Mastering the American Accent » Word Stress Within a Sentence

Word Stress Within a Sentence

You will now learn the rules of stress and reduction within sentences. First let’s learn how words should sound when they are stressed. For now, just keep in mind that we generally stress words that carry the most meaning.

Lengthening the Main Vowel in Stressed Words

When the stressed word has only one syllable, just prolong the word and make the vowel higher in pitch. If the stressed word has more than one syllable, make sure that the stressed syllable of the word is prolonged and emphasized more than usual.

Prolonging the stressed vowel may sound exaggerated to you, particularly if the vowel is already a long vowel, such as /a/ and /ae/ and /ou/. For example, if you say, “It’s really far.” or “Stop that!,” the vowel sound may be much longer than it would sound in your native language. Don’t say: “It’s really far.” Say: “It’s really far (faaar).” Don’t say “Stop that!” Say “Stop (staaap) that!” Let’s first get used to prolonging the vowels within stressed words since this will create a distinctly American sound to your English.

Practice with Vowel Length

Make sure you raise your pitch and prolong the underlined vowel in the stressed words below.

Stressed Words with /ɑ/

  1. I got it.
  2. I got a new job.
  3. I think I got a new job.

Stressed Words with /æ/

  1. I have a new class.
  2. I can’t stand it.
  3. I can’t stand my new class.
  4. I’ll call you back.
  5. …as soon as I can.
  6. I’ll call you back as soon as I can.

Stressed words with /ou/

  1. It’s so cold.
  2. I didn’t know.
  3. I didn’t know about it.
  4. I didn’t know it would be so cold.

Stressed words with /i/

  1. How do you feel?
  2. When did he leave?
  3. How did you feel when he had to leave?

Stressed words with /ɔ/

  1. That’s awful.
  2. It’s too long.
  3. That awful novel is too long.
  4. I’m exhausted.
  5. I’ve been talking all day long.
  6. I’m exhausted from talking all day long.

Advice from a Successful Student

“I record myself reading in English. I listen to the recordings and write down the mistakes. This way, I catch the sounds that I don’t normally catch when I am speaking with people.”

Mai Ling, China

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