Stress means giving extra emphasis or force to a particular part of a word, syllable or sentence. In English, every word of more than one syllable has one syllable that is stressed more than the others, and this is called word stress. In a word, the syllable is said louder or more clearly. In a sentence, it is the word that is most important or that we want to highlight.
For example:- The word examination has 5 syllables. Here’s how it’s divided: ex-a-mi-ˈna-tion (/ɪɡˌzæm.ɪˈneɪ.ʃən/). Here in the word examination, stress falls on the syllable, ˈna
🟢 Example (word stress):
In the word ‘present’:
PREsent (noun) → a gift
preSENT (verb) → to give something formally
🟢 Example (sentence stress):
I didn’t say she stole the money. (Means someone else said it.)
I didn’t say she stole the money. (Means someone else stole it.)
What is Intonation?
Intonation is the rise and fall in the pitch of the voice when we speak. It helps express emotion, attitude, or meaning beyond the actual words.
There are three main types of intonation in English:
- Rising Intonation ↗️
- Falling Intonation ↘️
- Rise-Fall Intonation ↗️
Intonation is the rise and fall of the voice when we speak. It shows our feelings, attitudes, or intentions.
🟢 Example:
If you say, “Really?” with a rising tone, it shows surprise.
If you say, “Really,” with a falling tone, it shows you’re not surprised or even bored.
So, intonation can change the meaning or feeling behind the same words. Both stress and intonation are essential for expressing the correct meaning, intention, and emotion. Misplacing stress or using the wrong intonation can lead to misunderstandings.