΰΈΰΈΰΉΰΈ²ΰΈ’ΰΈΰΉΰΈ§ΰΈ’ -sion, -tion ΰΉΰΈ₯ΰΈ° -ic ΰΈΰΈ²ΰΈ‘ΰΈΰΈΰΈΰΈ΄ΰΉΰΈ₯ΰΉΰΈ§ΰΈΰΈ°ΰΉΰΈΰΉΰΈΰΉΰΈͺΰΈ΅ΰΈ’ΰΈΰΈΰΈ’ΰΈ²ΰΈΰΈΰΉΰΈΰΉΰΈΰΈΰΈͺΰΈΈΰΈΰΈΰΉΰΈ²ΰΈ’Question 2 of 3
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Activity
For each word decide where the stress falls. If you can't remember the rules, click on the hint button to help you. ΰΉΰΈΰΉΰΈΰΈΰΈΰΈΆΰΈΰΈ«ΰΈ±ΰΈΰΈΰΈ΅ΰΉ ΰΉΰΈ«ΰΉΰΉΰΈ₯ΰΈ·ΰΈΰΈΰΈΰΈ²ΰΈ£ΰΉΰΈΰΉΰΈΰΉΰΈͺΰΈ΅ΰΈ’ΰΈΰΈΰΈ΅ΰΉΰΈΰΈΉΰΈΰΈΰΉΰΈΰΈΰΉΰΈΰΉΰΈΰΉΰΈ₯ΰΈ°ΰΈΰΈ³ ΰΉΰΈΰΉΰΈ«ΰΈ²ΰΈΰΈΰΈ³ΰΈΰΈΰΉΰΈ‘ΰΉΰΉΰΈΰΉΰΉΰΈ«ΰΉΰΈΰΈ₯ΰΈ΄ΰΈΰΈΰΈΉΰΈΰΈ±ΰΈ§ΰΈΰΉΰΈ§ΰΈ’ΰΈΰΉΰΈ°
Hint
For compound nouns β a noun made up of two or more existing words - the stress is on the first syllable. ΰΈΰΈ³ΰΈΰΈ²ΰΈ‘ΰΈΰΈ£ΰΈ°ΰΈͺΰΈ‘ - ΰΉΰΈ«ΰΉΰΉΰΈΰΉΰΈΰΉΰΈͺΰΈ΅ΰΈ’ΰΈΰΈΰΈ΅ΰΉΰΈΰΈ³ΰΉΰΈ£ΰΈQuestion 3 of 3
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ΰΈΰΈ₯ΰΈ±ΰΈΰΈ‘ΰΈ²ΰΈΰΈ΄ΰΈΰΈΰΈ²ΰΈ‘ΰΈΰΈΰΈΰΈΰΉΰΈΰΉΰΈΰΈΰΈΰΈ You Ask We Answer ΰΉΰΈΰΈ·ΰΉΰΈΰΈΰΈΆΰΈΰΈΰΈ²ΰΈ£ΰΈΰΈΰΈΰΉΰΈͺΰΈ΅ΰΈ’ΰΈ ΰΉΰΈ§ΰΈ’ΰΈ²ΰΈΰΈ£ΰΈΰΉ ΰΉΰΈ₯ΰΈ°ΰΈΰΈ³ΰΈ¨ΰΈ±ΰΈΰΈΰΉΰΉΰΈΰΈ΄ΰΉΰΈ‘ΰΉΰΈΰΈ΄ΰΈ‘ΰΈΰΈ°ΰΈΰΈ°
Session Vocabulary
syllable
ΰΈΰΈ’ΰΈ²ΰΈΰΈΰΉrelaxation
ΰΈΰΈ²ΰΈ£ΰΈΰΉΰΈΰΈΰΈΰΈ₯ΰΈ²ΰΈ’television
ΰΉΰΈΰΈ£ΰΈΰΈ±ΰΈ¨ΰΈΰΉdramatic
ΰΈΰΈ€ΰΈΰΈ΄ΰΈΰΈ£ΰΈ£ΰΈ‘ΰΉΰΈΰΈ΄ΰΈΰΈΰΈ£ΰΈ΄ΰΈathletic
ΰΉΰΈΰΉΰΈΰΉΰΈ£ΰΈ ΰΉΰΈΰΉΰΈΰΈΰΈ±ΰΈΰΈΰΈ΅ΰΈ¬ΰΈ²postbox
ΰΈΰΈΉΰΉΰΉΰΈΰΈ£ΰΈ©ΰΈΰΈ΅ΰΈ’ΰΉteacup
ΰΈΰΉΰΈ§ΰΈ’ΰΈΰΈ²ΰΉΰΈbookshop
ΰΈ£ΰΉΰΈ²ΰΈΰΈ«ΰΈΰΈ±ΰΈΰΈͺΰΈ·ΰΈ