Have you ever found yourself puzzled by the way English speakers pronounce certain words?
If you have, it might have been because of what we call ‘word stress’.
No panic though. Word stress doesn’t have anything to do with feelings of worry or anxiety. Word stress in English is something different.
In this blog post, you’ll learn what it is, how it works, and how you can pick up and improve your ability to use word stress correctly so you can make yourself understood.
Table of Contents
What Are Syllables?
But before we talk about word stress, we need to talk about syllables.
Words are made of consonant and vowel sounds.
Syllables, which are the building blocks of words, contain one vowel sound and usually one or more consonants.
For example, the word ‘story’ has two syllables because it has two vowel sounds in it: sto-ry. The word ‘expensive’ has three: ex-pens-sive. The word ‘philosophy has four: phi-lo-so-phy.
The longest word in the Merriam-Webster dictionary, one of the most trusted English dictionaries, has eleven! The word is acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ac-ry-lo-ni-trile – bu-ta-di-ene – sty-rene). You might never need this term so don’t worry too much about it.
Okay, now that we’ve clarified what syllables are, let’s talk about word stress.
What’s Word Stress?
When you say a word, you don’t pronounce all its syllables in the same way. One syllable is often louder and more prominent than the others.
Stop reading now and say the word ‘story’ aloud. Notice how the first syllable is more emphasised than the second. You say STO-ry, not sto-RY.
This is word stress: the emphasis we place on one syllable within a word over others when we pronounce it.
Why Is English Word Stress Important?
In English, stressing the wrong syllable can not only lead to mispronunciation but also to misunderstandings.
Take the words ‘desert’ and ‘dessert’ for example. A desert is a large area of land that has very little water and very few plants growing on it.
A dessert is the best part of a meal (in my opinion).
Both words have similar sounds and the same number of syllables (two). However, they have different word stress patterns.
DE-sert
de-SSERT
Now, imagine having a romantic dinner out in a restaurant with your first date. You’ve just had the main course when you ask, Would you like to have DE-sert?
That might make your new date laugh, so I highly recommend using the wrong word stress on this particular occasion. But if you’re not dating anyone, get the word stress right. It will help you express the correct meaning of the words you use.
Let’s now look at some word stress rules.
10 Word Stress Rules To Get English Pronunciation Right
1. Two-Syllable Nouns
In most two-syllable nouns, the stress is on the first syllable.
Examples:
- SUN-set
- PIL-low
- RI-ver
- BAS-ket
- GAR-den
- MU-sic
- WIN-dow
- CAS-tle
- RO-cket
- FO-rest
2. Two-Syllable Adjectives
In most two-syllable adjectives, the stress is on the first syllable.
Examples:
- EA-sy
- HAP-py
- QUI-et
- MOD-ern
- BU-sy
- CLE-ver
- SIL-ly
- NER-vous
- AN-gry
- SLEE-py
- SLI-my
3. Two-Syllable Verbs
In most two-syllable verbs, the stress is on the second syllable.
Examples:
- a-RRIVE
- be-LIEVE
- de-CIDE
- en-JOY
- for-GET
- in-CLUDE
- per-FORM
- re-LAX
- sup-PORT
- pro-VIDE
4. Two-Syllable Adverbs
In most two-syllable adverbs, the stress is on the first syllable.
Examples:
- QUICK-ly
- AL-ways
- OF-ten
- LOUD-ly
- SOFT-ly
- BRIGHT-ly
- MAY-be
- SLOW-ly
- FOND-ly
- SOFT-ly
5. Words Ending In -ic, -sion, And -tion
In words ending in -ic (barbaric), -sion (decision), and -tion (station), the stress is generally on the syllable before the last.
Examples:
Words ending in -ic:
- eLECtric
- draMAtic
- hisTORic
- poETic
- acaDEmic
Words ending in -sion:
- deCIsion
- exPLOsion
- VIsion
- diVIsion
- conCLUsion
Words ending in -tion:
- creAtion
- excepTion
- inviTAtion
- opeRAtion
- reveLAtion
6. Words Ending In -cy, -ty, -phy, gy, And -al
When a word ends in -cy (aristocracy), -ty (cruelty), -phy (geography), -gy (biology), and -al (political), the stress is usually on the third syllable from the last one. In other words, count the syllable backwards and stress the third one.
Examples:
Words ending in -cy:
- de-MO-cra-cy
- UR-gen-cy
- PO-li-cy
- e-FFI-cien-cy
- com-PE-ten-cy
Words ending in -ty:
- a-BI-li-ty
- SA-ni-ty
- QUA-li-ty
- va-RI-e-ty
- re-A-li-ty
Words ending in -phy:
- ge-OG-ra-phy
- pho-TO-gra-phy
- bi-OG-ra-phy
- ty-PO-gra-phy
- SYM-pho-ny
Words ending in -gy:
- E-ner-gy
- tech-NO-lo-gy
- bi-O-lo-gy
- ge-O-lo-gy
- STRA-te-gy
Words ending in -al:
- PRIN-ci-pal
- CUL-tur-al
- or-I-gin-al
- pro-FES-sion-al
- ed-u-CA-tion-al
7. Compound Nouns
A compound noun is a noun made of two nouns. For example, greenhouse (a building with glass sides and a glass roof for growing plants in) is a compound noun.
In compound nouns, the stress is usually on the first noun.
Examples:
- TOOTH-paste
- SUN-flow-er
- BAS-ket-ball
- SNOW-man
- MAIL-box
- RAIN-coat
- HAIR-brush
- SKATE-board
- BOOK-shelf
- TEA-spoon
8. Compound Adjectives And Verbs
Also adjectives can be formed by two separate ones. For example, bad-tempered is a compound adjective. In many of these, the stress often falls on the second adjective.
