Practical No 7

Introduction to Stress and Intonation

1. What is Stress?

Stress refers to the emphasis placed on certain syllables or words when speaking.

A stressed syllable is pronounced louder, longer, and at a higher pitch than the
unstressed syllables.

Types of Stress:

A. Word Stress

Emphasis on a particular syllable within a word.

Example:

TAble, not taBLE

PHOtograph (stress on the first syllable)

phoTOgraphy (stress on the second syllable)

photoGRAphic (stress on the third syllable)

B. Sentence Stress

Emphasis on certain words within a sentence.

Typically, content words (nouns, main verbs, adjectives, adverbs) are stressed.

Function words (articles, prepositions, auxiliary verbs, pronouns) are usually

unstressed.

Example:

"I WANT to EAT an APPLE."

"want", "eat", and "apple" are stressed (main content words).

"I", "to", and "an" are lightly spoken.

2. Why is Stress Important?

Correct stress helps in making speech clear and understandable.

Wrong stress can lead to misunderstanding or make speech sound unnatural.

Example of misunderstanding:

Saying reCORD (noun) vs. REcord (verb).

I bought a new record. (noun - a music album)

Please record the meeting. (verb - to capture audio/video)

3. What is Intonation?

Intonation is the rise and fall of voice pitch during speech.

It gives emotion, attitude, and meaning beyond the actual words.

Functions of Intonation:

Expressing emotions: happiness, anger, surprise, doubt, etc.

Structuring speech: dividing speech into units or making it easy to follow.

Indicating grammar: showing a question, statement, or command.

4. Types of Intonation Patterns

A. Rising Intonation (↗️)

Voice rises at the end of a sentence.

Common in yes/no questions, uncertainty, or unfinished thoughts.

Examples:

"Are you coming ↗️?"

"Maybe later ↗️."

B. Falling Intonation (↗️)

Voice falls at the end of a sentence.

Common in statements, commands, WH-questions (who, what, where, etc.), and

finished thoughts.

Examples:

"She is coming home ↗️."

"Where are you going ↗️?"

C. Rising-Falling Intonation (↗️↗️)

Voice rises and then falls within the same phrase.

Used in polite requests, suggestions, or to show interest.

Example:

"Would you like some tea ↗️↗️?"

D. Falling-Rising Intonation (↗️↗️)

Voice falls and then rises.

Shows uncertainty, reservation, or partial agreement.

Example:

"Well, I suppose it’s possible ↗️↗️."

5. Common Mistakes with Stress and Intonation

Flat Speech: No variation in pitch makes speech sound monotonous.

Wrong Word Stress: Confuses listeners (e.g., stressing "phoTOgraph" instead of

"PHOtograph" when meaning the noun).

Wrong Intonation Pattern: Can change the meaning (e.g., a falling intonation on a
yes/no question might sound rude or abrupt).

6. Practice Activities

Mark the stressed syllables:

Banana, Invitation, Understand, Communication

Practice different intonation:

Read: "Are you okay?" with both rising and falling intonation and observe the
difference.

7. Quick Summary Table

Aspect Stress Intonation

Definition Emphasis on syllables/words Rise and fall of pitch in speech
Focus Words or syllables Whole sentences or phrases
Purpose Clarity and meaning at word level Emotion, attitude, and meaning overall
Rising: "Are you coming?"
Examples 'TAble', 'reCORD'
Falling: "He is here."
Stress Exercises

1. Identify the Stressed Syllable

Underline or mark the stressed syllable in the following words:

banana

development

computer

information

photography

education

economics

university

difficulty

technology

2. Word Pairs — Noun vs. Verb Stress

In English, many nouns and verbs are spelled the same but have different stress
patterns.

Match the correct stress pattern:

Noun (stress on 1st syllable) Verb (stress on 2nd syllable)

REcord reCORD
INcrease inCREASE
PREsent preSENT
CONtract conTRACT
PERmit perMIT

Exercise:
Say each pair aloud and feel the stress shift.

