Page 11 - DENG101_Communication Skills-I

Communication Skills-I

Notes Rule 2: Stress on last syllable

Rule Example
Most 2-syllable verbs to preSENT, to exPORT, to deCIDE, to beGIN

Note There are many two-syllable words in English whose meaning and class change
with a change in stress.

Example: Present, is a two-syllable word.

If we stress the first syllable, it is a noun (gift) or an adjective (opposite of absent). But if we stress
the second syllable, it becomes a verb (to offer).
Export, Import, Contract and Object can all be nouns or verbs depending on whether the stress is
on the first or second syllable

Rule 3: Stress on penultimate syllable

Rule Example
Words ending in -ic GRAPHic, geoGRAPHic, geoLOGic
Words ending in -sion and -tion teleVIsion, reveLAtion

Note For a few words, native English speakers don’t always “agree” on where to put
the stress.

Examples: Some people say teleVIsion and others say TELevision.
CONtroversy and conTROversy.
Rule 4: Stress on ante-penultimate syllable

Rule Example
Words ending in -cy, -ty, -phy and -gy deMOcracy, dependaBIlity, phoTOgraphy, geOLogy
Words ending in -al CRItical, geoLOGical

Rule 5: Compound words
Rule Example

For compound nouns, the stress is on the first part BLACKbird, GREENhouse
For compound adjectives, the stress is on the second part bad-TEMpered, old-FASHioned
For compound verbs, the stress is on the second part to underSTAND, to overFLOW

Rule 6: Two Word Stress
Knowing when and where to stress the words you use is very important for understanding, and
therefore, as part of a good accent. A clear example is that of stress in two word expressions.
According to whether it is an ordinary two-word expression or a special, set expression, the place
of the stress changes. In an ordinary expression the two words are used to describe something
like a “white HOUSE” (meaning a house that is painted white, and not blue or gray). In this
case the most important note is the noun because we are talking about a house that happens to be
white. Similarly, a “fat BOY” is an overweight young male.

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