Word Stress Identification Training
Enter A, B, C, or D to indicate which syllable carries the main stress.
1. Compound Nouns – First Word Stress
Rule: Stress usually falls on the first word.
Examples:
✔ WASHing machine ✔
✔ AIRplane ticket ✔
✘ washing maCHINE ✘
2. Adjective + Noun – Stress on the Noun
Rule: The noun (second word) takes the primary stress.
Examples:
✔ black COFFEE ✔
✔ public HOLIday ✔
✘ BLACK coffee ✘
3. Phrasal Verbs – Stress on the Preposition/Particle
Rule: The second word (preposition/particle) takes the stress.
Examples:
✔ take OFF ✔
✔ give UP ✔
✘ GIVE up ✘
4. Numbers & Time – First Word Stress
Rule: Stress usually falls on the first part.
Examples:
✔ FIFteen minutes ✔
✔ FOURteen days ✔
✘ fifTEEN minutes ✘
4. Repeated Words – Stress on the Second Word
Rule: The second word takes the stress.
✔ bye-BYE ✔
✘ BYE-bye ✘
bye-bye
so-so
night-night
go-go
no-no
chop-chop
boo-boo
5. Proper Nouns – First Word Stress (Usually)
Rule: The first word usually takes stress, unless it includes a title.
✔ NEW York ✔
✘ new YORK ✘
new york
oxford street
tower bridge
london eye
big ben
lake ontario
prince charles
6. Phrasal Verbs as Nouns – First Word Stress
Rule: When phrasal verbs become **nouns**, the stress moves to the **first word**.
✔ CHECK-out ✔
✘ check-OUT ✘
check-out
hang-over
lay-off
make-up
set-up
take-off
7. Compound Nouns – Exceptions (Stress on the Second Word)
Rule: Some compound nouns take stress on the second word.
✔ weekEND ✔
✘ WEEKend ✘
weekend
sports hall
police officer
attorney general
living room
high school