ACE:TL_Session13_Pronunciation

In English, we do not say each syllable with the same force or strength. In one word, we accentuate ONE syllable.

We say one syllable very loudly (big, strong, important) and all the other syllables very quietly.

Let's take 3 words: 

photograph, photographer and photographic.

Do they sound the same when spoken? No.

Because we accentuate (stress) ONE syllable in each word. And it is not always the same syllable.

So the "shape" of each word is different.

Do you hear the stressed syllable in each word?

1. PHO-to-graph

2. pho-TO-graph-er

3. pho-to-GRAPH-ic

Listen to the 3 word again, but now repeat them giving you best to stress the word in the correct place.

There are some rules about it, but one way to learn is from experience.

Listen carefully to spoken English and try to develop a feeling for the "music" of the language.

All dictionaries give the phonetic spelling of a word. This is where they show which syllable is stressed, usually with an apostrophe (') just before or just after the stressed syllable.

...and check how two different dictionaries show us the stress.

You are now an expert on word stress!