Word Stress

Content Words

• Every language has a way of showing what is important

• In English, it is the use of content words

• Content words are the important words in a sentence or phrase and receive

more emphasis, more stress.

Content vs. Function Words

• Content words are the important words in a sentence or phrase

• Content words are the opposite of function words

• Function words are the less important words in a sentence or phrase

Content Words

Content words are usually one of the following:

1. Nouns (man, rock, animal)

2. Verbs (live, walk, cry)

3. Adjectives (sweet, hot, black)

4. Adverbs (quickly, smartly, shortly)

These words carry most of the meaning in a sentence or phrase, and receive stress.

Function WordsFunction words don’t carry meaning; they show how

the other words are related to each other:

1. Articles (a, an, the)2. Pronouns (he, she, you, we)3. Prepositions (to, in, by, for)4. Conjunctions (but, and, or)5. Auxiliary Verbs (will, have, should)

These words are not stressed in sentences and phrases.

Content Words

Content words are the kinds of words you would see in a newspaper headline:

1. Man Eats Horse2. Storm Hits Coast3. Girl Wins Race

These words capture the main meaning.

Content Words

All the other words in the following examples are function words—listen to the speaker:

1. Man eats horse.

2. The man eats the horse.

3. He will eat the horse.

4. The man will eat the horse.

5. He will cook and eat the horse.

Content Words

Another example—listen to the speaker:

1. Storm hits coast.

2. The storm hits the coast.

3. It will hit the coast.

4. The storm will hit the coast.

5. It will hit and wreck the coast.

Content Words

Another example—listen to the speaker:

1. Girl wins race.

2. The girl wins the race.

3. She will win the race.

4. The girl will win the race.

5. She will run and win the race.

Example

DOGS CHASE CATS

The DOGS CHASE the CATS

The DOGS are CHASing the CATS

Example

PEOple PLANT TREES

The PEOple have PLANTed some TREES

The PEOple should have PLANTed some more TREES

You Try

Here are some sentences—write them down and circle the content words:

1. I found a rupee in my pocket.

2. I forgot to send the clothes to the laundry.

Answer

Here are some sentences—write them down and circle the content words:

1. I found a rupee in my pocket.

2. I forgot to send the clothes to the laundry.

You Try

Here are some sentences—write them down and circle the content words:

1. I’m planning to take a trip to India in June.

2. He likes to eat pickle with his curd rice.

Answer

Here are some sentences—write them down and circle the content words:

1. I’m planning to take a trip to India in June.

2. He likes to eat pickle with his curd rice.

Reading Passage

1. Turn to page 100 in your “Ignited Minds” text.

2. Go through the first paragraph of this section and circle the focus words.

3. When you are finished, listen to the recording, and see if you have found all the focus words.

The Passage (Content Words)

WalkingEssentialPartLifeWhereverGoMakePointWalkFiveKilometersMorning

ParticularlyAttachedSeeingBeautySunriseLightPrecedesArrivalEarsTunedSongsBirdsSing

The Passage (Content Words)WelcomeDawningNew DayPlanetTimeEachExperiencePhenomenaCoolBreezeSingingBirdsArrivalSun

FilledAweNatureBringsTogetherAllElementsGoMakingMomentPossibleFeelThankfulGod

Remember• Content words are stressed more

than function words

• Practice reading sentences and phrases where you stress the content words

• Remember that content words are nouns, adjectives, and adverbs

The End