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Word stress and sentence rhythm
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Find the main stress in a word
- In words with several syllables, one syllable carries the main stress: TA-ble, STU-dent. Make that syllable more noticeable rather than shouting the whole word.
- Practise TAble, WINdow, DOCtor. Other syllables are still part of the word. Longer words can also have secondary stress; Mandarin stress and rhythm are not simply equal beats either.
Which syllable is stressed in “computer”?
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com-PU-ter — the strong beat is in the middle.
Learn the word, not just its word class
- These two-syllable nouns have first-syllable stress: TAble, WINdow, DOCtor.
- These verbs have second-syllable stress: beGIN, forGET, deCIDE, arRIVE.
- Treat those as useful examples, not a rule for all nouns and verbs. VISit is a verb with first-syllable stress. Check a dictionary or ask a teacher for a new word.
First beat or second beat?
Sort the main-stress patterns of these particular words; their noun or verb labels do not determine all English word stress.
True or false? “TAble” is stressed on the first syllable.
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Table has main stress on its first syllable. This example does not determine stress in every two-syllable noun.
Match each word to its stress pattern.
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Table and window are first-stressed; begin is second-stressed. Match these actual words rather than applying a blanket noun/verb rule.
Weak syllables can change
- Keep the main stress clear: baNAna, comPUter, toMORrow, INteresting, COMfortable, FAMily.
- Some speakers reduce or omit an unstressed vowel in interesting, comfortable or family. Fuller pronunciations can also be natural. Do not mark a clear form wrong just because it keeps a weak syllable.
- The spelling is a useful reminder, but it is not an exact map of the sounds. This exercise asks you to notice stress, not to force every speaker into one syllable count.
Which syllable has the main stress in interesting, in the examples here?
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The main stress is on the first syllable: INteresting. Syllable reduction varies, so a compulsory three-syllable count is not a valid rule for all natural speech.
Sentence stress shows what matters
- Practice reading: I WANT to GO to SCHOOL. She LIKES her NEW comPUter.
- In a neutral reading, important content words often stand out, while words such as to are weaker. Keep the weak words audible enough to understand; do not race through them.
- A contrast can change the focus: TO school, not FROM school gives a preposition stress. The meaning and context matter, not only the word's grammar label.
In the neutral practice reading I WANT to GO to SCHOOL, is to given the main sentence stress?
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No in this specified practice reading. In a different contrast, such as TO school, not FROM school, a preposition can carry stress.
Translate into English: 我想喝杯茶。
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I'd like + a cup of tea.
Rhythm in a short exchange
- Transcript: — Would you LIKE some COFfee? — No, THANKS. I'd preFER a CUP of TEA.
- The capitals suggest a possible practice reading. Coffee has first-syllable word stress and prefer has second-syllable word stress. Sentence focus can still vary with what the speaker wants to contrast.
Listen to clip 5. What does the customer prefer?
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“I'd preFER a CUP of TEA.”
Change stress without deleting the word
- If table sounds equally strong on both syllables, try making TA more noticeable while keeping the ending light.
- For interesting and comfortable, begin with the main stress on the first syllable. Do not impose compulsory vowel deletion on another speaker's valid pronunciation.
- Compare a CUP of TEA with a cup of COFFEE, not tea. Choose the words that carry your message; a rhythm pattern is a practice choice, not a fixed score rule.
Write two short English sentences about your morning. Mark the words you want a listener to notice in one possible reading, and briefly explain a contrast if it changes the usual focus.
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One possible reading: I have BREAKFAST at SEVEN. Another contrast could stress I rather than another person. The intended meaning determines the useful focus; the written marks are not a pronunciation test.
Practise and compare
- Say TAble, WINdow, beGIN, forGET, baNAna, comPUter. Tap the main stressed syllable.
- Say the dialogue with a partner or your own recorder. First ask for coffee; then change the choice to tea. Which word should the listener notice?
- Replay one attempt and choose a specific repair. A slower take can be more useful than a faster one; check the result rather than assuming the retry improved.
Recall the focus later
- Tomorrow, say two words from memory and make a new coffee-or-tea exchange. Check the word stress and the information you made prominent.
- Next: local recorded introductions or word endings.
- Usage references checked 20 October 2026: British Council: weak forms, connected speech, and Cambridge: family. Independent language, recording and learner reviews remain pending.