This is the lesson attached to the English learning game The Magic Harp. Improve your pronunciation of English with an English stressed syllable game. Learn to identify the most common word stress patterns to predict the correct pronunciation of new words. Play the FREE version of the game or join us and get the full version!
The Magic Harp | English Lesson
Syllable Stress Patterns
Vocabulary
commit ● leapfrog ● eraser ● electronics ● education ● literature ● geography ● mathematics ● poetry ● algebra ● headmaster ● chemistry ● profession ● medicine ● exercise ● memory ● unit ● number ● measure ● standard ● support ● below ● under ● beneath ● obtain ● fallen ● simply ● signal ● nature ● process ● pursuit ● leather ● removed ● apart ● thankful ● benchmark ● Mexico ● Atlantic ● defending ● attempt ● perform ● expected ● September ● Wednesday ● February ● afternoon ● August ● weekend ● tomorrow ● yesterday ● today ● camel ● giraffe ● kangaroo ● leopard ● zebra ● squirrel ● butterfly ● hedgehog ● mosquito ● handkerchief ● umbrella ● shampoo ● toothpaste ● foundation ● apprentice ● executive ● resignation ● architect ● avatar ● bathroom ● library ● theater ● photography ● cinema ● piano ● cartoon ● husband ● nephew ● aspirin ● hospital ● grandmother ● unconscious ● giddiness ● recovery ● aluminum ● material ● recipient ● escalator ● envelope ● underground ● restaurant ● mushroom ● cucumber ● pineapple ● intelligent ● appearance ● contact ● generous ● forefinger ● delightful ● detective ● prisoner ● Africa ● Asia ● Europe ● India ● nationali ● climate ● depression ● suburb ● superb ● audience ● transport ● Birmingham ● America ● similar ● reform ● encourage ● develop ● special ● politics ● accessible ● tradition ● obvious ● outwit ● duchess ● worker ● service ● computer ● excess ● global ● China ● succeed ● feature ● patient ● define ● divide ● faction ● conflict ● drama ● effect ● result ● plural ● Paris ● focus ● distinct ● bolster ● ladle ● congratulate ● monkey ● expedient ● necessity ● another ● addition ● differrent ● London ● Madrid ● Lisbon ● discovery ● Italy ● efficient ● government
avert ● despite ● cement ● Iran ● Belgium ● Peru ● euro ● lapel ● liquidity ● substantial ● Hanoi ● barometer ● discontent ● median ● fulfillment ● routine ● travail ● Damascus ● constrain ● forecasting ● automobile ● diploma ● substance ● bonfire ● hippopotamus ● rhinoceros ● flamingo ● grasshopper ● octopus ● caterpillar ● aquarium ● mascara ● deodorant ● psychologist ● receptionist ● transplant ● balcony ● colander ● musician ● orchestra ● disease ● thermometer ● orphanage ● divorce ● marriage ● hygiene ● ceremony ● epidemic ● relapse ● stethoscope ● granite ● satin ● boutique ● avocado ● artichoke ● resemblance ● delicate ● pickpocket ● argument ● hurricane ● Scandinavia ● volcano ● scaffolding ● cemetery ● pedestriant ● tragedy ● suburban ● accelerate ● engine ● engineer ● altitude ● locomotive ● mechanic ● conde scending ● Labrador ● Mali ● Berlin ● Geneva ● Italy ● Sicily ● Athens ● Venezuela ● calligraphy ● fortitude ● monolog ● Canterbury ● remedy ● caramel ● cauliflower ● heraldry ● procure ● untoward ● cistern ● bedlam ● predecessor ● realistic ● practical ● evident ● descendant ● legitimate ● immediate ● prominence ● reaffirm ● capitalize ● Sweden ● broccoli ● Korea ● discern ● pi ● signify ● accompany ● primitive ● glossary ● establishment ● ability ● humiliated ● eloquence ● conciliate ● invertebrate ● meander ● raven ous ● connive ● exacerbate ● extrapollate ● Florence ● caravan ● Eskimo ● kidnapee ● Norwegian ● corrugated ● porcelain ● migraine ● acrylic ● binoculars ● inhabitant ● cuckoo ● pendulum ● aviary ● sapphire ● turquoise ● forecastable ● perspire ● secular ● spiritual ● medieval ● predicament ● decent ● symbolism ● inaugurated ● elevated ● consistent ● patronage ● philosophy ● polygon ● ascetic ● disciple ● diametrical ● italic ● bureaucracy ● dispute ● awry ● egregious ● gregarious
