pptstress in sentences - content words

7/29/2019 PptStress in Sentences - Content Words

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Stress in sentences - content

wordsContent words are words

representing an action, object,

attribute, or state.

The grammatical categories for

content words are: nouns, mainverbs, adverbs, adjectives and

question words.


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Content Contains the main idea of the sentence

In a regular sentence form, the nouns aregiven the stress first but in a question form,

the verbs are given the primary priority.

Sound: words are read stronger

Stress: strong --2-syllable words are

stressed at the first syllable; 3-syllable

words are gen stress on the second syllable

Duration/ Time: read longer

Pitch: higher


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Sound/Stress:

The stressed syllable is louder,longer and higher pitched than thesyllables in structure words. The

unstressed syllable has the samepower as a structure word.

a one-syllable content word is

always stressed. example: Commands

Go home!


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Common Error 1:

Pronouncing all syllables withequal stress; stress is too strong

All words sound like one-syllable

content wordse.g. Command sentences --Go home!

You may offend or surprise peoplebecause you will sound like you aretalking too loudly. They may thinkyou are excited, or angry, or bossy


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Common error 2

Pronouncing all syllables with equalweak stress

All words sound like unstressed syllables -

it is hard to identify the nouns and verbsContent words will be hard to understand;

people may ask you to talk louder or to talkclearly

Culturally unaware or insensitive peoplemay think you are sick, lazy, stupid, orconfused.

e.g. I want to go home.


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Common error 3

Pronouncing the syllables with thewrong stress pattern

Verbs become nouns and vice versa,e.g. re-cord and record "new" words

are created

Confusion, people asking forrepetition, other general social

problems


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Common error 4:Failing to pronounce one aspect of the

content word

Recall that a content has a stressed syllable

which is longer in duration, higher pitched,and louder than all of the other syllables.

If the speaker leaves out one of these

things, the listener may not hear the syllableclearly.

e.g. He found a mouse under the couch.


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Stress in sentences:Structure

words

Provides grammatical structure to the

sentence

Preposition - in, on, over Articlea, an, the

Pronounhe, she, it

To be verbsis, are, am

Conjunction- and, but, or


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Structure words: characteristics

Sound: words are read quieter Stress: 1- syllable words are unstressed s.a.

in, on; they are contracted words (read as

if they are oneshe is a ) or reduced (goingto becomes gonna )

Stress: multi-syllable words are stressed butits pitch doesnt go as high as the content

wordsDuration/ Time: shorter

Pitch: lower


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Common Errors Pronouncing all syllables with equal stress

either all too strong. In effect, you mayoffend/ surprise someone or they may thinkyou are alwaysexcited or bossy or angry.

Pronouncing all syllables with equal stresseither all too weak.

In effect, people cant tell what your mainpoint is.

Pronouncing the syllables with the wrongstress.

Grammatical categories may be mixedup

e.g. nouns become verbs and vice versa.


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Contractions / Reduction

Contractions are written short forms,usually combinations of content and

structure words.

When we say them we omit certain sounds. In order to sound relaxed and natural when

speaking English, it is necessary to practice

using contractions and short (reduced)

forms.

Example of a contraction:

do not > don't


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Contractions / Reduction Example of a reduced form: to > t

Typical consonant and vowel changes:

Vowels: In unstressed syllables, vowelsoften become . e.g. stressed unstressed

message > me sj

Vowels may also be dropped completely:

-elementary > e- le- men- tri

Consonants: The best way to learn thepatterns is to listen to spoken English andhave a good grasp of the correct grammar

underlying the reductions being heard.


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Linking consonants to vowels

Linking improves the rhythm of thesentence. Linked speech sounds smoother

and more natural.

When there is a word in the middle of asentence starting with a vowel sound,

English speakers will connect the word to

the final consonant of the word, whichcomes before it.

e.g. I would like a glass of orange juice


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Linking consonants to vowels

The Exercises:Write / ReadExample: Our office is open.

The school is open. (The schools open.)

The store is closed. (The stores closed.) Paul bought a new CD.

Don't talk on the phone!

Donna thought about it.

It is hot in August.

