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2  Stress in English simple words  

2.1 Introduction

The first thing that needs to be clarified is to state what we understand by simple word. Strictly

speaking, a simple word is one which is made up of a single grammatical unit called stem, e.g. nation,

 judge. Derivatives such as national , nationalistic and  judgement, prejudgement are not, technically

speaking, simple words, but complex, because they contain affixes (either prefixes and/or suffixes).

For the sake of simplicity, however, we have decided to group derivatives together with simple words

and not to deal with them in a separate chapter. Stress in compounds and collocations will be

explored in chapter 3.

The aims of this chapter are –in general terms– twofold: provide a comprehensive account of the

main rules governing the distribution of primary and secondary stresses in simple words and

derivatives as well as a variety of examples, drills and marking and reading tasks. The former will

help learners fix correct citation patterns in their minds and the latter will help them make their way

into more complex constructions –collocations and longer utterances. The fact that the rules that

govern English stress placement in words are complicated and for the most part do not correspond to

those in Spanish, makes it advisable for students to learn the stress pattern of each word as they learn

the word itself –its pronunciation, its meaning, its grammar and its capacity to collocate. Also,

learning stress rules implies getting acquainted with regularities and exceptions, a detailed account of

 both of which will be provided in this chapter. These are phonological rules, which establishrelationships between phonemic patterning and stress.

Chapter 2 is as follows: in section 2.2 stress is related to English vowels and syllable typology,

and morphological rules, which indicate the relationship between affixes and stress (sections 2.3 and

2.4). Section 2.5 focuses on stress in verbal derivatives and in 2.6 we examine stress in noun-centered

formations. Stress in word-class pairs is dealt with in 2.7. The issue of stress variation is addressed in

sections 2.8 and 2.9, including British vs American preference. 2.10 is an extensive compilation of

the most representative English stress patterns from two- to seven-syllable words. The chapter closes

with a collection of notes and observations aimed at the Spanish learner (section 2.11).

2.2 Word stress and syllable patterning

As explained in chapter 1, the English phonological vowel system consists of two separate

subsystems, strong and weak, each one correlating with syllable stress: whereas stressed syllables can

only have strong vowels, unstressed syllables can contain either strong or weak vowels. In the table

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 below, the columns  stressed   and unstressed   indicate what vowel phonemes can and cannot get a

stress (either primary or secondary) in English syllables, respectively:

stressed unstressed

 Strong vowels (long):

i˘ epi˘pl »di˘vieeISn eç˘t´m´bi˘l

A˘ efA˘D´ »A˘kieÅl´dZi pA˘etISn 

ç˘ eç˘d´ »pç˘tef´Uli´U ekÅrIdç˘

u˘ eku˘l´ h´»lu˘sIeneISn eQbs´lu˘t

Œ˘ edZŒ˘ni »dZŒ˘n´elIstIk es!bŒ˘b 

aI etaIg´ »saIk´UeTer´pi aIedentIfaI 

eI efeIm´s »reIdieeISn esŒ˘veI

çI ekçInIdZ »pçInt eblQNk eInvçIsaU efaUnd´ »saUTewest edIskaUnt

´U efr´Uzn »S´UvIenIstIk t´emA˘t´U

I´ eTI´t´ »nI´esaItId ereIndI´

e´ eke´fl »ve´rieeISn epremie´

U´ etU´rIN »dZU´rIsedIkSn edi˘tU´

 Strong vowels (short): 

I elItl rI»krImIeneISn (see below)

e epep´ »rev´elu˘Sn eQspekt

Q elQd´ »kQfIetI´ri´ eklaImQks 

Å ekÅp´ »prÅp´egQnd´ ekQt´lÅg 

U ekUk´ »lUk´reÅn (see below)

!  e!vn »s!plIementri eImp!ls

Weak vowels (non-prominent):

i eberi

I ekQbIdZ 

U eQkjUr´t 

u eInflu´ns 

´ ´eb!v

With reference to the above table, the following points are worth making:

(i) Any vowel apart from /´, i, u/ –the so-called weak, unstressable vowels– may occur with

either a primary or secondary stress; /i/ is not to be confused with /i˘/, e.g. easy / ei˘zi/. The occurrence

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of /u/, on the other hand, is much less frequent than /i/ in word-final position and can be found in

clitic position in words such as  you and to, e.g. ethank you, I ewant to. Besides, both /i/ and /u/ also

occur prevocalically in word medial position, as in  pronunciation  /pr´»n!nsieeISn/ and  situation 

/ »sItSueeISn/.1 

(ii) There is a small discrepancy among authors between the choice of symbols /i´, u´/ –which

represent two consecutive weak syllables– and diphthongs /I´, U´/ in unstressed positions, e.g. idiom 

/eIdi´m, eIdI´m/, mutual  /emju˘tSu´l, emju˘tSU´l/.2 

(iii) /´U/ is often weakened to /´/ in unstressed positions, both before and after the syllable

carrying the primary stress, e.g. domain /d´emeIn, d´UemeIn/,  prohibit /pr´ehIbIt, pr´UehIbIt/;

extrovert /eekstr´vŒ˘t, eekstr´UvŒ˘t/. The weakened form is characteristic of a colloquial, less

deliberate style; the full form is kept in certain prefixes such as bio-, endo-, for instance, when the

speaker perceives the prefix and the root as more individual, separate elements, e.g. bioengineering  

/ qbaI´U(q)endZIenI´rIN/, endocentric  / qend´UesentrIk/; cf. biochemist / qbaI´ekemIst/, / qba´ekemIst/,

endoscope /eend´sk´Up/. In AmE, however, the regular pattern is with /-oU/.(iv) /I, U/ belong to both subsystems. For instance, in the word minimum /emInIm´m/, /I/ plays

the part of a strong vowel in syllable one and a weak vowel in the next syllable, i.e. syllables

containing /I, U/ are strong only if they are stressed and do not have inherent prominence due to their

centralized quality. 

(v) English phonology allows strong vowels –both long and short– to be either stressed or

unstressed. As noted in chapter 1, a random selection of syllable types reveals that something like one

every five strong vowels is unstressed and this can occur both before and after the primary stress. All

strong vowels can occur in unstressed syllables.

