Understanding and Teaching the Pronunciation of English.pdf

(Greg DeLong) #1

Variable word stress


In some cases, the position of stress in a word can change if this will help maintain a
more comfortable overall rhythm. Having two stressed syllables together makes an
awkward rhythm, so the stress sometimes moves to create an alternation of stressed
and unstressed syllables. For example:


When we say a -teen number alone, we stress it on the last syllable:


sevenˈteen


When we say the same number with a noun after it, we stress it on the !rst
syllable:


ˈseventeen ˈyears


Related Glossary Terms


Index


Section 8 - Syllables and Word Stress
Section 9 - Rhythm


Word stress


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