Stress In English Language

​Stress in English Language

By Adeyemi Damola

Sub Topic: Word Stress, Emphatic Stress

​Stress is the greater emphasis or loudness placed on a particular syllable in a word or on a particular word in a sentence.

Stressed syllables are:

• longer

• louder

• said with clearer vowel sounds

• more prominent

​Types of Stress

1. Word Stress

How stress is placed on different syllables in a word.

Examples:

• TAble, STUdent, comPUter, examiNAtion

• REcord (noun) vs reCORD (verb)

• IMport (noun) vs imPORT (verb)

Basic Word-Stress Rules

1. Two-syllable nouns/adjectives: stress the first syllable.

   • TAble, CLEver, DOCtor

2. Two-syllable verbs: stress the second syllable.

   • reLAX, reQUIRE

3. Words ending in –tion, –sion, –cian: stress the second to the last (penultimate) syllable.

   • eduCAtion, extenSION, musiCIAN

​Words ending in –ic, –ics, –ical: stress the third to the last (antepenultimate) syllable.

• ecoNOmic, geoGRAphic

• Compound nouns: stress the first part.

  • BLACKboard, FOOTball

• Compound verbs/adjectives: stress the second part.

  • to underSTAND, old-fashIONED

​2. Emphatic Stress

Emphatic stress is the placement of articulatory prominence or emphasis on a word in a sentence. In responding to questions on emphatic stress in examinations, interrogative sentences will be provided as options. The interrogative sentence that contradicts the emphasised word is the correct option.

See this example:

John’s watch is made of GOLD.

The emphatic stress is on the word ‘gold’

Option:

(a) Is John’s watch made of silver?

(b) Whose watch is made of gold?

(c) What is made of gold?

(d) Is John’s necklace made of gold?

Option [A] is the correct answer because the word ‘silver’ contradicts the word ‘gold’ and the interrogative statement provides a chance to re-emphasise the word ‘gold’.