(vi) Decisions on stress placement do not depend on spelling, but on vowel quality (strong orweak). For instance, in the verbs  supply /s´eplaI/,  prefer /prIefŒ˘/, rampage /rQmepeIdZ/ the stress

coincides with a strong vowel, whereas in vary /eve´ri/, differ /edIf´/, average /eQvrIdZ/, the final

weak vowels disallow stress.

2.3 Word stress and prefixation

Learners will benefit from the information provided by affixation. In the present analysis we

shall consider mainly prefixes which are added to free stems, i.e. stems which exist as words in their

own right when the prefix is removed: items such as admit  /´demIt/ and induce /Inedju˘s/, where -mit  

and -duce are not independent words but bound stems, have been left out. Exceptions are cases which

in our experience represent problematic patterns learners often trip over because of mother tongue

interference, e.g.  polygamy  /p´elIg´mi/. We have also excluded items which are not readily

recognizable as deriving from prefixation, such as beside, discard , the same as two-syllable

derivatives in which the primary stress goes on the monosyllabic stem, e.g. etactless, eactor , none of

which constitute pronunciation problems for the learner . 

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The central role of prefixation is to change the meaning of the stem, e.g. crime ~ ecybercrime,

qecoenomics ~ qmacroecoenomics. Three patterns may result from the addition of a prefix to a stem: the

most common is double stress, with a secondary stress on the prefix and a primary stress on the stem,

a tendency which becomes an absolute rule when the rhythm of the word allows it, i.e. either when

the first syllable of the stem is unstressed, as in asymmetrical   / qeIsIemetrIkl/, or when the prefix isdisyllabic, as in anticlockwise  / qQntieklÅkwaIz/ and oversensitive  / q´Uv´esensItIv/. Another pattern

consists of an unstressed prefix followed by a stressed stem, as in incredible  /INekred´bl/. Also, a

very common pattern which applies mainly (but not exclusively) to nouns is that in which the prefix

attracts the primary stress, leaving the stem unstressed, e.g. supermarket  /esu˘p´mA˘kIt/.

We shall organize examples into two groups: in 2.3.1 the prefix leaves the primary stress on the

stem unaltered, with either a stressed or unstressed prefix, e.g. ae gree  >  qdisae gree, edefinite > 

inedefinite. These ‘stress-neutral’ prefixes originate nouns, verbs and adjectives. Section 2.3.2

consists mainly of single-stressed nouns in which the prefix attracts the primary stress, e.g.

monoculture /emÅn´k!ltS´/,  monogamy  /m énÅg´mi/. See also section 2.5, which includesderivatives whose grammatical category depends on the location of the primary stress –early for

nouns and adjectives, e.g. transplant  /etrQnsplA˘nt/, and late for verbs /trQnseplA˘nt/.

Learners will notice that the same prefix may be stress-neutral in one case, e.g.  foreshadow 

/fç˘e SQd´U/, and it may attract stress in another, e.g.  forefinger   /efç˘fINg´/. They will also observe

that most early-stressed derivatives are nouns and that sometimes speakers’ usage is divided between

shifted and non-shifted versions, as in unbearable pain  /!mqbe´r´bl epeIn, q!mbe´r´bl epeIn/,

bilingual secretary /baIqlINgw´l esekr´tri, qbaIlINgw´l esekr´tri/. LPD shows this with a bracketed

stress mark: /(w)!mqbe´r´bl/, /(w)baIqlINgw´l/. Apart from contributing towards a balanced distribution

of accented syllables in connected speech –through the process known as stress-shift–, secondarystresses –as those in qdisae gree, qdievergent  – also play an important role in signalling contrastive

contexts such as We aq gree to edisagree; qdivergent and qconvergent eviews. (See also chapter 4). A

few prefixes which are unable to convey contrastive meanings are unstressed, such as em-, en-, im-,

in-, as in the verbs eme power , enelarge, ime prison, inecriminate, etc., and when prefixed stems do not

 participate in contrastive contexts of the type emoral   ~  qimemoral , e.g. deeodorized , ime peccable,

inecessant , etc., where the stems are bound.

The following examples, all of which represent citation forms, show some of the most

 productive prefixes– stressed in (a) and generally unstressed in (b). Notice that adjectives such as

qunder ewater , as in an qunderwater ecamera, can also function as adverbs, as in He q swam under ewater :

2.3.1 Stress-neutral prefixes: antibi  otic, dis  able

(a) Nouns:

anticlimax antidepressant autobiography autosuggestion

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biochemistry biodiversity biotechnology coauthor

contraindication co-worker deformation discontent 

  disrepute epiglottis geophysics hypertension

  hypothermia inequality inexperience interlocutor 

  intermarriage intersection malformation malfunction  malnutrition metaphysics misapprehension miscalculation

  nanotechnology neuroscience neurosurgeon nonaggression

  nonbeliever nonsmoker polyclinic polyethylene

  polytechnic retrospective semicolon sociolinguist 

  subcontinent superintendent supervision

Adjectives:

acephalous  amoral antinuclear antioxidant 

  antiperspirant anti-terrorist antiviral apolitical 

  asexual asymmetric atypical coeducational   counterproductive decaffeinated disloyal dissatisfied

ex-directory extracurricular extramural extraterrestrial 

  geothermal hypercorrect hypercritical hypocritical 

  immature incorrect macrobiotic maladjusted 

  monosyllabic monolingual neoclassic noncommittal 

  nonexistent non-profit outdated outspoken

  outstanding polysyllabic preconceived preheated 

  premarital retroactive semidetached socioeconomic

  stereotypical subhuman supernatural supersonic

  superseded supranational transatlantic transgenic  transnational transoceanic ultra-modern ultrasonic

  ultraviolet unassuming unattractive undecided 

  unilateral uninvited unpredictable unspoilt 

  unsustainable

Verbs:

coexist decompose decontaminate deforest

demotivate destabilize disagree disambiguate

  disappear disapprove disinfect disobey

interconnect intermarry misunderstand misinform

  outperform   predetermine prefabricate readjust

reappear recycle re-elect relocate

remarry reunite superimpose unbutton

unravel

(b)   Nouns:

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denominator disclosure discomfort discourtesy

  disorder enclosure impertinence implosion

  indifference misfortune precaution refinement 

  repayment uncertainty

Adjectives:

degradable disgraceful disorderly dispassionate

immaculate impatient impertinent inanimate

 pronominal remarkable removable unchallenged 

  unfortunate unspeakable

Verbs:

disable disclaim discourage discover

dishearten disintegrate embody encircle

encompass endanger immobilize impersonate  impoverish irradiate

As expected, all double-stressed adjectives and participial forms in the list can originate stress-

shifted contexts, e.g. qunderfed eanimal s ~  she q looks under e fed ; qunderemployed e people ~ qhelp the

undereme ployed; q preheated emeal ~ the qoven must be preeheated , etc.

