Take the phrases "photograph, photographer, and photographic" as an example. When spoken, do they have the same sound? No. owing to the fact that we stress the first syllable of each word. The syllable isn't always the same either. Consequently, each word has a distinct "form."
Definition
Each word in English is not pronounced with the same amount of force or vigor. We emphasize just one syllable every word. We pronounce one syllable (large, strong, important) quite loudly and all the other syllables very softly.
Rules
Learning the rules of word stress can help you improve your pronunciation and communication in English. Here are some things to keep in mind:
1. In most cases, the stressed syllable is pronounced louder and with a longer vowel sound than the others.
2. The stressed syllable is often the one that comes before the last syllable of the word. For example, the word "information" is stressed on the third syllable from the end.
3. In compound words, the stress typically falls on the first syllable. For example, the word "basketball" is stressed on the first syllable.
4. In words that end in "-tion" or "-sion", the stress usually falls on the syllable before the "-tion" or "-sion". For example, the word "information" is stressed on the third syllable from the end.
5. In words that are more than one syllable long, the stress is usually on the first syllable if the word is a noun, and on the second syllable if the word is a verb. For example, the word "export" is stressed on the first syllable, but the word "import" is stressed on the second syllable.
Conclusion
Learning these rules can help you stress the correct syllable when you're speaking English. This, in turn, can help you communicate more effectively.
