Stress is the extra muscular activity Stress is the extra muscular activity or force that is exerted on either the or force that is exerted on either the syllable of a word or the entire word. syllable of a word or the entire word. It is not every word of a sentence It is not every word of a sentence that is stressed in the English that is stressed in the English language. Those words or syllables of language. Those words or syllables of a word that are stressed are usually a word that are stressed are usually more prominent than others. more prominent than others. Generally, Generally, nounsnouns, , verbsverbs, , adjectivesadjectives, , adverbsadverbs, and , and relative pronounsrelative pronouns are are stressed in a sentence. stressed in a sentence. Personal Personal pronounspronouns conjunctionsconjunctions, , prepositionsprepositions, , and and articles articles on the other hand are on the other hand are not stressed.not stressed.

It should be noted that, when we stress It should be noted that, when we stress the syllable of a word, or the entire word the syllable of a word, or the entire word we perceived that the syllable or the we perceived that the syllable or the word is louder and longer compared to word is louder and longer compared to the unstressed word or syllable around the unstressed word or syllable around it. There are three different types of it. There are three different types of stress in English which can be assigned stress in English which can be assigned to either disyllabic or multisyllabic to either disyllabic or multisyllabic words. words.

1. 1. PRIMARY OR NUCLEAR STRESS.PRIMARY OR NUCLEAR STRESS.

This is marked by a high upright line This is marked by a high upright line placed on the syllable that is considered placed on the syllable that is considered louder and longer than the others. louder and longer than the others.

2. 2. SECONDARY STRESSSECONDARY STRESS..

This is marked by a low upright This is marked by a low upright line on the next syllable that we line on the next syllable that we consider equally loud and long but consider equally loud and long but not as loud and long as the one not as loud and long as the one that attracts the primary stress. that attracts the primary stress.

3. 3. TERTIARY STRESSTERTIARY STRESS..

This is assigned to less This is assigned to less prominent syllables or words. prominent syllables or words.

EXAMPLE.EXAMPLE.

,,ecoeco’’nomicnomic

,,responsiresponsi’’bilitybility

In the two words above, the secondary In the two words above, the secondary stress comes in the first syllable, while stress comes in the first syllable, while the primary or main stress for economic the primary or main stress for economic comes in the third syllable from the left. comes in the third syllable from the left. That of responsibility comes in the third That of responsibility comes in the third syllable from the right. We indicate the syllable from the right. We indicate the syllable that is stressed in a word by syllable that is stressed in a word by either using a high upright line, an either using a high upright line, an asterisk or writing the syllable in capital asterisk or writing the syllable in capital letters as indicated in the examples letters as indicated in the examples above. E.g. ‘master (n), *master MAS-above. E.g. ‘master (n), *master MAS-ter. ter.

We have different methods of stress We have different methods of stress assignment on disyllabic and assignment on disyllabic and multisyllabic words. Generally, multisyllabic words. Generally, disyllabic nouns are stressed on the disyllabic nouns are stressed on the first syllable while disyllabic verbs are first syllable while disyllabic verbs are stressed on the last syllable.stressed on the last syllable.

e.g. e.g. Disyllable Disyllable nounsnouns Disyllable Disyllable verbsverbs ‘ ‘masmaster at’ter at’tendtend ‘ ‘teateacher cher be’ be’lievelieve ‘ ‘preapreachercher re’ re’tiretire ‘ ‘creacreatortor re’ re’turnturn ‘ ‘painpainterter a’ a’busebuse ‘ ‘praprayer yer be‘ be‘havehave

‘ ‘mismistake al’take al’lowlow ‘ ‘bababyby en’ en’suresure ‘ ‘wriwriterter at’ at’taintain ‘ ‘anangelgel de’ de’ceiveceive.. In public examinations such as SSCE In public examinations such as SSCE

and NECO, the candidate is given four and NECO, the candidate is given four words three of which have the same words three of which have the same stress pattern while the last one is stress pattern while the last one is stressed differently. The candidate is stressed differently. The candidate is expected to choose the option that has expected to choose the option that has the word that has a different stress the word that has a different stress pattern. E.g.pattern. E.g.

A. mistakeA. mistake B. attendB. attend C. forgiveC. forgive D. invite.D. invite.

In the example above, options B, C In the example above, options B, C and D have the same stress pattern and D have the same stress pattern while option A is stressed while option A is stressed differently. option A is, therefore, differently. option A is, therefore, the correct answer.the correct answer.

Note that disyllabic adjectives Note that disyllabic adjectives and adverbs may be stressed either and adverbs may be stressed either at the first or last syllable. A good at the first or last syllable. A good rule of thumb therefore is that when rule of thumb therefore is that when we pronounce a word the syllable we pronounce a word the syllable on which our pitch is the highest on which our pitch is the highest and longest bears the stress. and longest bears the stress.

The following are some disyllabic The following are some disyllabic words and their stress patterns. words and their stress patterns.

Word Correct stressWord Correct stress advocate advocate ADADvocatevocate bargainbargain BARBARgaingain canoecanoe ca caNOENOE challengechallenge CHALCHALlengelenge colleague colleague COLCOLleagueleague despitedespite des desPITEPITE eliteelite e eLITELITE success sucsuccess sucCESSCESS genuine genuine GENGENuineuine interpret ininterpret inTERTERpretpret

opponentopponent opopPOPOnentnent

impartialimpartial imimPARPARtialtial

interestinginteresting ININterestingteresting

importantimportant imimPORPORtanttant

tribalismtribalism TRITRIbalismbalism

documentdocument DOCDOCumentument

criticismcriticism CRITCRITicismicism

complementcomplement COMCOMplementplement

circumstancecircumstance CIRCIRcumstancecumstance

successsuccess sucsucCESSCESS

Stress patterns of multisyllabic Stress patterns of multisyllabic wordswords..

