Expert · Clear pronunciation and listening · topic 45 of 59 · 17 min
Word stress and the schwa sound
Explanation
A syllable (शब्दांश) is one beat of a word: "ho-tel" has two, "com-pu-ter" has three. Stress (ज़ोर) means one syllable is louder, longer and a little higher than the others. Hindi gives most syllables similar weight, but English pushes one syllable and squashes the rest. Wrong stress often confuses listeners more than a wrong sound.
| Word | Sounds like | Stress on |
|---|---|---|
| photograph | FOH-tuh-graaf | 1st part |
| photography | fuh-TOG-ruh-fee | 2nd part |
| photographic | foh-tuh-GRAF-ik | 3rd part |
| develop | di-VEL-up | 2nd part |
| development | di-VEL-up-munt | 2nd part (it stays) |
| economy | i-KON-uh-mee | 2nd part |
| economic | ee-kuh-NOM-ik | 3rd part |
I work in a hotel.
Say it: ai WURK in uh hoh-TEL
मैं एक होटल में काम करता हूँ।
Stress the second part: ho-TEL, not HO-tel.
My career is very important to me.
Say it: my kuh-REER iz VE-ree im-POR-tunt tuh mee
मेरा करियर मेरे लिए बहुत ज़रूरी है।
ca-REER rhymes with "near". "KE-ri-yar" with stress on the first part can sound like "carrier" or "Korea" to international listeners.
Our company is planning a big event.
Say it: our KUM-puh-nee iz PLAN-ing uh BIG i-VENT
हमारी कंपनी एक बड़ा इवेंट प्लान कर रही है।
COM-pa-ny: stress the first part. e-VENT: stress the second.
Noun or verb? The stress tells you
| Word | Noun (a thing): stress 1st | Verb (an action): stress 2nd |
|---|---|---|
| record | a REcord (REK-ord) | to reCORD (ri-KORD) |
| present | a PREsent, a gift (PREZ-unt) | to preSENT (pri-ZENT) |
| object | an OBject (OB-jekt) | to obJECT (ub-JEKT) |
| permit | a PERmit (PUR-mit) | to perMIT (pur-MIT) |
| increase | an INcrease | to inCREASE |
Please record the meeting; we need a record of it.
Say it: pleez ri-KORD thuh MEET-ing; wee need uh REK-ord uv it
कृपया मीटिंग रिकॉर्ड कर लीजिए; हमें इसका रिकॉर्ड चाहिए।
The schwa: the most common sound in English
The schwa (written ə in dictionaries) is a short, lazy "uh". It only comes in weak syllables: the a in "about" (uh-BOWT), both weak a's in "banana" (buh-NAA-nuh), the o in "today" (tuh-DAY), the "a" in "a cup" (uh KUP). Many spellings (a, e, o, u) can become a schwa. Good news: the Hindi अ, as in "अब", is very close to it, so you already know this sound.
I'll be back in about ten minutes.
Say it: ail bee BAK in uh-BOWT TEN MIN-its
मैं लगभग दस मिनट में वापस आऊँगा।
The a in "about" is a schwa: a quick, soft "uh".
Would you like a banana or a tomato?
Say it: wud yoo LYK uh buh-NAA-nuh or uh tuh-MAA-toh
तुम्हें केला चाहिए या टमाटर?
Only the stressed part is full and clear; the rest become "uh". In American English: tuh-MAY-toh.
Rules that help
- Words ending in -tion and -sion: stress the part just before: inforMAtion, deCIsion, eduCAtion, communiCAtion.
- Words ending in -ic and -ical: stress the part just before: ecoNOmic, sciENtific, poLItical, TECHnical.
- Words ending in -ity: stress the part just before: aBIlity, elecTRIcity, uniVERsity.
- Most two-syllable nouns and adjectives stress the first part (TAble, HAPpy, OFfice); many two-syllable verbs stress the second (beGIN, deCIDE, reLAX).
| Word | Say | Not |
|---|---|---|
| development | di-VEL-up-munt | DE-ve-lop-ment, de-ve-LOP-ment |
| hotel | hoh-TEL | HO-tel |
| career | kuh-REER | KE-ri-yar |
| event | i-VENT | EE-vent |
| company | KUM-puh-nee | kum-PA-nee |
| determine | di-TUR-min | de-ter-MINE (like "mine") |
| prefer | pri-FUR | PRE-fer |
| necessary | NES-uh-suh-ree | ne-SES-sa-ree |
Need help?
