Basic Emphasis Pattern (1): Content Words

English speakers use a basic pattern for emphasis when reading or speaking. If you get to use this pattern correctly, you will:

Hear them better, Understand their speech better, and Be understood better.

Basic Emphasis Pattern (1)

Content Words

Nouns Main verbs Adverbs Adjectives Question Words

cat male truck

eat quit clean

slowly quickly nicely

pretty ugly normal

who where when

Structure Words

Pronouns Prepositions Articles “to be” verbs

Conjunctions

I you

in into on at over of

the a an

is am are was were

and but so yet

Auxiliary verbs

can could

Content words are easier to hear because they are given extra emphasis on the sentence. Examples: 1. This is a cat. 2. What does it eat? 3. Please come quickly. 4. You did excellent work. 5. Why did you write the letter.