Word stress
If a word in English has more than one syllable (We call these
polysyllabic words), one of the syllables is stressed; that
is, it is emphasized more than the others. It’s very important
for learners to put the stress in the right place. If the wrong
syllable is stressed, listeners may not be able to understand
what word is being said. We understand words not only from
their sounds, but also from their pattern of stressed and
unstressed syllables. For example, if a speaker pronounces the
word conversation with a pattern like this: when
we expect it to have a pattern like this: , it will
take us longer to realize what the word is and to understand
its meaning.
Characteristics of stressed syllables
How are stressed syllables di"erent from the other syllables
in a word? What characteristics does the stressed syllable
need to have to let the listener know that it is being
emphasized? In English, a stressed syllable can have any or
all of the following qualities:
- It’s longer in duration than the other syllables:
- It’s louder than the other syllables:
- It’s higher in pitch than the other syllables:
- Its vowel sound is more distinct (It’s not reduced):
Not every stressed syllable will have all of these qualities,
especially if the speaker is talking quickly, but overall, these
are the signs that tell the listener which syllable is stressed.
It’s important for learners to get used to using these signals to
make stressed syllables stand out.102