Word Stress - Importance & Best Way To Learn - Video Lesson 4

English Video Lesson #4 The Importance Of Word Stress Level: Low Intermediate

Posted on January 18, 2013inQ-AdmininVideo English lessons

word stress Here is another English video lesson for you from the series created by the Cambridge ESOL team.

In this video, the presenter, Jessica, talks about the Cambridge English Speaking Test and the importance of understanding and practising word stress when speaking and learning English.

Not all languages use word stress but it is very much a part of the English language and therefore something that you should be very aware of, particularly when you are learning new vocabulary.

Watch the video below and listen to the great advice Jessica gives to find out how to best go about learning word stress.

Video Transcript

Hello, my name’s Jessica. Preparation is key in any exam and the Cambridge English Speaking Test is no exception. There are lots of factors to consider in the speaking test, for example: pronunciation, intonation, vowel sounds and stress.

Stress is very important; it helps you understand other speakers of English and it also helps other people to understand you, especially when speaking at speed.

One thing that learners of all levels sometimes find confusing is when the meaning of the word depends on how you stress it. So, let’s take a closer look at word stress.

There are many two-syllable words in English. Take this word for example: present.

Which syllable would you stress, the first, the second or are both acceptable? PREsent or PreSENT? Does the meaning change?

PREsent is a noun, meaning a gift. PreSENT is a verb with several meanings, for example: to show and to make a presentation.

Here are some more examples:

to obJECT and an OBject
to imPORT and an IMport
to CONtract and a CONtract
to exPORT and an EXport

In all of these examples, the word is a verb when the second syllable is stressed and a noun when the first syllable is stressed.

How can you best learn word stress?

You’ll need both time and experience, so listen carefully to native speakers and try to develop a feeling for the rhythm of the language. You can also keep a record of which syllable is stressed in your vocabulary notebook, for example, by underlining the stressed syllable.

There are many different varieties of English accents in the UK and elsewhere in the world and they are all acceptable. Comprehensive pronunciation is what’s tested in the exam and stress plays a major part in this. Your accent is not something to worry about in the test as long as you can be understood.

Don’t forget that you can look up stress in any good dictionary. Thank you for watching.

Learn more about word stress and get plenty of English speaking practise by enrolling on one of our part-time or Intensive English Courses. And learn more about what to expect from an English class at Q Language here.

Comments

Janey Park says
February 10, 2013 at 2:51 AM
I like this article. I worry i sound too Korean when i speak English. Now i will try these tips. Thank you
Reply
- Q-Admin says
  February 11, 2013 at 1:57 PM
  Thanks Janey, we’re glad it helped you. 🙂
  Reply