English words with more than one syllable mostly have a fixed stress pattern. There are not many rules to show which syllable of a word will be stressed, one usually has to learn the stress pattern of a word along with its meaning , spelling and pronunciation.
Examples
AFter, CApital, HAPpen, EXercise, EAsy.
inSTEAD, proNOUNCE, aGREEment, parTIcularly.
Examples
Stressed on first syllable
AFter, CApital, HAPpen, EXercise, EAsy.
Stressed on Second syllable
inSTEAD, proNOUNCE, aGREEment, parTIcularly.
Stressed on third syllable
- enterTAIN, underSTAND, concernTRAtion.
- The stressed syllable of a word is the one that can carry an intonation movement
- Many short phrases also have a fixed stress pattern. frontDOOR (not FRONTdoor)
- LIVing room (not living ROOM)
- Related words can have different stress patterns.
- to inCREASE an INcrease PHOtograph pho TOgrapher photGRAphic
