Stress in Nouns: A Quick Guide
Common Nouns:
* Single-syllable nouns: Stress is usually on the only syllable.
* *cat*, *tree*, *book*, *desk*
* Two-syllable nouns: Stress is usually on the first syllable.
* *table*, *window*, *motor*, *paper*
* Three or more syllable nouns: Stress is often on the second-to-last syllable.
* *photograph*, *refrigerator*, *computer*, *conversation*
Exceptions:
* Nouns ending in "-tion" or "-sion" usually have stress on the third-to-last syllable.
* *education*, *confusion*, *relaxation*, *decision*
* Compound nouns may follow different rules depending on the specific words combined.
* *airplane*, *football*, *sunflower*, *rainbow*
Proper Nouns:
* Proper nouns (names of people, places, things, etc.) generally follow the same stress rules as common nouns. However, there are some specific cases:
* *John*, *Mary*, *London*, *France*
* *Amazon*, *Google*, *Facebook* (often stressed on the first syllable)
Important Notes:
* Stress in spoken English can vary slightly depending on regional accents and individual speech patterns.
* Dictionaries can help identify the correct stress pattern for specific words.
* Pay attention to the rhythm and natural flow of speech to understand stress patterns.
Practice is key to learning and understanding the patterns of stress in English.