CEP I1 March 26, 2014

Youngsoo and Jasmine

Review on Syllables (1)

• What are syllables? Let’s do a very quick review. How many syllables are there for the following words?• Entertain • Garage• Customer• Understand• Noisier

How is this useful?

• Last class, we used syllables to figure out the rules for comparatives and superlatives. • When do we use “-est”?• When do we use “most [word]”?• When do we use “-er”• When do we use “more [word]”?• What are some of the exceptions to this rule?

Another use for Syllables (say these words out aloud)• Entertain• Garage• Customer• Understand• Noisier

• Disagree• Expensive• Enormous• Attractive

Another use for Syllables (2)

• Do these words sound monotone? Or do you put emphasis on a certain place of the word?• For example, the word “perfect” has 2

syllables. How would you pronounce this word?• per // fect?• Per // fect?• Per // fect?

Another use for Syllables (3)

• Read the following sentences out aloud• “This cake is the perfect present for him.”• “Wow, you got 100% on your test! Perfect!”• “I need to perfect this skill if I am to become

a good chef.”• “I cannot accept this because it’s not in a

perfect condition.”• “You need to perfect this if you want to pass

the course.”

Another use for Syllables (4)

• Read the following sentences out aloud• “This cake is the perfect present for him.”• “Wow, you got 100% on your test! Perfect!”• “I need to perfect this skill if I am to become

a good chef.”• “I cannot accept this because it’s not in a

perfect condition.”• “You need to perfect this if you want to pass

the course.”

Another use for Syllables (5)

• Where would you place the stress?• “This cake is the perfect present for him.”• “Wow, you got 100% on your test! Perfect!”• “I need to perfect this skill if I am to become

a good chef.”• “I cannot accept this because it’s not in a

perfect condition.”• “You need to perfect this if you want to pass

the course.”

Another use for Syllables (6)

• Do you see a pattern? When does the first syllable get stress? When does the second syllable get stressed?• When “perfect” is used as an adjective,

perfect.• When “perfect” is used as a verb, perfect.

Another use for Syllables (7)

• With a partner, try “Pronunciation Word Stress 1”• Share with the class

• With a partner or in a group, try “Pronunciation Word Stress 2”• Share with the class

So what is Word Stress?

• What word stress isWhen we stress syllables in words, we use a combination of different features. Experiment now with the word 'computer'. Say it out loud. Listen to yourself. The second syllable of the three is stressed. What are you doing so that the listener can hear that stress?

• A stressed syllable combines five features:• It is l-o-n-g-e-r - com p-u-ter• It is LOUDER - comPUTer• It has a change in pitch from the syllables coming before and after. The

pitch of a stressed syllable is usually higher.• It is said more clearly -The vowel sound is purer. Compare the first and

last vowel sounds with the stressed sound.• It uses larger facial (mouth) movements - Look in the mirror when you

say the word. Look at your jaw and lips in particular.

Another use for Syllables (8)(general rule)

Word Type of word Tendency  Exceptionsappletable

happytwo-syllable nouns and

adjectives

stress on the first syllable

O oapple

hotellagoon

suspectimportinsult

words which can be used as both

nouns and verbs

the noun has stress on the first syllable

O o"You are the suspect!"the verb has stress on the second syllable

o O"I suspect you."

respectwitness

hairbrushfootball compound nouns

fairly equally balanced but with stronger stress 

on the first partO o

hairbrush

 

Review of Comparatives

• What is “comparative”?• “John is shorter than Bill”

• Is this a comparative too?• “John is not as tall as Bill”• “My car is better than your car” (keeping up

with the Joneses)• “My clothes are more stylish than hers.”

Review of Comparatives (2)(refer to page 25)

• Al is shorter than Ed• The focus is on Al (proving something right)

• Al is not taller than Ed• The focus is on Al (proving something wrong)

• Al is not as tall as Ed• The focus is on Al ( less critical or serious)

• Ed is not as short as Al• The focus is on Ed (less critical or serious)

Review of Comparatives (2)(refer to page 25)

• Al is shorter than Ed• Al is not taller than Ed• Al is not as tall as Ed• Ed is not as short as Al

• Do these sentences mean the same thing? If not, how are they different?

Review of Comparatives (3)

• Example:• You are prettier than me

• Perhaps you are pretty but I am ugly (this sounds more serious!)

• I am not as pretty as Anne• Both can be pretty, but Anne is prettier