Understanding sentence stress is crucial for effective communication in English. It helps in emphasizing certain words and conveying the intended meaning more clearly.

What is Sentence Stress?

Sentence stress is the emphasis placed on certain words in a sentence. It is determined by the speaker's intention and the context of the conversation. Words that carry more importance or convey a stronger meaning are usually stressed.

Types of Stress

  1. Primary Stress: This is the most prominent stress in a sentence and usually falls on the main content word. For example, in the sentence "I am going to the store," the primary stress is on "am" and "store."
  2. Secondary Stress: This is a weaker stress that can occur on other content words. For example, in the sentence "She has a new car," the secondary stress is on "has" and "new."
  3. Stress Reduction: Some words, especially function words like articles and prepositions, can be reduced or even omitted in speech without changing the meaning of the sentence.

Rules for Stress Placement

  1. Content Words: Content words like nouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs usually receive stress.
  2. First Word: The first word of a sentence often receives stress to indicate the beginning of the sentence.
  3. Key Words: Words that carry the main meaning or emphasize a point are often stressed.
  4. Negative Sentences: The word "not" is usually stressed in negative sentences to emphasize the negation.

Practice

To improve your understanding of sentence stress, try practicing the following exercises:

  1. Identify the stressed words in the following sentences:
    • I will go to the store later.
    • She does not like coffee.
  2. Change the stress in the following sentences to see how it affects the meaning:
    • I will go to the store later.
    • She does not like coffee.

More Resources

For further learning on sentence stress, you can explore the following resources:

English Grammar Book