2.3.2 Prefixes attracting stress, stems unstressed: semivowel

 Nouns:amphitheatre antihero anteroom atheist automobile

  biodata biofuel centigrade centimeter copilot 

  counterattack counterpart cyberculture cyberspace cyberterrorism

  decaf demigod ecosystem ecotourism epicenter 

  forefather forefront foreground foresight gigabyte

  hyperlink hypertext infrastructure intercom intercourse

  interlanguage Internet interplay intranet kilogram

  kilowatt metalanguage millisecond miniskirt misfit 

  mishap monosyllable monotone nonsense outpatient 

  output outset outskirts outsourcing polyglot pre-amp predecessor prefab prehead preview

  rehab rematch resit semicircle stereotype

  subdivision subsection subsystem superman superpower 

  superstar superstore ultrasound

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2.4 Word stress and suffixation

The role of suffixation in most cases involves the formation of new word classes, e.g. -acy 

changes adjectives to nouns, as in eaccurate  >  eaccuracy; -some  is attached to verbs and nouns to

form adjectives, e.g. equarrel  > equarrelsome. Phonologically speaking, the addition of suffixes willdetermine stress placement according to whether the suffix leaves the stem pattern unaltered (stress-

neutral suffixes, the most common type), or whether it attracts stress towards itself, or shifts it to one

of the preceding syllables (stress-imposing). In some cases, stress patterns depend on the number of

syllables the word contains. Sometimes there are two alternative patterns for a derived form, the first

shown always being more common than the second. There is, in this respect, a high degree of

agreement between  LPD and  EPD  in the order of preferences given. The following are among the

most productive examples: 

2.4.1 Stress-neutral suffixes

-age In most cases, /-IdZ/: ecover, ecoverage; elever, eleverage; emarry, emarriage;

eorphan, eorphanage; e patron, e patronage; per ecent, per ecentage; e pilgrim,

e pilgrimage; evicar, evicarage. 

Also in derivatives coming from monosyllabic stems: block, eblockage; bond,

ebondage; break, ebreakage; coin, ecoinage; foot, e footage; leak, eleakage; post,

e postage; rough, eroughage; short, e shortage; shrink, e shrinkage; use, eusage. Also

mortgage / emç˘gIdZ/, enevisage, eheritage, evintage.

In relatively recent French loanwords, /-A˘Z/: ebarrage; ecamouflage; emassage,

e sabotage. Two stress patterns alternate in col elage, ecollage; eentourage,

qentouerage; eespionage, qespioenage. Note garage > /egQrA˘Z, egQrIdZ/. 

-ate Verbs in -ate take a strong, though unstressed syllable /-eIt/: earbiter, earbitrate;

ase sassin, ase sassinate; auethentic, auethenticate; ecalibre, ecalibrate; ecaptive,

ecaptivate; ecircle, ecirculate; ecomment, ecommentate; doemestic, doemesticate;

e formula, e formulate; e fury, ine furiate; elucid, eelucidate; etimid, inetimidate;

neecessity, neecessitate; eorchestra, eorchestrate; evalid, ( q in)evalidate; evalue,

eevaluate; evapour, eevaporate; evigour, inevigorate. 

Most nouns and adjectives take a weak syllable /-´t/: eaccuracy, ( q in)eaccurate;eadequacy, ( q in)eadequate; af e fection, af e fectionate; cone sider, ( q in)cone siderate;

deetermine, ( q in)deeterminate; eelect, eelectorate; e feminine, ef e feminate; e fortune,

(un)e fortunate; e passion, (dis)e passionate; e proper, ( q in)ape propriate; proe portion,

( qdis) proe portionate. 

Exceptions: edifferent, qdiffeerentiate; e facile, faecilitate; grave, eaggravate; note,

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eannotate; eorigin, oeriginate.

 Note the following pairs: affiliate /´efIli´t/ (n., adj.), /´efIlieIt/ (v.).

Similarly: alternate, animate, appropriate, approximate, articulate, associate,

consummate, coordinate, degenerate, delegate, deliberate, designate, desolate,duplicate, elaborate, estimate, expatriate, graduate, incorporate, intimate,

legitimate, moderate, pontificate, predicate, separate, subordinate. Note incarnate

/INekA˘n´t/ (adj.), /eINkA˘neIt/ (v.).

Two-syllable verbs take the primary stress on the suffix: dicetate, dielate, doenate,

 frue strate, loecate, mie grate, nar erate, roetate, transelate, viebrate, etc. See section

2.8.1 for differences with American English. 

-ative  acecuse, acecusative; deerive, deerivative; iemagine, ( qun)iemaginative; ine form,

ine formative; pree serve, pree servative; equality, equalitative; equantity,equantitative. 

Exception: eargument, qarguementative. Note ad eminister > /´demInIstr´tIv,

´demInIstreItIv/; auethority > /ç˘eTÅrIt´tIv, ç˘eTÅrIteItIv/. Note ime ply >

/ImeplIk´tIv, eImplIkeItIv/; ree store > /rIestç˘r´tIv, erest´reItIv/.

-atory cone serve, cone servatory; deeclaim, deeclamatory; execlaim, execlamatory; exe plain,

exe planatory; exe plore, exe ploratory; ine flame, ine flammatory; oeblige, oebligatory;

obe serve, obe servatory; pree pare, pree paratory.

 Note acecuse > /´ekju˘z´t(´)ri, qQkjUezeIt(´)ri/.

Similarly: conedemn > conedemnatory, qcondemenatory; cone firm > cone firmatory,

qconfir e   matory. Note ree spire > /rIespIr´t(´)ri, erespIr´t(´)ri/. 

