STRESS
SUFFIXES: there are not usually stressed, but there are exceptions.
-EE / -ESE / -ETTE Attracts the stress
-IC / -ION / -ITY Reject the stress
-IAL / -IC / -ION / -IVE / -ITE Main stress is usually on the syllable before the
suffix
-ATIVE Stress is usually on the same syllable as the root
word
A word ending in -T / -S and the suffix -ION -TION=/ʧᵊn/ after -s
=/ʃᵊn/ after other words
-SION=/ʃᵊn/ after a consonant
=/ʒᵊn/ after a vowel
-SSION=/ʃᵊn/
PREFIXES: there are not usually stressed, but there are exceptions.
DE- / DIS- / IL- / RE- / UN- Are unstressed except to made prominent
Some words have secondary stress on the prefix
CO- / COUNTER- / HYPER- / INTER- / SUB- / The prefix itself is stressed
SUPER- / UNDER- Most adjectives with these prefixes have the
stress in the syllable after it.
COMPOUND NOUN: some have stress on the first part and other on the second.
The following have the main stress on the first part:
• NOUN + NOUN • ´night-time
• NOUN + ING FORM • ´house-hunting
• ING FORM + NOUN • -dressing-gown
• VERB + NOUN • Con´trol-tower
COMPOUND ADJECTIVES: some have stress on the first part and other on the second.
The following have the main stress on the first part:
• COMPOUND ADJECTIVES WRITTEN AS • Airtight
ONE WORD
• NOUN + ING FORM • ´hair-raising
• NOUN + PAST PARTICIPLE • ´povetry-,stricken
The followings have the stress on the second part:
• NOUN + ADJECTIVE • ,fat-´free
• ADJECTIVE + NOUN • ,long-´term
• ADVERB/ADJCTIVE + PAST PARTICIPLE • ,fully-´grown
• ADVERB/ADJECTIVE + ING FORM
• SELF AS THE FIRST PART • ,easy-´growing
Most compound adjectives with main stress on
the second part can have stress-shift • ,self-´confident
Two, three and four letters’ abbreviations said as • The ,U´K / The ,BB´C
individual letters often have main stress on the last
letter and secondary stress on the first.
Abbreviation like this usually have stress shift He works for the BBC BUT he works for the
BBC RADIO
WEAK FORMS OF FUNCTION WORDS:
Some are not usually made prominent; these include
the following group:
• THE PERSONAL PRONOUNS • I / ME / WE / US
• THE POSSESSIVE DETERMINERS • MY / YOURS /HER /HIS
• EACH OTHER/ ONE ANOTHER
• THE ARTICLES • A / AN / THE
• THE DETERMINERS • SOME / ANY
• THE INDEFINITIVE PROMOUNS • SOME / ANYBODY / ANYONE
• THERE (INTRODUCE A SENTENCE)
• FORMS OF AUXILIARY VERBS
• FORMS OF MODAL VERBS • BE / HAVE / DO
• PREPOSITIONS • SHALL / MAY / CAN
• THE CONJUNCTIONS • AS / AT / FOR
Some of these words have a weak and strong form. • AND.. BUT / AS.. THAN
PROMINENT FUNCTION WORDS: The weak form is the usual pronunciation
The strong form is used when the word is
prominent
Said on its own
At the end of a sentence
• when a contrast is expressed or implied
• IT is rarely prominent at the end of a number of fixed phrases with this and that
• SOME is often prominent when it means “some people”, “a large number or amount” or “a
particular person or thing”
• ANY is often prominent when it means “it is not important which” or it is used for emphasises
after a negative verb
• SOMEBODY / ANYBODY /ETC. are prominent when they are subject of a sentence
• THE is prominent when we say that something is the best, most important
the auxiliary verbs and the modal are prominent in negative forms for special emphasis in
contradictions and in time contrast