Stuck on a word or an idea? Search this course, or every course, and jump straight to the explanation or a worked question.
Try:
Watch the lesson
Word stress and the schwa sound · 1/7
Hello! Today we learn word stress and the schwa sound. Together, they make your English sound natural.
Prefer a video by a teacher? Find free videos on “word stress and schwa sound english pronunciation in hindi” on YouTube ↗
In real life: Practising a college presentation
Teacher: Arjun, please read your first line. Arjun: Good morning. Today I will talk about the DE-ve-lop-ment of tourism in our town. Teacher: Good start. One change: say de-VEL-op-ment. The strong part is "vel". Arjun: The de-VEL-op-ment of tourism in our town. I am planning a ca-REER in this field. Teacher: Excellent, ca-REER is right. Now try "photography". Arjun: pho-TOG-ra-phy. My uncle is a pho-TOG-ra-pher too. Teacher: Perfect. Did you notice the other parts became a soft "uh"? Arjun: Yes, ma'am. It already sounds more natural.
Practice (0/4 done)
Say this with the right stress: ca-REER, pho-TOG-ra-phy, ho-TEL.
I am interested in a career in photography or hotel management.
मुझे फ़ोटोग्राफ़ी या होटल मैनेजमेंट में करियर बनाने में रुचि है।
Listen for the strong part of each long word, then type the sentence.
Write these ten words with the stressed part in CAPITALS (like hoTEL), check each one in a dictionary app, then say them aloud: development, career, company, event, information, photographer, economic, comfortable, prefer, determine.
In "She will preSENT the report", the stress shows that "present" is...
Quick quiz
Related help
Before this, learn
This topic builds on these. If something here feels new, open them first.
Related topics
- Sentence stress, linking and intonationClear pronunciation and listening · same module
- Silent letters and -ed and -s endingsClear pronunciation and listening · same module
- A, an and theSentence building blocks
- Phrasal verbs for daily lifeSound natural: phrasal verbs, idioms and Indian-English fixes
- I am, you are, he is: the verb "be"Sentence building blocks
- Indian-English grammar slips and fixesSound natural: phrasal verbs, idioms and Indian-English fixes
Questions people ask about this
Open a question to see the answer and why. The first ones are this topic's own quiz, so try the quiz above before you peek.
Where is the stress in "hotel"?
Answer: ho-TEL
ho-TEL: the second part is strong.
Which word has the stress on the first part?
Answer: company
COM-pa-ny. The others are ca-REER, e-VENT and de-TER-mine.
The schwa is the sound of...
Answer: the first a in "about"
The schwa is the weak "uh" in unstressed parts, like the first a in "about".
Words ending in -tion are stressed...
Answer: on the part just before -tion
inforMAtion, deCIsion, eduCAtion: the strong part comes just before -tion.
"Can I see your PERmit?" Here, "permit" is...
Answer: a noun: a paper that allows something
Stress on the first part makes it a noun. To perMIT (verb) means to allow.
Giving equal stress to every word often makes speech sound...Related
Answer: flat or rushed, so the key words are hard to catch
English needs strong and weak beats. Equal stress hides the important words.
How do you make the V sound?Related
Answer: Touch your top teeth to your lower lip
V is made with the top teeth on the lower lip. W is made with round lips.
Which pair has a short i sound first and then a long ee sound?Related
Answer: fill, feel
"Fill" has the short i (इ); "feel" has the long ee (ई). The other pairs are in the opposite order.
Which is correct?Related
Pass the quiz (60% or more) or mark this topic as done when you are ready.
Your progress is saved on this device only.
Next steps
- 3 more topics in “Clear pronunciation and listening” before its exam: Sentence stress, linking and intonation, Silent letters and -ed and -s endings, Small talk and active listening.
- Module 11 exam: clear pronunciation and listening · 15 questions · 20 min, without help. 5 topics of this module still to finish first.
- Then the next module, English at work and interviews. 59 topics left in the course before the final exam.