-er, -or acecelerate, acecelerator; eagitate, eagitator; ealternate, ealternator; eamplify,

eamplifier; earbitrate, earbitrator; econcentrate, econcentrator; edecorate,

edecorator; die scriminate, die scriminator; faecilitate, faecilitator; e govern,

e governor; ehijack, ehijacker; einnovate, einnovator; inetensify, inetensifier;

einterview, einterviewer; eisland, eislander; ekidnap, ekidnapper; elegislate,

elegislator; emodify, emodifier; emotivate, emotivator; e programme, e programmer;

e prosecute, e prosecutor; ree search, ree searcher; sube scribe, sube scriber; e supervise,

e supervisor; suceceed, sucecessor; etrespass, etrespasser; evillage, evillager.

Exception: eexecute, ee xecutor. Note grantor /grA˘netç˘/ ,  guarantor / qgQr´netç˘/

contrast with granetee, q guaranetee; proetest > /pr´etest´, epr´Utest´/; qunder etake > 

/ q!nd´eteIk´/, person who promises to do something; /e!nd´teIk´/, funeral director.

For compounds of the ehairdresser, eword processor  type, see chapter 3.

-ful deeceive, deeceitful; deelight, deelightful; qdisree spect, qdisree spectful; for e get,

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 for e getful; emercy, emerciful; e pity, e pitiful; e purpose, e purposeful; ree source,

ree sourceful; ree proach, ree proachful; ree sent, ree sentful; e sorrow, e sorrowful.

-ify, -efy ebeauty, ebeautify; edignity, edignify; ee xample, ee xemplify; e glory, e glorify; inetense,

inetensify; eliquid, eliquefy; emummy, emummify; equality, equalify; equantity,equantify; e simple, e simplify; eterror, eterrify. 

Also when attached to monosyllabic stems: clear, eclarify; false, e falsify; just,

e justify; null, enullify; rare, erarefy; type, etypify, etc. Exceptions: ehumid, huemidify;

e person, per e sonify; e solid, soelidify. 

-ism qabsenetee, qabseneteeism; qacaedemic, qacaedemicism; ealcohol, ealcoholism;

bielingual, bielingualism; ecannibal, ecannibalism; ecapital, ecapitalism; ecritic,

ecriticism; ecynic, ecynicism; deetermine, deeterminism; ee scape, ee scapism;

exe pansion, exe pansionism; exetreme, exetremism; faenatic, faenaticism; e favourite,

e favouritism; ehooligan, ehooliganism; il elusion, il elusionism; ime pression,

ime pressionism; inedustrial, inedustrialism; enational, enationalism; e patriot,

e patriotism; e positive, e positivism, proe fessional, proe fessionalism; roemantic,

roemanticism; snob, e snobbism; evandal, evandalism; evulgar, evulgarism.

 Note eopportune, qoppor etune > / qÅp´etju˘nIzm, eÅp´tju˘nIzm/. 

-ist car etoon, car etoonist; ecolony, ecolonist; ecolumn, ecolumnist; exetreme, exetremist;

 guietar, guietarist; ehumour, ehumorist; maechine, maechinist; emethod, emethodist;

 phoenology, phoenologist; e physics, e physicist; seemantics, seemanticist; e social,

e socialist; qvioelin, qvioelinist.

 Note eopportune, qoppor etune > »oppor etunist; pieano > /epi˘´nIst, pieQnIst/.

-ize (-ise)  ae pology, ae pologize; echaracter, echaracterize; eclimate, aceclimatize; come puter,

come puterize; eeconomy, eeconomize; eequal, eequalize; faemiliar, faemiliarize;

eharmony, eharmonize; ehospital, ehospitalize; eidol, eidolize; ietalics, ietalicize;

e jeopardy, e jeopardize; emodern, emodernize; eregular, eregularize; e standard,

e standardize; e symbol, e symbolize; e sympathy, e sympathize.

Exception: imemune, eimmunize. Note bapetize, cape size.

-less ecolour, ecolourless; dee fence, dee fenceless; eeffort, eeffortless, exe pression,exe pressionless; ehumour, ehumourless; emeaning, emeaningless; emercy,

emerciless; e pity, e pitiless; ree gard, ree gardless; reelent, reelentless.

-ly eamicable, eamicably; eauditory, eauditorily; conetrastive, conetrastively; ecoward,

ecowardly; eorder, eorderly; e passionate, e passionately; e separate, e separately.

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-ment /-m´nt/ in nouns: aebandon, aebandonment; acecompany, acecompaniment;

acecomplish, acecomplishment; aechieve, aechievement; aemaze, aemazement;

qdisil elusion, qdisil elusionment; emebarrass, emebarrassment; enecourage,

enecouragement; qenter etain, qenter etainment; ee stablish, ee stablishment; e govern,e government; ine fringe, ine fringement; emanage, emanagement; post e pone,

 post e ponement; e prison, ime prisonment; ree sent, ree sentment.

Exception: eadvertise, ad evertisement. Cf. /-ment/ in verbs: document

/edÅkjUm´nt/ (n.), /edÅkjUment/ (v.).

Similarly: experiment, fragment, implement, increment, ornament, regiment,

 supplement.

-ness  earbitrary, earbitrariness; aeware, aewareness; come petitive, come petitiveness;

deecisive, ( q un)deecisiveness; edefinite, (in)edefiniteness; exe pect, qunexe pectedness;einfinite, einfiniteness; enervous, enervousness; pree pared, pree paredness.

2.4.2 Suffixes attracting stress

In order to conform to the natural rhythm of English –the alternation of strong and weak

syllables–, the stem pattern may be readjusted: deport  /dIepç˘t/ > deportee / qdi˘pç˘eti˘/. In some cases

two alternative patterns coexist: address  /´edres/ >  addressee / qQdresei˘, ´qdresei˘/. The patterns

given here are the most usual:

-ade block, bloeckade; elemon, qlemoenade; mask, qmasqueerade; eorange, qorane geade.

Also brie gade, cae scade, qescae pade, greenade, paerade, q sereenade.

Exceptions: edecade, emarmalade.

-ee eabsent, qabsenetee; eamputate, qampuetee; ape point, apq poinetee, at etend, at qtenedee;

deetain, qdetaienee; deevote, qdevoetee; dievorce, diqvor ecee; ee scape, eq scae pee;

eevacuate, eqvacueee; ee xamine, eq xamienee; inetern, qinter enee; einterview,

qintervieweee; elicense, qlicene see; emortgage, qmortgae gee; enominate, qnomienee;

ree fer, »refeeree; erefuge, qrefue gee; reeturn, reqtur enee; e supervise, q supervie see.

