Word stress in words starting with prefixes and ending in ‘tion/sion’
- Observe:
Words | Their pronunciation | Their opposites | Their pronunciation |
O’bey (v) | /əʊˈbeɪ/ | diso’bey | /ˌdɪsəʊˈbeɪ/ |
A’gree (v) | /əˈɡriː/ | disa’gree | /ˌdɪsəˈɡri/ |
Pure (adj) | /pjʊər/ | im’pure | /ɪmˈpjʊər/ |
Logical (adj) | /ˈlɒdʒɪkəl/ | illogical | /ɪˈlɒdʒɪkəl/ |
Possible (adj) | /ˈpɒsəbl/ | impossible | /ɪmˈpɒsəbl/ |
Responsible (adj) | /rɪˈspɒnsəbl/ | irresponsible | /ˌɪrɪˈspɒnsəbl/ |
Sure (adj) | /ʃɔːr/ | unsure | /ʌnˈʃʊər/ |
Significant (adj) | /sɪɡˈnɪfɪkənt/ | insignificant | /ˌɪnsɪɡˈnɪfɪkənt/ |
Effective (adj) | /ɪˈfek.tɪv/ | ineffective | /ˌɪnɪˈfektɪv/ |
You have already studied that one-syllable words are never stressed such as the adjectives « PURE » /pjʊər/ and « SURE » /ʃɔːr/ .
However, when we form their opposites by adding prefixes, the adjectives are then two-syllable words. They are stressed on the second syllable which is the root .
Why on the root ( pure and sure)? Because prefixes are never stressed. So is it for the other words in the table.
- Observe
Verb | pronunciation | Noun | Pronunciation |
Po’llute | /pəˈluːt/ | Po’llution | /pəˈluːʃən/ |
Pre’serve | /prɪˈzɜːv/ | Preser’vation | /ˌprezəˈveɪʃən/ |
Con’serve | /kənˈsɜːv/ | Conser’vation | /ˌkɒn.səˈveɪ.ʃən/ |
E’mit | /ɪˈmɪt/ | E’mission | /ɪˈmɪʃən/ |
con’taminate | /kənˈtæmɪneɪt/ | Contami’nation | /kənˈtæm.ɪ.neɪt/ |
de’forest | /ˌdiːˈfɒr.ɪst/ | Defores’tation | /diːˌfɒr.ɪˈsteɪ.ʃən/ |
de’stroy | /dɪˈstrɔɪ/ | De’struction | /dɪˈstrʌkʃən/ |
de’grade | /dɪˈɡreɪd/ | Degra’dation | /ˌdeɡrəˈdeɪʃən/ |
The verbs in the table are stressed on the second syllable, while some nouns are stressed on the third or the fourth syllable.
Nouns ending in “tion” or “sion” are always stressed on the second syllable from end.
Notice:
Pollution - degradation - deforestation - contamination
2 1 2 1 2 1 2 1
When we classify them according to their stressed syllable, we say :
Degradation is stressed on the third syllable -we count from the beginning- deforestation is stressed on the fourth syllable, contamination on the third syllable and pollution on the second.
On the 2nd syllable | On the third syllable | On the fourth syllable |
Pollution | degradation | Deforestation, |
contamination |
- إختبارات
- 5
- الأجوبة الصحيحة
- False
- الأجوبة الخاطئة
- False
- مجموع النقاط
- False