Universidad de Los Andes Prof. Argenis A.

Zapata
Facultad de Humanidades y Educación Idioma A: Fonética y Fonología Inglesa I
Escuela de Idiomas Modernos Semestre B-2004

Stress Placement Exercises

I. Listen to the following words and mark their primary stress and the secondary stress, if
any.

Susan Timothy Elizabeth Alexander Afghanistan

houses indigo indecisive biology Amazon
yellow Germany Argentina Felicity Anthony
Japan bananas pomegranates jumpers Cardiff
apples workable unforgiven obeyed elephant
grower workmanship unworkable photographer giraffe
working watchfulness photography policeman Janet
watchful decisive photographic rhinoceros Jemima
aloud decided collapse support Manchester
hunted forgiven Japanese unabridged Mississippi
decide tomorrow parade Volga Morocco
forgive cigarette saliva watches Peter
photo photograph succumb Wolverhampton picturesque

II. Listen to the following words and mark their primary stress and the secondary stress, if
any.

clarify pre-set prefer accelerate contradict

wander soften enliven refuse sentimentalize
interfere defuse apologize damage collect
abolish co-chair identify occupy measure
undertake circularize defend prepaint consider
substitute surrender overwhelm monopolize determine
remove demist understand worry idolize

III. Listen to the following words and mark their primary stress and the secondary stress, if
any.

abridge amuse collide conduct (v.) object (v.)

absorb announce command confide observe
abuse avert compare conserve obstruct
account avoid compete ferment offend
accuse collapse compose forget persuade
allow collect forgive pervert

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 police subvert (v.) endure imply invite
pollute suffice enforce import (v.) surprise
produce (v.) suggest engage impute develop
protect surprise ignite incline introduce
subside survey (v.) ignore increase tremble
subject (v.) suspect (v.) implode infect estimate (n.)
sustain include

become decide elate prepare rehearse

behave defect (v.) endure present remove
believe defy enquire presume refer
bereave deny equip rebel restore
beseech derive escape record (v.) secrete
debate (v.) devote escort recite secure
distract prefer regret sedate
seduce

abolish bewilder encourage

accomplish consider endanger
admonish continue enliven
assemble determine envisage
awaken develop resemble
dissemble surrender

IV. Listen very carefully to the following sentences. Please match the beginnings of the
sentences (Column A) with their endings (Column B).

Column A Column B
1. Peter persuaded a) a vaccine for polio.
2. Colin collected b) a symphony orchestra.
3. Dennis developed c) she had written a novel.
4. Reggie restored d) to start a business.
5. Betty became e) all the frescos in Florence.
6. Oscar objected f) a major catastrophe.
7. Benny behaved g) the troops to surrender.
8. Avril averted h) a classical record.
9. Annie announced i) all the men who’d betrayed him.
10. Esther escaped j) a quite famous celebrity.
11. Desmond devoted k) when others accepted.
12. Rita recorded l) a peaceful solution.
13. Forster forgave m) in a confident manner.
14. Connie conducted n) from a prisoner of war camp.
15. Debbie decided o) his life to the people.
16. Susie suggested p) some marvelous furniture.

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 V. Listen to the following words and mark their primary stress and the secondary stress, if
any. The “true” prefixes have the following meanings: re- /ri…/ = “again”, de- /di…/ =
“removing”, co- /k´U/ = “with”, pre- /pri…/ = “before”.

With prefixes With prefixes Non-prefixes With prefixes

reload repaint remove unburden
rehouse reset reject unsettle
debug reform reform discourage
defuse demist deceive disfigure
cohabit deselect defend discredit
co-chair co-exist collide mismanage
preload co-chair command
preset pre-pay prepare
pre-paint prefer

introduce disappoint coincide

intervene reabsorb apprehend
contradict disallow comprehend
contravene recommend
undertake
overwhelm
understand
interfere

VI. Words ending in –le, -el, -al,1 -on, -en,2 -er,3 -or-, -our, -sure, -ture,4 -ow,5 -age, -ish, -it6
and –y, generally have their stress on the first syllable.

people reckon cater censure

settle beckon wander treasure
tremble soften favour pleasure
quarrel weaken savour measure
pedal threaten answer picture
rival listen spatter capture

follow damage vanish edit envy

hollow manage banish posit tidy
borrow ravage finish debit worry
pillow savage nourish credit scurry
mellow pillage flourish limit query
relish profit chivvy
1
Pronounced [-:`] or [-´:]. The pronunciation with the syllabic consonant seems to be more natural.
2
Pronounced [-n`] or [-´n]. The pronunciation with [-´n] is more common, except in listen.
3
In some words ending in –er, the stress falls on the second syllable; e.g., deter, infer, inter, refer, confer, defer.
4
Words ending in –jure, however, may sometimes have their stress on the first syllable (e.g., injure, perjure, conjure
(= to do tricks)) and sometimes on the second syllable (e.g., abjure, conjure (= to ask solemnly)).
5
Note that he verb allow has its stress on the second syllable.
6
The following verbs have their stress on the second syllable: permit, omit, transmit, remit, submit.

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