Exceptions: non-derivatives with early stress comemittee /-i/ , eapogee, e jubilee,e pedigree, etrochee /-i˘/. Note eme ploy > /ImeplçIi˘, qemplçIei˘/. Also q jamboeree and

when attached to monosyllabic stems, e.g. pay, payeee; trust, true stee, etc. 

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-eer eauction, qauctioeneer; edominate, qdomieneer; eengine, qengieneer; emarket,

qmarkeeteer; emountain, qmountaieneer; e profit, q profieteer; e puppet, q puppeeteer;

eracket, qrackeeteer.

Also caereer, qbuccaeneer, q pioeneer, qvoluneteer.

-ese eChina, qChienese; Jae pan, q Japaenese; e journal, q journaelese; elegal, qlegaelese;

emother, qmotheerese; of e ficial, of q ficiaelese; Peekin, q Pekienese; e Portugal,

q Portue guese; qTaiewan, qTaiwaenese; qViet enam, qVietnaemese.

Also qSiaemese.

-esque e Arab, qaraebesque; e picture, q pictueresque; e statue, q statueesque.

Also bur elesque, groetesque.

-et (te)  cie gar, qcigaerette; e flannel, q flanneelette; ekitchen, qkitcheenette; elaundry,qlaundeerette; eleather, qleatheerette; electure, qlectuerette; eusher, qusheerette.

Also bruenette, gae zette, qmarioenette, rouelette, q servieette, q silhoueette, q suffrae gette;

qcastaenet, qclarienet, quar etet, quinetet. Exceptions: eomelette, e palette; ebanquet,

etoilet. (See also section 2.8).

2.4.3 Stress-imposing suffixes

The following suffixes reject stress to either the immediately preceding syllable or to the syllable

 before that:

-ic eallergy, al elergic; eanarchy, aenarchic; eartist, ar etistic; echaos, chaeotic; eclimate,

cliematic; deemocracy, qdemoecratic; edogma, dog ematic; edrama, draematic;

eeconomy, qecoenomic; eenergy, qener e getic; geeography, q geoe graphic; eharmony,

har emonic; ehero, heeroic; ehistory, hie storic; ehygiene, hye gienic; eicon, ieconic;

eidiot, qidieotic; qindievidual, qindiqviduaelistic; emagnet, mag enetic; emajesty,

mae jestic; emelancholy, qmelanecholic; e strategy; straetegic; e symbol, symebolic;

e syntax, synetactic; e synthesis, synethetic.

Also aerithmetic (n.), qarithemetic (adj.); ecatholic, elunatic, e politic, erhetoric.

Exception: e Arab, e Arabic. 

-ical eeconomy, qecoenomical; e grammar, gramematical; eheresy, heeretical; enonsense,

none sensical; e paradox, q paraedoxical; e period, q perieodical; etyrant, tyerannical.

Exceptions: e Bible, ebiblical. 

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2.4.4 Stress-neutral and stress-imposing suffixes

-able, -ible (a) stress-neutral:

ad emit, ( q in)ad emissible; ealien, (in)ealienable; eanswer, ( qun)eanswerable; eargue,

earguable; aevoid, ( qun)aevoidable; ecalculate, ( q in)ecalculable; echarity,echaritable; comemend, comemendable; conetempt, conetemptible; deebate,

deebatable; deeny, ( qun)deeniable; deetest, deetestable; die stinguish,

qindie stinguishable; eenvy, ( qun)eenviable; exeception, ( qun)execeptionable; execuse,

( q in)execusable; eexecute, eexecutable; exetinguish, qinexetinguishable; e fashion,

e fashionable; e favour, ( qun)e favourable; for e get, ( qun) for e gettable; for e give,

( qun) for e givable; ehonour, ehonourable; iemagine, ( qun)iemaginable; eimitate,

ienimitable; inehabit, inehabitable; eirritate, eirritable; eknowledge, eknowledgeable;

emanage, ( qun)emanageable; ememory, ememorable; emention, qunementionable;

enavigate, enavigable; nee gotiate, nee gotiable; enotice, enoticeable; e palate,

e palatable; e pardon, qune pardonable; e penetrate, ( q im)e penetrable; per eceive,( q im) per eceptible; e perish, e perishable; e photocopy, e photocopiable; e practice,

( q im)e practicable; e profit, e profitable; erealize, erealizable; reecover,

( q ir )reecoverable; ereplicate, ereplicable; sur emount, qinsur emountable; eterminate,

qineterminable; etolerate, ( q in)etolerable; transelate, transelatable.

(b) stress-imposing:

ad emire, eadmirable; cor erect, inecorrigible; eelect, eeligible; nee glect, enegligible;

 pree fer, e preferable; ( qdis)ree pute, (dis)ereputable.

 Note the following derivatives in -able have two alternative patterns, one with

early stress and one with late stress: ecertify > /esŒ˘tIfa´bl, qsŒ˘tIefa´bl/. The main

 pattern is shown first: eanalyze > eanalyzable, qanaelyzable; ape ply > 

( q in)ape plicable, ( q in)eapplicable; come pare, (in)ecomparable, ( q in)come parable;

edemonstrate > deemonstrable, edemonstrable; die spute > ( q in)die sputable,

(in)edisputable; eexplicate > ( q in)exe plicable, ( q in)eexplicable; e falsify > e falsifiable,

q falsie fiable; iedentify > iedentifiable, i qdentie fiable; e justify > ( qun)q justie fiable,

( qun)e justifiable; laement > laementable, elamentable; e programmme > 

 proe grammable, e programmable; ereconcile > (ir )ereconcilable, ( q ir )qreconecilable;

erecognize > ( qun)erecognizable, ( qun)qrecog e   nizable; ree fute, ( q ir )ree futable,

(ir )erefutable; ree pair > ree pairable, ir ereparable; transe fer > transe ferable,

etransferable; everify > everifiable, qverie fiable. 

-(i)al (a) stress-neutral:

In adjective formation: e function, e functional; enation, enational; enature,

( qun)enatural; e person, ( q im)e personal;e physics, e physical; e practice,

( q im)e practical; eregion, eregional; traedition, traeditional.

In noun formation: ape praise, ape praisal; ( qdis)ape prove, ( qdis)ape proval; aerouse,

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aerousal; ar erive, ar erival; ebury, eburial; deeny, deenial; ree fer, ree ferral; ree fuse,

ree fusal; reemove, reemoval; reetrieve, reetrieval; sur evive, sur evival.

