What do you know?
- Do you know what word stress is?
- Can you divide words into syllables?
What is word stress? In some languages, each syllable in each word is pronounced with the exact same stress.
English is not one of those languages. English has its own rhythm, complete with its own vocal music. This means that one part of a certain word is said louder and longer than other parts of the same word.
It is something that is completely natural for English speakers, but something ESL students can learn from learning the correct way to pronounce new words, practicing their conversational skills, and by learning the rules for using word stress.
English is not one of those languages. English has its own rhythm, complete with its own vocal music. This means that one part of a certain word is said louder and longer than other parts of the same word.
It is something that is completely natural for English speakers, but something ESL students can learn from learning the correct way to pronounce new words, practicing their conversational skills, and by learning the rules for using word stress.
A few things to remember:1. A word can only have one stress. In a very long word you can have a secondary stress, but it is always a much smaller stress.
2. Only vowels are stressed, not consonants. The vowels in English are a, e, i, o, and u. The consonants are all the other letters.
3. There are many exceptions to the rules. The word stress rules in English are complicated. Remember that there are exceptions to every rule. Use a dictionary to check the word stress of new words. Soon, you will know English well enough to add word stress naturally.
It is important that you stress the right syllables, so people can hear and understand your words.
Before continuing, make sure you read and understand the basics of Word Stress and Syllables.
2. Only vowels are stressed, not consonants. The vowels in English are a, e, i, o, and u. The consonants are all the other letters.
3. There are many exceptions to the rules. The word stress rules in English are complicated. Remember that there are exceptions to every rule. Use a dictionary to check the word stress of new words. Soon, you will know English well enough to add word stress naturally.
It is important that you stress the right syllables, so people can hear and understand your words.
Before continuing, make sure you read and understand the basics of Word Stress and Syllables.
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This quiz will test your understanding of the word stress pages. For each question, choose the syllable that is stressed.
Let's Practice!
Click on the button below and play the word stress game.