1. Understanding the Tonic Syllable:
* The tonic syllable is the strongest or most prominent syllable in a word.
* It's the part of the word you emphasize when you say it out loud.
2. Identifying the Tonic Syllable:
* Listen to the pronunciation: Pay attention to which syllable you naturally emphasize when you say the word. This is the tonic syllable.
* Use dictionaries: Most dictionaries indicate the tonic syllable with an accent mark (e.g., 'a' for a primary stress, ' in some dictionaries for a secondary stress).
* Learn common patterns: Certain word endings often indicate the tonic syllable:
* -tion, -sion, -ity, -ic: The stress is usually on the syllable before the ending.
* -ly: The stress is usually on the syllable before the ending.
* -ing: The stress is usually on the same syllable as in the base word.
3. Examples:
* "Re'cord": The tonic syllable is "cord."
* "a'mazing": The tonic syllable is "maz."
* "un'derstand": The tonic syllable is "der."
Important Note: While there are general patterns, the location of the tonic syllable can be influenced by factors like:
* Word origin: Words borrowed from other languages may have different stress patterns.
* Part of speech: A word's tonic syllable can change depending on whether it's a noun, verb, or adjective.
Practice makes perfect! The more you read, listen, and speak, the better you'll become at recognizing tonic syllables.