Spoken English: Flourish Your Language

11

(^56) Spoken English II
WORd STRESS
Word stress is your magic key to understanding spoken English.
Native speakers of English use word stress naturally. Word stress
is so natural for them that they don't even know they use it. Non-
native speakers who speak English to native speakers without using
word stress, encounter two problems:

1. They find it difficult to understand native speakers, especially
   those speaking fast.


2. The native speakers may fmd it difficult to understand them.

TI-IREE kiNds of WORd STRESS

1. Syllables with primary stress are in uppercase.


2. Syllables with secondary stress are in lowercase.


3. Syllables with reduced stress have a line through them.
   
   
   • INtellect
   
   
   • exPOnent
   
   
   • transPARent
   
   
   • OScilate
   
   
   • eQUIPment
     
     
     • preLIminary
       Each unstressed vowel has a line through it. Each syllable with
       primary stress is in uppercase.
       1.METHed
     
     
     
     
   
   
   
   


4. RANdem


5. STAms


6. cemPOnent


7. VErify