3. Sentence Stress Practice

In the sentences below, mark the words you would stress (typically content words:
nouns, main verbs, adjectives, adverbs).

Sentences:

She loves playing the guitar.

They have been working very hard.

I will meet you after class.

He bought a beautiful painting yesterday.

Can you help me find my phone?

4. Stress Shifting and Meaning

Some words change their meaning depending on the stress.

Fill in the blanks with the correct form:

1. I need to (reCORD/REcord) this video.

2. This is an old (reCORD/REcord) of the 80s.
3. Please (conDUCT/CONduct) the experiment carefully.
4. The (conDUCT/CONduct) of the students was excellent.

5. Practice with 3-Syllable Words

Say these words aloud. Identify where the stress falls.

Family

Yesterday

Chocolate

Happily

Animal

6. Read Aloud – Sentence Stress and Rhythm

Read these aloud, emphasizing stressed words and reducing unstressed words
naturally.

I can’t believe she did that!

How much does it cost?

What time are you arriving tomorrow?

This place is really beautiful.

Do you want to come with us?

Optional Fun Activity

Tongue Twisters for Stress and Rhythm:

"Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers."

"She sells seashells by the seashore."

Tip: Focus on natural rhythm and stress, not speed at first!

 How to show stress

Ways to Show Stress

1. Capital Letters

Capitalize the stressed syllable or stressed word.

Example:

TAble (word stress)

I WANT to BUY a CAR. (sentence stress)

2. Underline

Underline the stressed part.

Example:

Table

I want to buy a car.

3. Bold Text

Make the stressed part bold if typing.

Example:

TAble

I want to buy a car.

4. IPA (Phonetic Symbols)

Use phonetic transcription and stress marks.

A small (ˈ) mark is placed before the stressed syllable.

Example:

table → /ˈteɪ.bəl/

photograph → /ˈfəʊ.tə.grɑːf/

photography → /fəˈtɒ.grə.fi/

5. Visual/Voice Demonstration

When speaking, raise your voice slightly, lengthen the syllable, and sometimes
increase pitch on the stressed part.

You can also clap, tap, or gesture on the stressed syllable in class.

Example while speaking:

"TAble" (say 'TA' louder and slightly higher)

"phoTOgraphy" (say 'TOG' louder)

Quick Comparison Table

Method Example for "banana" Example for Sentence

Capital letters baNAna I LOVE ice CREAM.
Underline banana I love ice cream.
Bold Text baNAna I love ice cream.
Phonetic (IPA) /bəˈnɑː.nə/ (Show stressed words in speaking.)

Important Tip

When showing sentence stress, only the key content words are stressed, NOT every
word!

Quiz on Stress & Intonation

Part A: Word Stress (10 Marks)

Q1. Choose the correct syllable that carries the stress in these words.
(Write 1st, 2nd, or 3rd.)

1. Banana - ________
2. Computer - ________
3. Family - ________
4. Understand - ________
5. Development - ________

Part B: Sentence Stress (10 Marks)

Q2. In the following sentences, underline the words that should be stressed.

1. She wants to buy a new laptop.

2. I am going to the market tomorrow.
3. Could you please help me with my homework?
4. This movie was really interesting.
5. Where are you going after the class?

Part C: Intonation (10 Marks)

Q3. Write R for Rising Intonation and F for Falling Intonation.

1. Are you coming with us? _______

2. What is your favorite subject? _______
3. I am feeling very tired today. _______
4. Did he call you yesterday? _______
5. How did you solve this problem? _______

Answer Key

Part A: Word Stress

1. 2nd (baNAna)
2. 2nd (comPUter)
3. 1st (FAMily)
4. 3rd (underSTAND)
5. 2nd (deVELopment)

Part B: Sentence Stress

(Underlined words = stressed words)

1. She wants to buy a new laptop.

2. I am going to the market tomorrow.
3. Could you please help me with my homework?
4. This movie was really interesting.
5. Where are you going after the class?
Part C: Intonation

1. R (Rising)
2. F (Falling)
3. F (Falling)
4. R (Rising)
5. F (Falling)