Multisyllabic words may be stressed on Multisyllabic words may be stressed on any syllable. In public examinations, the any syllable. In public examinations, the candidate is given a word and different candidate is given a word and different options A to D. The syllable that is options A to D. The syllable that is stressed is capitalised. We are expected stressed is capitalised. We are expected to choose the option that has the to choose the option that has the appropriate stress. E.g.appropriate stress. E.g.

1. autocratic1. autocratic

A. AU-to-cra-ticA. AU-to-cra-tic

B. au-TO-cra-ticB. au-TO-cra-tic

C. au-to-CRA-ticC. au-to-CRA-tic

D. au-to-cra-TICD. au-to-cra-TIC

In the example above, the In the example above, the correct answer is C because it is correct answer is C because it is the second syllable from the end the second syllable from the end that is stressed. that is stressed.

The following are rules The following are rules governing the stress patterns of governing the stress patterns of multisyllabic words.multisyllabic words.

Simple rules for assigning stress to polysyllabic words

We shall consider some simple We shall consider some simple rules for stress placement based on rules for stress placement based on word endings (suffixes).word endings (suffixes). ‘ ‘ateate’ stress the first syllable if the ’ stress the first syllable if the word has three or more syllables.word has three or more syllables. Example:Example: CALCALculateculate CASCAStigatetigate ALALtenatetenate DEMDEMonstrate onstrate MAMAgistrate gistrate PROPROmulgatemulgate FORFORtunatetunate MOMOtivate tivate CONCONfiscatefiscate PENPENetrateetrate OPOPerate erate CONCONtemplatetemplate

‘ ‘--icic’ stress the second syllable from the ’ stress the second syllable from the end if a word has three or four syllables.end if a word has three or four syllables.

Example:Example:

idioidioMAMATTicic eco ecoNONOmicmic optioptiMISMIStictic

dradraMAMAtictic inor inorGAGAnicnic humanhumanISIStictic

ememPHAPHAtic histic hisTOTORRicic phophoNETNETicsics

‘ ‘--calcal’ stress the third syllable from the ’ stress the third syllable from the end if the word has four or five end if the word has four or five syllables.syllables.

Example:Example:

demodemoCRACRAtical geotical geoMETMETrical rerical reCIPCIProcalrocal

ecoecoNOMNOMicalical his hisTORTORicalical me meTHODTHODicalical

photophotoGRAPGRAPHHical poical poLITLITical ilical ilLOLOgicalgical

‘ ‘--ureure’ stress the second syllable from the ’ stress the second syllable from the end if the word has three or four end if the word has three or four syllables.syllables.

Example:Example:

adadMIXMIXtureture conconJECJECtureture

adadVENVENtureture dedeBENBENtureture

‘ ‘--ionion’ stress the second syllable from the ’ stress the second syllable from the end if the word has four or five syllables.end if the word has four or five syllables.

Example:Example:

satissatisFACFACtiontion exe exeCUCUtiontion elimielimiNANAtiontion

‘ ‘--ationation’ stress the second syllable ’ stress the second syllable from the end.from the end.

Example: Example:

adminisadminisTRATRAtion privatition privatiZAZAtiontion

confedeconfedeRARAtion considetion consideRARAtiontion

co-opeco-opeRARAtion organition organiZAZAtiontion

‘‘--ismism’ Stress the first syllable (’ Stress the first syllable (initial initial stressstress))

PATPATrotism rotism NANAtionalism tionalism RARAtionismtionism

ORORganism ganism MECHMECHanism anism COMCOMmunismmunism

‘ ‘--ableable’ stress the first syllable from ’ stress the first syllable from the beginning if the word has four the beginning if the word has four or five syllables.or five syllables.

Example: Example:

COMCOMfortable fortable EXEEXEcutable cutable FAFAvourablevourable

HOHOnourable nourable REAREAsonable sonable CRECREditableditable

EMPHATIC STRESSEMPHATIC STRESS..

Emphatic or shifting stress is Emphatic or shifting stress is used by the speaker to show the used by the speaker to show the importance or significance of a unit importance or significance of a unit of information in an utterance. of information in an utterance. Emphasis is focused on the most Emphasis is focused on the most important element the speaker important element the speaker wishes to draw attention to and it is wishes to draw attention to and it is achieved through the degree of achieved through the degree of intensity (pitch change) given to intensity (pitch change) given to the particular word. the particular word.

In public examinations, we are given In public examinations, we are given four options lettered A to D. The word four options lettered A to D. The word that bears the emphatic stress is that bears the emphatic stress is capitalised. The candidate is expected to capitalised. The candidate is expected to choose the option that contrasts the choose the option that contrasts the word that is capitalised in the sentence.word that is capitalised in the sentence.

e.g. e.g. 1. The teacher 1. The teacher SOLDSOLD a book to him? a book to him? A. Did the teacher sell a book to him?A. Did the teacher sell a book to him? B. Did the teacher borrow a book from B. Did the teacher borrow a book from

him?him? C. Did the teacher buy a book from him?C. Did the teacher buy a book from him? D. Did the teacher loan a book to him?D. Did the teacher loan a book to him? The correct answer is ‘C’ because ‘The correct answer is ‘C’ because ‘buybuy’ ’

is the only word that contrast ‘sold’. is the only word that contrast ‘sold’.