English Phonology ENG(325)

Stress Rules

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Stress is giving emphasis to a particular syllable in a word
through greater loudness and longer duration.

A few things to remember regarding word stress:

1. A word can only have one stress.

2. Only vowels are stressed, not consonants.
3. There are many exceptions to the rules. The word stress
rules in English are complicated. Remember that there are
exceptions to every rule.

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 Stress Rules
1. Two-Syllable nouns and adjectives. In most two syllable
nouns and adjectives, the first syllable receives the stress.

Examples:
SAMples
CARton
PURple
RAIny
CHIna
HAPpy

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2. Two-Syllable verbs and prepositions
In most two syllable verbs and prepositions, the stress is on the
second syllable.
Examples:
reLAX
reCEIVE
diRECT
aMONG
beTWEEN
deCIDE

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3. Three-Syllable words
For three-syllable words, look at the word ending (the suffix), using
the following as your guide:

a. Words ending in er, ly

For three-syllable words ending with the suffixes er or ly, the stress
is placed on the first syllable.
Examples:
ORderly
SIlently
LOvingly
MAnager
GARdener

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b. Words ending in “ic”, “sion”, or “tion”. Stress is placed on the
penultimate syllable (second syllable from end).

Examples:
Graphic græ.fɪk
Geographic ʤɪəg.ræ.fɪk
Information ɪn.fə.meɪ.ʃən
Presentation prɛ.zɛn.teɪ.ʃən
Possession pə.zɛ.ʃən
Television tɛ.lɪ.vɪ.ʒən

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c. Words ending in “cy”, “ty”, “phy”, “gy”, “al”. The stress is
placed on the ante-penultimate syllable. (third from the end).

Examples:
Democracy dɪ.mɒk.rə.si
Stability stə.bɪ.lɪ.ti
Photography fə.tɒg,rə.fi
Ecology ɪ.kɒ.lə.ʤi
Critical krɪ.tɪ.kəl