caliphate ● pedago ● Copenhagen ● epistle ● isosceles ● lenient ● mesozoic ● oligarchy ● heterodox ● apoplexy ● subsequent ● canary ● sardine ● dandelion ● chrysanthemum ● hyacinth ● gladiolus ● concierge ● tonsillitis ● asparagus ● rhubarb ● deciduous ● funicular ● Worcestershire ● Jakarta ● Cordoba ● Neapolitan ● Manitoba ● senescent ● senile ● puerile ● immature ● chimera ● vestigial ● brontosaurus ● evanesce ● acrimony ● soliloquy ● Parmesan ● valedictory ● kaleidoscope ● topiary ● doppelganger ● perplexed ● stupendous ● flummoxed ● garrulous ● cantankerous ● placatory ● mercurial ● decrepit ● stultifying ● recumbent ● pandemonium ● scimitar ● apophthegm ● malapert ● portcullis ● poltroon ● cataract ● astrolabe ● precipitous ● Budapest ● Mombasa ● Zanzibar ● Tanzania ● okra ● plantain ● curcuma ● Morocco ● Ukraine ● Belize ● satay ● crustacean ● exoskeleton ● amulet ● Calypso ● Odysseus ● Sophocles ● Perseus ● estuary ● formaldehyde ● Carolingian ● Arthurian ● samosa ● serendipity ● fortuitous ● providential ● phenomenal ● secluded ● sequester ● mystic ● esoteric ● mystique ● quietism ● Ottoman ● theological ● samurai ● gesundheit ● metacarpal ● orthopedics ● pediatrics ● raconteur ● philharmonic ● hedonism ● Nefertiti ● Akhenaton ● Titicaca ● Vanuatu ● Hebrides ● archipelago ● Hades ● Samsara ● vestigial ● catamaran ● tapioca ● emulsifier ● Euphrates ● ukulele ● arabica ● turmeric ● paella ● arugula ● escarole ● gazpacho ● ratatouille ● hemoglobin ● Bangladeshi ● Byzantium ● derogatory ● contingent ● sonata ● barcarole ● gondolier ● ataraxic ● Gilgamesh ● lapidary ● amethyst ● cinquefoil ● gargantuan ● marmoset ● anthropoid ● hierarchical ● elitism ● Hellenistic ● rationalism ● Aristotle ● emenated ● despotism ● anthropomorphism ● philosophical ● poligonal ● predecessor ● asceticism ● Umayyad ● Confucius ● jurisprudence ● cantilever ● iconoclastic ● Abbassid ● Moghul ● minutiae ● Bedouin
Syllable Stress Patterns
Word Stress
Word stress accentuates one syllable in the word and therefore tends to muffle the rest of the word.
In a dictionary, stressed syllables are usually marked with an apostrophe (') placed before it in the pronunciation keys.
The position of the stress can be anywhere: at the beginning, at the middle or at the end of the word.
Example exoskeleton (middle), topiary (beginning), Moghul (end)
Stress Patterns
Although there are no rules for stress placement, some stress patterns are noticeable. Remember that even native speakers make «mistakes» about stresses.
- placing the stress on the first syllable is often a good bet
Example handkerchief, altitude
- with words ending with -tion or -sion, the stress is always right before this suffix
Example foundation, addition
- it is often not a good bet to put the stress on the last syllable
Click to enlarge
Secondarily-Stressed Syllable
Secondarily-stressed syllables most often occur two syllables off a main stress. They are given more emphasis than unstressed syllables, but not as much as a stressed syllable. In a dictionary, the notation for that secondary stress is a lower apostrophe (ˌ).
Example forMALdehyde
Keep in Mind
Learning Method
Try to commit to memory the location of the stress in individual words each time you learn a new word.
Try to reproduce the stressed syllable out loud and listen to your own voice as it pronounces the stressed words.
