SENTENCE STRESS

SENTENCE STRESS

 Sentence stress means the various emphasis on the syllables in the words of a sentence. (noun)

An example of sentence stress is choosing a different word in a line of a poem to give more emphasis or contrast.

RULES  FOR SENTENCE STRESS

The basic rules of sentence stress are:

• Content words are stressed
• Structure words are unstressed
• The time between stressed words is always the same

CONTENT WORDS - STRESSED

 Words carrying the meaning

• Main verbs: Sell, Give, Employ
• Nouns:  Car. Music, Mary
• Adjectives: Red, Big, Interesting
• Adverbs: Quickly, Loudly, Never
• Negative auxiliaries: Don't, Aren't, Can't

STRUCTUREWORDS - UNSTRESSED

 Words for correct grammar

• Pronouns: he, we, they
• Prepositions: on, at, in, to
• Articles: a, an, the
• Conjunctions: and, but, because
• Auxiliary verbs: do, be have, can, must

EXAMPLES  

1. John wants to be an actor, so he wants to live in Hollywood.
2. Mary made an appointment with the dentist on Monday
3. After the movie, they went to a bar to have beer