Exception: etutor, tuetorial.

(b) stress-imposing (penultimate syllable):In adjective formation: eadjective, qadjecetival; eancestry, anecestral; eanecdote,

qanecedotal; ecommerce, comemercial; econsonant, qconsoenantal; econtinent,

qcontienental; dee partment, qdepart emental; enevironment, enqvironemental; eessence,

ese sential; exe periment, exq periemental; e finance, fienancial; eindustry, inedustrial;

einfluence, qinflueential; emanager, qmanae gerial; eorchestra, or echestral; e province,

 proevincial; eremedy, reemedial; e secretary, q secreetarial; e substance, sube stantial;

euniverse, qunieversal.

 Note ecommune > /ekÅmjUn´l, k´emju˘n´l/; e pharynx > / qfQrInedZi˘´l, f´erIndZl/;

inetestine > /InetestIn´l, qInteestaIn´l/; elarynx > /l´erIndZl, qlQrInedZi˘´l/; ehabit,

haebitual.

(c) stress-imposing (antepenultimate syllable):

In adjective formation: eabdomen, abedominal; earchitect, qarchietectural;

aerithmetic, qarithemetical; eattitude, qattietudinal; eorigin, oeriginal; e politics,

 poelitical; erhetoric, rheetorical.

-ance, -ant (a) stress-neutral:

aebound, aebundance, aebundant; al elow, al elowance; anenoy, anenoyance;

acequaint, acequaintance; conetrive, conetrivance; coneverse, coneversant; dee fy,

dee fiance, dee fiant; die sturb, die sturbance; edominate, edominance, edominant;

ehesitate, ehesitance, ehesitant; inehabit, inehabitant; ine sure, ine surance; pur e sue,

 pur e suant; ree pent, ree pentance, ree pentant; ree semble, ree semblance; ree sist,

ree sistance, ree sistant; e signify, sig enificance, sig enificant; etolerate, etolerance,

etolerant; eutter, eutterance.

(b) stress-imposing:

ape ply, eapplicant; eexecute, ee xecutant; ig enore, eignorance, eignorant; mainetain,

emaintenance; proetest, e Protestant; e signify, sig enificance, sig enificant; sue stain,

e sustenance; triumph, trieumphant.

 Note ae spire > /eQsp´r´nt, ´espa´r´nt/; die spute > /dIespju˘tnt, edIspjUt´nt/. Also:

eadamant; deeodorant; proetuberance, proetuberant. 

-ary (a) stress-neutral:

eadverse, eadversary; earbiter, earbitrary; ecaution, ecautionary; ecomment,

ecommentary; ecustom, ecustomary; die scretion, die scretionary; qeloecution,

qeloecutionary; qevoelution, qevoelutionary; ee xample, ee xemplary; ehonour,

ehonorary; iemagine, iemaginary; elegend, elegendary; emission, emissionary;

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emoment, emomentary; emoney, emonetary; reeaction, reeactionary; qrevoelution,

qrevoelutionary; e second, e secondary; etribute, etributary; evision, evisionary.

(b) stress-imposing:

ebenefit, qbenee ficiary; ecompliment, qcompliementary; edocument, qdocuementary;

eelement, qeleementary; e parliament, q parliaementary; erudiment, qrudiementary;

e sediment, q sediementary; e supplement, q suppleementary.

 Note ediscipline > /edIs´plIn´ri, qdIs´eplIn´ri/; e fragment  > /efrQgm´nt´ri,

frQgement´ri/.

With bound stems the stress falls either one, two or three syllables back from the

suffix: anecillary, cenetenary, oebituary;

conetemporary, eculinary, edictionary, heereditary, ietinerary, eordinary,

 preeliminary, e sedentary, voecabulary, evoluntary;

eveterinary. 

-ence, -ent (a) stress-neutral:

ad ehere, ad eherence, ad eherent; conedole, conedolence; qcorree spond,

qcorree spondence, qcorree spondent; ediffer, (in)edifference, (in)edifferent; dee pend,

( q in)dee pendence, ( q in)dee pendent; qinter e fere, qinter e ference; ocecur, ocecurrence;

qremienisce, qremieniscence, qremieniscent; ree pel, ree pellent; suf e fice, ( q in) suf e ficient.

(b) stress-imposing:

qcoinecide, coeincidence, coeincident; cone fide, econfidence, econfident; execel,

eexcellence, eexcellent; ine fer, einference; emagnify, mag enificence, mag enificent;

 pree fer, e preference; preevail, e prevalence, e prevalent; ree fer, ereference, ereferent;ree side, eresidence, eresident.

Also edecadence, edecadent; eeloquence, eeloquent; eequivalence, eequivalent;

mag enificence, mag enificent; omenipotence, omenipotent; e somnolence, e somnolent. 

-ion (a) stress-neutral mainly in three-syllable words:

abe sorb, abe sorption; col elide, col elision; coneceive, ( qmis)coneception; deeceive,

deeception; deetain, deetention; dif e fuse, dif e fusion; ine ject, ine jection; inetend,

inetention; inevade, inevasion; preedict, preediction; proemote, proemotion; reeceive,

reeception; subemit, subemission; sue spect, sue spicion; transe gress, transe gression;

viebrate, viebration.

(b) stress-imposing mainly in longer words:

ealternate, qalter enation; aneticipate, anqticie pation; ape preciate, apq precieation;

ecivilize, qcivilie zation; eeducate, qeduecation; eevolve, qevoelution; ee xemplify,

eq xemplifiecation; exe periment, exq perimenetation; ime ply, qimpliecation; eimprovise,

qimprovie sation; ine spire, qinspieration; e justify, q justifiecation; elegalize,

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qlegalie zation; qmisproenounce, qmispronuncieation; emultiply, qmultipliecation;

oeblige, qoblie gation; e privatize, q privatie zation; e purify, q purifiecation; eratify,

qratifiecation.

-ity  (a) stress-neutral:aetrocious, aetrocity; exetreme, exetremity; hielarious, hielarity; imemune,

imemunity; ( q im)maeture, ( q im)maeturity; qmedieocre, qmedieocrity; oebese, oebesity;

obe scene, obe scenity; seevere, seeverity; sinecere, sinecerity.

