WORD STRESS

A syllable is a unit of sound which includes a vowel sound. For example, the word 'difficult' is three syllables.




Try this GAME to practise stress.


In multi-syllable words the stress falls on one of the syllables while the other syllables tend to be spoken over quickly. This leads to sounds that are not clear (muted) on unstressed syllables. In order to improve your pronunciation, focus on pronouncing the stressed syllable clearly. However, don't be afraid to "mute" (not say clearly) the other unstressed vowels.

Now try to place these words in their stress patterns: 

personnel   operate  japanese  anaesthetic  giant  politician    totally   pictures   industrial   employee  individual   memorial  tomato   fantastic  today   little   antibiotic  evaporate   repeat   noisily satellite  heating   canadian ahead  energy  organize   psychology   volunteer  eat  assumption  engine certificate   reputation   character  photography  photographic fotograph demonstration  society  police   understand   property   submarine  microchip  vaccine 

O    
Oo
Ooo
oO
oOo
ooO
Oooo
oOoo
ooOo