Sentence Stress (Content vs Function Words)

Use stress to highlight meaning: stress content words, reduce function words, and shift stress for contrast.

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When to Use

•When you want to sound more natural and easier to understand.
•When you need to emphasize contrast or correct someone.
•When listening: sentence stress helps you identify key information.

How to Form

Affirmative (+)

Stress content words (nouns, main verbs, adjectives, adverbs).

Negative (-)

Reduce function words (articles, auxiliaries, prepositions, pronouns) unless they are emphasized.

Question (?)

What is the most important information in this sentence? Stress those words.

💡 Stress can move for contrast: 'I wanted the BLUE one (not the red one).' Intonation patterns also depend on meaning and attitude. British vs US note: sentence stress principles are the same, but the melody (intonation) and the exact reduction patterns can vary by region and speaking style.

Examples

✓I BOUGHT a NEW PHONE yesterday.

✗I bought a new phone yesterday. (all words equal)

Content words carry the information and usually receive stress.

✓I said TEN, not TWO.

Stress shows contrast and correction.

✓Can you GIVE it to ME? (emphasis on receiver)

Function words can be stressed when they are the focus.

Common Mistakes

💡 Practice Tips

• Underline content words in a sentence and read it out loud with stress.
• Practice contrast drills: 'I said X, not Y.'
• Record yourself reading the same sentence with different focus words.

connected-speech-linking syllable-stress-basics

Sentence Stress (Content vs Function Words)

Use stress to highlight meaning: stress content words, reduce function words, and shift stress for contrast.

advanced

When to Use

•When you want to sound more natural and easier to understand.
•When you need to emphasize contrast or correct someone.
•When listening: sentence stress helps you identify key information.

How to Form

Affirmative (+)

Stress content words (nouns, main verbs, adjectives, adverbs).

Negative (-)

Reduce function words (articles, auxiliaries, prepositions, pronouns) unless they are emphasized.

Question (?)

What is the most important information in this sentence? Stress those words.

Examples

✓I BOUGHT a NEW PHONE yesterday.

✗I bought a new phone yesterday. (all words equal)

Content words carry the information and usually receive stress.

✓I said TEN, not TWO.

Stress shows contrast and correction.

✓Can you GIVE it to ME? (emphasis on receiver)

Function words can be stressed when they are the focus.

Common Mistakes

💡 Practice Tips

• Underline content words in a sentence and read it out loud with stress.
• Practice contrast drills: 'I said X, not Y.'
• Record yourself reading the same sentence with different focus words.

connected-speech-linking syllable-stress-basics

Sentence Stress (Content vs Function Words)

When to Use

How to Form

Examples

Common Mistakes

💡 Practice Tips

Related

Sentence Stress (Content vs Function Words)

When to Use

How to Form

Examples

Common Mistakes

💡 Practice Tips

Related

When to Use

How to Form

Examples

Common Mistakes

✗Stressing function words by default

✗Always using the same stress pattern

💡 Practice Tips

Related

When to Use

How to Form

Examples

Common Mistakes

✗Stressing function words by default

✗Always using the same stress pattern

💡 Practice Tips

Related