Also when attached to monosyllabic stems: dense, edensity; nude, enudity; null,

enullity; pure, ( q im)e purity; scarce, e scarcity, etc. 

(b) stress-imposing: 

eamiable, qamiaebility; eamicable, qamicaebility; aenonymous, qanoenymity;

come patible, comq patiebility; ecomplex, come plexity; conenective, qconnecetivity;

ecurious, qcurieosity; deeniable, deqniaebility; ececentric, qeccenetricity; eelastic,qelae sticity; faemiliar, faqmiliearity; ehuman, huemanity; ine ferior, inq ferieority;

emasculine, qmascuelinity; emodern, moedernity; enoble, noebility; e solemn,

 soelemnity; sue perior, suq perieority; sue stainable, suq stainaebility; etranquil,

tranequility; euniform, qunie formity.

 Note electric > /IqleketrIs´ti, qelIketrIs´ti/; nice, nicety / enaIs´ti/.

-ive (a) stress-neutral:

ad ehere, ad ehesive; at etract, ( qun)at etractive; aedopt, aedoptive; deecide,

( q in)deecisive; deeride, deerisive; ef e fect, ( q in)ef e fective; eevade, eevasive; exehaust,

exehaustive; exetend, exetensive; of e fend, ( q in)of e fensive; per emit, per emisive; proehibit, proehibitive; proetect, proetective; proevoke, proevocative; ree flect,

ree flexive; ree peat, ree petitive; ree pulse, ree pulsive; ree strict, ree strictive; e secret,

e secretive.

Most derivatives in -ive, which originate from verbs in -ate, vary between two

 patterns, /-´tIv, -eItIv/: acecumulate > /(´)ekju˘mj´l´tIv, (´)ekju˘mj´leItIv/.

Similarly: ad eminister, ad eministrative; ape preciate, ape preciative; col elaborate,

col elaborative; comememorate, comememorative; comemunicate,

( qun)comemunicative; eimitate, eimitative; inevestigate, inevestigative; elegislate,

elegislative; maenipulate, maenipulative; eoperate, ( q in)eoperative; e speculate,

e speculative; e stimulate, e stimulative. 

The reversed preference is seen in innovative /e In´veItIv, eIn´v´tIv/). Exception:

edecorate, edecorative; ienitiate, ienitiative; enominate, enominative. 

(b) stress-imposing:

ealternate, al eternative; econtemplate, conetemplative; ecorrelate, cor erelative;

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edemonstrate, ( qun)deemonstrative; eexecute, ee xecutive; eexplicate, exe plicative;

eindicate, inedicative; einstinct, ine stinctive; ineterrogate, qinter erogative; nar erate, 

enarrative; e permit, per emissive; e predicate, preedicative; reelate, erelative; seedate,

e sedative.

 Note ecombat  > /ekÅmb´tIv, k´mebQtIv/; eillustrate > /e Il´str´tIv, eIl´streItIv,

Iel!str´tIv/. Also in adjectives with stress one syllable back from the suffix:

ag e gressive, e passive, sube junctive, vinedictive; with stress two syllables back from

the suffix: ecognitive, dieminutive, e fricative, ime perative, e putative, sue perlative,

( q in)etransitive, inetuitive. 

-ory Adjectives in -ory which originate from verbs in -ate have mainly two options: an

early- and a late-stressed pattern, where -ory is stress-neutral and stress-imposing,

respectively: ar eticulate > /A˘etIkjUl´t(´)ri, A˘qtIkjUeleIt´ri/.

Similarly: abebreviate > abebreviatory, abqbrevieatory; ase similate > ase similatory,asq simielatory; coneciliate > coneciliatory, conqcilieatory; edeprecate > edeprecatory,

qdepreecatory; edepredate > edepredatory, qdepreedatory; die scriminate > 

die scriminatory, diq scrimienatory; inecriminate > inecriminatory, inqcrimienatory;

inevestigate > inevestigatory, inqvestie gatory; reetaliate > reetaliatory, reqtalieatory.

They can also have a late-stressed pattern as first alternative and an early-stressed

 pattern as second option, where -ory is stress-imposing and stress-neutral,

respectively: aneticipate > /QnqtIsIepeIt´ri, QnetIsIp´t´ri/.

Similarly: ecelebrate > qceleebratory, ecelebratory; ecirculate > qcircuelatory,

ecirculatory; cone gratulate > conq gratuelatory, cone gratulatory; inetimidate > 

inqtimiedatory, inetimidatory; manedate > emandatory, manedatory; mie grate > 

emigratory, mie gratory; par eticipate > par qticie patory, par eticipatory; eregulate > 

qreguelatory, eregulatory. 

Exceptions: -ory is stress-imposing only in ecompensate > qcompene satory,

come pensatory; dielate > edilatory. 

In other polysyllabic adjectives –with free and bound stems–, the suffix can be

either neutral or imposing and the stress falls either one or two syllables back from

it: acecessory, ad evisory, come pulsory, qcontraedictory, dierectory, e factory, ehistory,

qintroeductory, ememory, per e functory, ree fectory, q satise factory, e sensory,

trae jectory, evictory;

eallegory, ecategory, edormitory, einventory, elavatory, supe pository, eterritory,

etransitory. 

 Note the RP weak syllable /-(́ )ri/ becomes /-ç˘ri/ in American English.

-(e) , (i)ous (a) stress-neutral:

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amebition, amebitious; aenomaly, aenomalous; ecourtesy, ecourteous; edanger,

edangerous; die saster, die sastrous; eenvy, eenvious; feerocity, feerocious; e fury,

e furious; e glamour, e glamorous; ehazard, ehazardous; einfamy, einfamous; emarvel,

emarvellous; emischief, emischievous; emountain, emountainous; qostenetation,

qostenetatious; e poison, e poisonous; e prosper, e prosperous; pree stige, pree stigious;reeligion, reeligious; erigour, erigorous; e scandal, e scandalous; e scruple,

e scrupulous; sue spicion, sue spicious; etreachery, etreacherous; eulcer, eulcerous;

evirtue, evirtuous.