Examples:
- low-KEY
- old-FASH-ioned
- bad-TEMP-ered
- short-SIGHT-ed
- hard-WORK-ing
- high-PITCHED
- narrow-MIND-ed
- light-HEART-ed
- well-KNOWN
- cold-BLOOD-ed
9. Phrasal Verbs
In many phrasal verbs, the stress often falls on the second part of the verb (either the adverb or the preposition that forms the verb).
- give UP
- turn AROUND
- break DOWN
- look FOR
- bring ABOUT
- call OFF
- check OUT
- fill IN
- hang ON
- kick OFF
10. Words That Are Both Nouns And Verbs
Some words can be both nouns and verbs. For example, the word ‘record’ can be a noun (e.g. You should keep a record of your expenses) and a verb (e.g. You should record all your expenses during your trip).
These words look the same but sound different because the stress falls on the first syllable if it’s a noun and on the second if it’s a verb.
Like this:
- You should keep a REcord of your expenses.
- You should reCORD all your expenses during your trip.
Some other examples:
- CONtract (Noun): She signed a new employment CONtract yesterday.
- conTRACT (Verb): Muscles conTRACT during physical activities.
- REbel (Noun): The REbel was captured after the uprising.
- reBEL (Verb): They decided to reBEL against the unfair rules.
- PERmit (Noun): You need a parking PERmit to park here.
- perMIT (Verb): The city does not perMIT parking in this area.
- PROject (Noun): His latest PROject involves renewable energy.
- proJECT (Verb): We need to proJECT our sales for the next year.
- OBject (Noun): The mysterious OBject turned out to be a sculpture.
- obJECT (Verb): She will obJECT to any changes in the plan.
- INsult (Noun): His comment was an INsult to everyone in the room.
- inSULT (Verb): It's rude to inSULT people over their beliefs.
- IMport (Noun): The country relies heavily on oil IMports.
- imPORT (Verb): They imPORT many goods from overseas.
- CONduct (Noun): The orchestra praised the conductor's CONduct.
- conDUCT (Verb): She will conDUCT the symphony next weekend.
- CONvict (Noun): The CONvict was released after serving ten years.
- conVICT (Verb): The jury decided to conVICT the defendant.
Practical Tips And Resources To Master Word Stress
So, how can you improve your word stress? Here are some practical tips:
Listen Actively And Mimic
Listen listen listen! It may be movies in English, podcasts, radio shows or whatever else you like.
But don’t just listen. Pay close attention to how the speakers stress words and try to mimic their patterns. This will help you notice word stress patterns and improve your pronunciation.
Read Aloud
Read texts aloud and focus on stressing the correct syllables. This can significantly improve your pronunciation skills. You can also select only particular words you have trouble with and focus exclusively on those.
Record And Replay
Record yourself speaking and listen back. Again, focus on the trickiest words to identify and correct your word stress patterns.
Use Pronunciation Apps
Many English speaking apps can help you with pronunciation and word stress. Use them!
Indicate Word Stress When Recording New Words
If you use a vocabulary notebook or an app to record the new words that you learn, don’t just write their definitions.
Include their stress patterns too so it’ll be easier for you ro remember how they’re pronounced.
You can use these systems:
- Underline the stressed syllabe: sto-ry
- Use capital letters for stressed syllables: STO-ry
- Bold the stressed syllable: sto-ry
Chat To ChatGPT
Did you know you can download the free version of ChatGPT on your smartphone and speak with AI all day? You can ask the machine to correct your pronunciation or help you with stress patterns you find confusing
Check Word Stress Patterns In A Dictionary
Dictionaries don’t give you just definitions and examples of words but they also include information on how they’re pronounced. A good dictionary gives you the phonetic transcription too.
This is what I’m talking about:
- HO-tel /həʊ'tel/
- KI-tchen /'kɪtʃən/
- com-PU-ter /kəmˈpjuːtər/
- EL-e-phant /ˈɛlɪfənt/
- un-be-LIEV-a-ble /ʌn·bɪˈliːvəbəl/
See that apostrophe (‘)? That indicates that the stress is on the syllable after it.
So, when you’re not sure where the stress is, look up the word in a dictionary to find out.
Word Stress Without The Stress!
All right! You got to the end of this guide. This is only a starting point for understanding and mastering word stress patterns in English.
Remember that another great way to make learning English word stress easier is to read and listen to short stories simultaneously. I have a few books that can help you!
As you read and listen together, you'll form connections between the written and spoken forms of the language. It’s an approach that will significantly improve your understanding of English word stress, especially if you practice reading aloud.
So, apply the StoryLearning method and read short stories in English to improve not only your English grammar or vocabulary but also to understand the rhythm and stress patterns in the language.
But don't be discouraged if you don't get it right initially. Word stress in English can be challenging. With consistent practice, you will soon sound like a natural English speaker.
Don’t stress yourself out and have fun learning!
Olly Richards
Creator of the StoryLearning® Method
Olly Richards is a renowned polyglot and language learning expert with over 15 years of experience teaching millions through his innovative StoryLearning® method. He is the creator of StoryLearning, one of the world's largest language learning blogs with 500,000+ monthly readers.
Olly has authored 30+ language learning books and courses, including the bestselling "Short Stories" series published by Teach Yourself.
When not developing new teaching methods, Richards practices what he preaches—he speaks 8 languages fluently and continues learning new ones through his own methodology.
