Intro to word stress

Stress is a crucial part of English pronunciation. Without the right word stress, words may be completely unintelligible to English speakers. Watch the video to learn more...

The most important qualities in English stress are:

1. Length: stressed syllables are longer
2. Pitch: stressed syllables are higher pitched
3. Vowel quality of unstressed syllables: they are reduced vowels.

For speakers of East Asian languages and Romance languages, stressed syllable length may be the most difficult part of learning English stress. However, this is also highly important, so let's work on it.

Word lists

2 syllable words - stress pattern: laLA

be-: before, because, befall, belie, behind, benign, bereft, behold

de-: deny, denote, delay, design, decide, deploy, devour, deface, demote, deride, demand

ex-: exhaust, exact, exclude, expel, excite, explore, extent, expect, exist, exam

Three syllables - stress pattern: laLAla

 🔊Listen: computer, president

be-: beguiling, betrothal, belabor, belongings, besotted, bedazzling, beforehand

de-: destructive, detractor, determine, description, demolish, descending, demanding, demeaning

ex-: exactly, examine, example, explorer, excitement, exhaustion, exciting

Phrases

phrases in the pattern: LA laLA

go abroad, straight ahead, start anew, long ago, they arrived, think again, still asleep

Phrases in the pattern: laLA laLA

be-

Because of you, at your behest, bemoan the loss, it’s just begun, betray your friend, bereft of stuff, I don’t believe (it), beneath it all, do not betray (me)

Phrases in the pattern: laLA laLA

ex- & en-

Except for that, enjoy the food, extract the gold, ensure he lives, enrich the poor, enforce the law, engage the kids, encourage life, empower truth, encourage Matt

Sentences

Short sentences in the pattern: laLA laLA laLA

1. I want to go abroad.

2. I’m going straight ahead.

3. He wants to start anew.

4. It happened long ago.

5. Just wait til they arrive.

6. You need to think again.

7. The baby’s still asleep.