Are you finding it hard to understand and answer questions on word stress or syllable stress in English?

In this lesson…

You will learn the simple rules for answering questions on word stress in your JAMB and WAEC English test of oral exam.

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ALSO SEE: How To Answer Questions On Emphatic Stress

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Take note.

A link for you to practice exam past questions on word stress is included at the bottom of this lesson.

1. First syllable from the back

Words (3 syllables or more) that ends with these suffixes below are stressed on their first syllable from the back.

Suffix	Example(s)	Word stress
—ee	absentee nominee	ab-sen-TEE no-mi-NEE
—eer	volunteer	vo-lun-TEER
—ade	lemonade	le-mo-NADE
—ese	Togolese	To-go-LESE
—oon	cartoon	car-TOON

2. Second syllable from the back

Words (3 syllables or more) that ends with these suffixes below are stressed on their second syllable from the back.

Suffix	Examples	Word stress
—ion	revelation television	re-ve-LA-tion te-le-VI-sion
—ic	platonic	pla-TO-nic
—ble	relatable irresistible	re-la-TA-ble i-re-sis-TI-ble
—ian	civilian	ci-VI-lian
—ial	financial	fi-NAN-cial
—ia	Nigeria	Ni-GE-ria
—ent	ingredient	in-GRE-dient
—ous	religious righteous	re-LI-gious RIGH-teous
—ual	unusual	un-U-sual
—ish	selfish	SEL-fish
—sis	diagnosis	di-ag-NO-sis
—ive	intensive	in-TEN-sive
—tant	militant	mi-LI-tant

3. Third syllable from the back

Words (3 syllables or more) that ends with these suffixes below are stressed on their third syllable from the back.

Suffix	Examples	Word stress
—ty	clarity maternity	CLA-ri-ty ma-TER-ni-ty
—cy	democracy	de-MO-cra-cy
—gy	geology	ge-O-lo-gy
—fy	qualify personify	QUA-li-fy per-SO-ni-fy
—phy	photography	pho-TO-gra-phy
—sy	controversy	con-TRO-ver-sy
—ise —ize	advertise apologize	AD-ver-tise a-PO-lo-gize
—ate	evaporate	e-VA-po-rate
—al	maternal	MA-ter-nal

4. Fourth syllable from the back

Words (usually more than 3 syllables) that end with the suffix below are stressed on their fourth syllable from the back.

Suffix	Examples	Word stress
—sm	tribalism revivalism	TRI-ba-li-sm re-VI-va-li-sm

5. Last syllable from the back

Words (3 syllables or more) that ends with these suffixes below are stressed on their very last syllable from the back.

Suffix	Examples	Word stress
—ly	orderly disorderly	OR-der-ly DIS-or-der-ly
—er	manager	MA-na-ger

6. Words with two syllables

VERBS of two-syllable are stressed on their first syllable from the back, while NOUNS of two-syllable are stressed on their second syllable from the back.

Type	Examples	Word stress
Verb	relax	re-LAX
Noun	purple	PUR-ple

NOTE – some words are exceptions, meaning that even when they fall into the categories above, their stress patterns may differ.

Classwork

Click on the link below to practice real past questions on Word Stress now.

Practice Test

Do you have something to ask on this word stress? Comment below and a staff or fellow ACADite will reply you.