About this lesson
Every English word with two or more syllables has one syllable that is clearly stronger than the rest. The teachers in this mix describe it as louder, longer and clearer, and often a little higher in pitch. To find how many syllables a word has, count the vowel sounds, not the vowel letters. Then find which one is strong.
Stress works through contrast. The other syllables must be weaker, quieter and shorter, often with a lazy schwa sound, or the strong one does not stand out. Several teachers suggest drilling the strong and weak beats on their own and then putting the word back together. Overdo the stress while you practise, then let it relax.
There are patterns, such as two-syllable nouns leaning to the first syllable and verbs leaning to the second, and some words change their stress when they change their job. But these patterns are tendencies with many exceptions, and one teacher says plainly that no simple rule fits every word. Check a dictionary and write the stress down with each new word.
Examples from the clips
- British Council France explains that stress is about what matters: count the syllables, then pick the one that stands out.
- Oxford Online English gives the cues for the strong syllable and explains why you should overdo them while you practise.
- Rachel's English drills the long beat and the very short beats on their own, then puts the word back together.
- mmmEnglish says no simple rule fits every word, so read the stress mark in a dictionary.
Questions this lesson answers
What is word stress in English?
It is the one syllable in a word that is stronger than the others: louder, longer, clearer and often a little higher. The other syllables are weaker.
How do I know which syllable to stress?
There are patterns, such as nouns leaning to the first syllable and verbs to the second, but they have many exceptions. The reliable way is to check a dictionary and note the stress with each new word.
Can stress change the meaning of a word?
Yes, for some words. A few pairs change stress and job together, so the same spelling can be a noun with one stress and a verb with another.
Why do the weak syllables matter?
Stress only stands out against weak syllables. If every syllable is equally strong, the word sounds flat and is harder to understand.
How can I practise word stress?
Say the long and short beats of a word on their own, put them back together, then say it in a sentence and record yourself. Exaggerate the stress at first.