Rules of Word Stress in English

There are two very simple rules about word stress:

1. One word has only one stress. (One word cannot have two stresses. If you hear two stresses, you hear two words. Two stresses cannot be one word. It is true that there can be a "secondary" stress in some words. But a secondary stress is much smaller than the main [primary] stress, and is only used in long words.)

2. We can only stress vowels, not consonants.
    Here are some more, rather complicated, rules that can help you understand where to put the stress. But do not rely on them too much, because there are many exceptions. It is better to try to "feel" the music of the language and to add the stress naturally.

   1 Stress on first syllable

   rule	example
   Most 2-syllable nouns	PRESent, EXport, CHIna, TAble
   Most 2-syllable adjectives	PRESent, SLENder, CLEVer, HAPpy

   2 Stress on last syllable

   rule	example
   Most 2-syllable verbs	to preSENT, to exPORT, to deCIDE, to beGIN

   There are many two-syllable words in English whose meaning and class change with a change in stress. The word present, for example is a two-syllable word. If we stress the first syllable, it is a noun (gift) or an adjective (opposite of absent). But if we stress the second syllable, it becomes a verb (to offer). More examples: the words export, import, contract and object can all be nouns or verbs depending on whether the stress is on the first or second syllable.

   3 Stress on penultimate syllable (penultimate = second from end)

   rule	example
   Words ending in -ic	GRAPHic, geoGRAPHic, geoLOGic
   Words ending in -sion and -tion	teleVIsion, reveLAtion

   For a few words, native English speakers don't always "agree" on where to put the stress. For example, some people say teleVIsion and others say TELevision. Another example is: CONtroversy and conTROversy.

   4 Stress on ante-penultimate syllable (ante-penultimate = third from end)

   rule	example
   Words ending in -cy, -ty, -phy and -gy	deMOcracy, dependaBIlity, phoTOgraphy, geOLogy
   Words ending in -al	CRItical, geoLOGical

   5 Compound words (words with two parts)

   rule	example
   For compound nouns, the stress is on the first part	BLACKbird, GREENhouse
   For compound adjectives, the stress is on the second part	bad-TEMpered, old-FASHioned
   For compound verbs, the stress is on the second part	to underSTAND, to overFLOW

    

    

   Word Stress Pattern Rules

       1.  Using suffixes to predict stress

           (A)  Stress the suffix itself:
    

   - ee	employee        refugee            trainee          referee
   - eer	engineer          career             volunteer
   - ese	Chinese          Japanese        Portuguese
   - ique	unique             antique            technique

   
           (B)  Stress the syllable immediately before the suffix:
    

   - ial	memorial        financial             artificial               essential
   - ual	visual              unusual             intellectual             individual
   - ian	Canadian       vegetarian        pedestrian            politician
   - sion	explosion        occasion          conclusion            permission
   - tion	definition         production           situation            qualification
   - ient	ancient             sufficient              efficient             deficient           proficient
   - cious	delicious          conscious         suspicious           judicious
   - tious	ambitious         cautious           superstitious        conscientious
   - ic	academic        energetic            fantastic               terrific             realistic
   - ible	edible                 flexible              incredible             impossible
   - ity	ability                 necessity            publicity              possibility       humidity
   - ify	classify              terrify                  humidify              personify         solidify
   - logy	biology             sociology            anthropology       psychology
   - graphy	geography      autobiography     photography
   - meter	kilometer         parameter          speedometer        thermometer

   
            (C)  Stress  the second syllable before the suffix:
    

   - ate	operate           exaggerate           associate          integrate           certificate
   - ize	apologize       criticize                 recognize           computerize
   - ary	secretary         necessary           contemporary     vocabulary
   - ous	dangerous     mysterious            spontaneous       simultaneous

   
       2.  Using Parts of Speech to predict stress

             (A)  For certain two-syllable words used as both nouns and verbs,
                   stress nouns on the first syllable, and verbs on the second syllable.
    

          Noun            Verb                                   Example 
     1.  record         record                  The bank recorded a new record yesterday. 
     2.  present       present                He presented his wife with a beautiful present. 
     3.  conduct      conduct               They're conducting a study into his conduct. 
     4.  suspect      suspect               The suspect was suspected of robbing the bank. 
     5.  desert         desert                  The desert is so dry that it is usually deserted.

   
           (B)  Stress compound nouns on the first part/word:
    

     deadline           classroom             software           typewriter          policeman              airplane 
     bus station       air conditioner       sports car       credit card         stock market         Great wall

   
            (C)  Stress two-word verbs more strongly on the second word,
                  but for their noun equivalents, stress them on the first part.
    

   Noun:   Here's the printout.                 She's a dropout.                 Where's the checkout counter?                 There was a holdup at the bank.                 This clearly is a setup.

   Verb:   He printed it out.                 She dropped out.                 Can I check it out?                 Hold up your hand.                 I'll set up a meeting for you.