The dog walked on the beach


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Common Error

Not linking consonant to vowel

The sentence will be harder for the

listener to understand, as he or she isexpecting to hear linking. As mentioned,

the sentence will sound "broken up", less

smooth.


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Linking consonant to consonant

linking improves the rhythm of the sentence

and prevents the listener from becomingconfused.

When two identical English consonants

must be pronounced consecutively, they aresaid as one "long" consonant. e.g. Whichchild is yours?

(make a long sound tS+tS)

In the case of sounds which stop the air, oneshort sound is made, and there is a pause forthe length of the second consonant.

He lost his lab book. (make one b sound)


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Linking consonant to consonant

We do not pronounce the second sound.

Linking is marked with underline

Non-identical consonants- When the

consonants are not the same, the nativespeaker blends them.

As a result, sometimes all or part of a sound

is lost.

Sometimes a sound changes to another one

during quick speech.


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Common Errors

The sentence will be harder for the listener

to understand, as he or she is expecting to

hear linking. As mentioned, the sentence

will sound "broken up", less smooth.

Exercise: The song sounds nice

Kelly sings very well.

What's wrong with it?

Example: The song sounds nice.

Student: The song sounds pretty.


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Stops in various positions

a stop is a sound which is produced bystopping the air flow completely for a briefperiod.

Voicing: Voiced stops: b,g,d

Voiceless stops: p,t,k

Position: When a voiceless stop comes atthe beginning of a word it is accompanied

by asucceeding strong puff of air. This iscalled aspiration.

At the beginning of a word, the aspiration is

very strong.


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Stops

In the middle of the word, except for t, theaspiration is moderate.

At the ends of words, voiced stops becomeunreleased. That means the speaker still

puts the mouth and tongue into the positionof the sound, starts to make the sound, butdoes not release the air.

This is why one does not hear a stronglypronounced stop at the end of a word inEnglish, unless it is linking to the same typeof consonant, or to a vowel.


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Examples amount of aspiration is marked with a "+" ;

Unreleased stops are marked with a Underlined are marked with flapped r inplace of the t

The p+++ap++er is p+++urp++le.The p+++eop++le are sp+eaking

P+++ersian.

K++aren is drink+ing C++oc+a C++ola andeating cak-e.

P+++lease get up-!

T++ry to write it- fast-!


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Note:

The aspiration is weak if the stop is part of a

consonant cluster. Sometimes the stop, always

written as a voiceless stop, will sound like a

voiced stop.

Voiced stops - b,g,d There is no aspiration of voiced stops but they

have weaker voicing at the beginning of a word or

at the end. This can fool learners into thinking that

they are hearing a voiceless stop, when they are

really hearing a weak voiced stop. However,

learners can learn to identify aspiration, which can

be used as a guide to prevent confusion.


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Common Errors1.Incorrect voicing:

The sentence will be harder for the listener to

understand. Listeners will think that t=d k=g, p=b

or vice versa

Tip: Practice the aspiration of voiceless stops.

Note: exception: The aspiration is weak if the stop

is the second or third part of a consonant cluster

(e.g. sp. sk, st, t, d ). It may sound like a voiced

stop.

expecting to hear a lot of aspiration at the

beginning, and unreleased stops at the end.

Result: initial p may sound like b, t like d, k like g.


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Common Errors

Pronunciation Tip for consonant clusters:

In this case, if it is easier to pronounce, one maysubstitute a unvoiced stop for a voiced one,

e.g. sky > sgy (there is no difference in the sound

of these). This may not be done in the otherpositions of stops! Confusion will result!

2. Using the wrong amount of aspiration:

The sentence will be harder for the listener to

understand, as he or she is expecting to hear a lotof aspiration at the beginning, and unreleasedstops at the end.

Result: initial p may sound like b, t like d, k like g.


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Exercise In pairs: The first student will read each

sentence. The second student will determinewhich word that student used.

That peach/speech was good.

What color is the parrot/carrot?Tongue Twisters:

Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers;

A peck of pickled peppers Peter Piper picked;If Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled

peppers,How many peppers did Peter Piper

pick?

pptstress in sentences - content words

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