Secret #1: WORD STRESS

Learn why word stress is your golden key number 1

Word stress is golden key number One for speaking and understanding English.

Word Stress is very important. You can try to learn about Word Stress. This is one of the best ways for you to understand spoken English—especially English spoken fast.

What is Word Stress?

Take 3 words: photograph, photographer, photographic, for example. Do they sound the same when spoken? No! They sound very different, because one syllable in each word is “stressed” (stronger than the others).

PHOtograph

phoTOgrapher

photoGRAPHic

This happens in all words with two or more syllables:

TEACHer, JaPAN, CHINa, aBOVE, converSAtion, INteresting, imPORtant, deMAND, etCETera

The syllables that are not stressed are “weak” or “small” or “quiet”. Native speakers of English listen for the stressed syllables, not the weak syllables. If you use Word Stress in your speech, you will instantly and automatically improve your pronunciation and your comprehension.

If you have an English teacher, ask him or her to help you understand Word Stress. Try to hear the stress in words each time you listen to English—on the radio, or in films for example. Your first step is to hear and recognise it. After that, you can use it!

For more about Word Stress—with audio files for you to listen to—please read about Word Stress on EnglishClub.

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Posted by Josef Essberger May 2023
Josef founded EnglishClub for learners and teachers of English in 1997

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