2.3.- Word stress.

It’s important for you to know the syllable on which the stress is given.

We can use circles to show the stress, the bigger circle shows the syllable which has the stress; in the dictionary you can find this symbol (´) to show the stressed syllable. For example:

Tourism Ooo Tourism /ˈtʊərɪz(ə)m/

In English there is not a fixed pattern to know where the stress is placed. These are some of the stress patterns that you can find:

Two-syllable words with the stress on the first syllable:

August Oo Travel Oo

Two-syllable words with the stress on the second syllable:

Hotel oO Receipt oO

Three-syllable words with the stress on the first syllable:

Holiday Ooo Satellite Ooo

Three-syllable words with the stress on the second syllable:

September oOo Important oOo

Three-syllable words with the stress on the third syllable:

Magazine ooO Volunteer ooO

You should pay attention to some two-syllable words in English which have the same spelling, but the stress can be on the first or on the second syllable. If the stress is on the first syllable, it is a noun; however, if the stress is on the second syllable, it is a verb.

Let’s consider the word record:

They would like to record (1) a new record (2).

1. is a verb, so the stress is on the second syllable: to record oO
2. is a noun, so the stress is on the first syllable: record Oo

There are some other words like this:

Conflict Decrease Suspect Import Increase Insult

Transfer Permit Present Progress Protest Transport