(b) stress-imposing (penultimate syllable):

ad evantage, ( qdis)qadvanetageous; ane xiety, eanxious; eceremony, qcereemonious;

econscience, qconscieentious; ecourage, couerageous; qcurieosity, ecurious; eerror,

er eroneous; eindustry, inedustrious; qingeenuity, ine genious; elabour, laeborious;

eluxury, lue xurious; emelody, meelodious; mie scellany, qmiscel elaneous; emystery,

mye sterious; e prodigy, proedigious; erebel, reebellious; q simultaeneity,

q simul etaneous; q spontaeneity, sponetaneous; evictory, vicetorious.

(c) stress-imposing (antepenultimate syllable):

qanoenymity, aenonymous; ecarnivore, car enivorous; q geneerosity, e generous;

qincreedulity, inecredulous; emiracle, mieraculous; proe sperity, e prosperous;

eridicule, riediculous; qunaenimity, uenanimous; evolume, voeluminous.

Also in adjectives with stress one syllable back from the suffix: qambiedextrous,

qheteroe geneous, qhomoe geneous, preecarious; with stress two syllables back from

the suffix: eludicrous.

2.5 Word stress and verbal derivatives

There exist numerous derivatives –mostly nouns and some adjectives and adverbs– originating

mainly from phrasal verbs in which the attached adverb particles clearly behave like prefixes or

suffixes and it is in this capacity that we have decided to include these as simple words. The most

common type of this sort of formation concerns the nominalization of phrasal verbs, as when the two-

word verb qtake eoff   (The q plane is qready to take eoff ) gives rise to the noun etakeoff  : The q plane is

qready for etakeoff . This and other similar types of constructions with a verb as the central element

will be examined below: 

2.5.1 Verb(inf), verb(-er), verb(-ing), verb (pp) + particle: backup, see- 

  through, looker-   on, washing up, run-   down  

This section is concerned with five types of derivatives: (a) double-stressed phrasal verbs in their

citation form ( qback eup) take single stress when functioning as nouns:  I qneed proq fessional ebackup;

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sometimes these formations can operate both as nouns and adjectives: The qbreakaway of the

qmembers was eimminent; I’m q going with the ebreakaway faction. Notice that they can be spelt either

as one word or hyphenated and that dictionaries do not always coincide in this respect; (b) double-

stressed derivatives which function only or mainly as adjectives: a q see-through eblouse; (c), (d)

double-stressed nouns; (e) double-stressed adjectives (and a few adverbs): qrun-down ehouses; Shewas qlooking run-e   down. 

(a) eblackout ebreakdown ebreak-in ebreakout ebreakthrough

  ebreakup ebrush-off ecast-off(s) echeck-in echeckout 

  echeckup ecleanup eclear-out ecomeback ecountdown

  ecover-up ecutback ecut-off edrive-in edropout 

  e fallback e fall-off e feedback e flashback e follow-up

  e getup e giveaway e go-ahead ehandout ehangover 

  ehideaway eholdup ekick-off eknockout elay-by

  elead-in eletdown eletup elineup elinkup  elookout emake-up emeltdown emix-up e payoff 

  e phone-in e pick-up e pin-up e playback e press-up

  e printout e pullover e pull-up e push-up eread-out

erip-off eroundabout eround-up erun-through e sellout 

  e send-off e setback e set-up e shakeup e shoot-out 

  e show-off e shutdown e sit-in e sit-up e sleepover 

  e slip-up e slowdown e spin-off e standby e start-up

  e stopover etailback etakeaway etakeover etie-up

  eturnout eturnover ewalk-over ewarm-up ewashout 

  eworkout ewrite-off ewrite-up

(b) e foldaway eknockdown eknock-on elive-in erunaway

  e sitdown e slip-on e stand-up ethrowaway ewalk-in

Exception: qlie-edown. Note e go-between, e slip-ons.

(c) qhanger-eon q passer-eby qrunner-eup 

(d) q falling-eout q goings-eon q summing-eup q swearing-ein

Exception: etalking-to. Note qheads-eup. 

(e)  qbuilt-ein qbuilt-eup q grown-eup qhead-eon qlived-ein

qleft-eover qmessed-eup qmixed-eup q pissed eoff qrun-edown

  q screwed-eup qwashed-eout qworked-eup qworn-eout

 Note e grown-up (n.); eleftovers (n.); e sought-after  (adj.). 

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2.5.2 Particle + verb(inf), verb(pp), verb(-ing): intake, out   spoken, off   set,

upbringing, out   standing

Particle + verb –infinitive, past participle, present participle– give rise to five subcategories: (a)

single-stressed nouns, most of which are semantically related to the phrasal verbs which originatethem: eintake   X is qout e spoken; others do not come directly from phrasal verbs: qineborn  ( q inborn

einstinct ) is a quality present since birth; (c) double-stressed verbs; (d) single-stressed nouns; (e)

double-stressed adjectives. Notice that some entries have different stress patterns –single and double

stress– depending on their grammatical class and therefore appear in more than one section: eupset

(n.), qupe set (adj., v.):

(a) ebackfire ebypass  edownfall edowngrade edownload 

  edownpour eincome einflow einlay einlet 

  einput eoffprint eoffshoot eoffspring eonset   eoutbreak eoutburst eoutcast eoutcome eoutcry

  eoutfit eoutflow eoutlet eoutline eoutlook 

  eoutput eoutset eoverflow eoverlap eoverload 

  eoverthrow ethroughput eunderscore eunderstudy eunderwear 

  eupdate eupgrade eupkeep  euplift eupload 

  eupset eupsurge euptake

(b) qout edated qout e spread qout e stretched qover eblown qover ecast

qover ecrowded qover edone qover edressed qover e grown qover e joyed 

  qover e priced qover equalified qover erated qover e staffed qunderdeeveloped   qunder edone qunder edressed qunder e fed qunder enourished qunder e paid 

  qunder e privileged qunder erated qunder e signed qunder e staffed qunder eused 

  qupe set

 Note the single-stressed adjectives ebygone, einbuilt , which are only used attributively, and the

adjectives/adverbs eupright, euptight. 

(c) qback e fire qback edate qdowne grade qdowneload qdowne play

qoff eload qout e grow qout elive qout enumber qover ebalance

  qover ebook qover echarge qover ecome qover ecook qover eeat 

  qover eestimate qover e flow qover ehear qover eheat qover elap  qover eload qover elook qover e pay qover ereact qover eride

  qover erule qover e shadow qover e simplify qover e sleep qover e stay

  qover etake qover etax qover ethrow qover eturn qunder echarge

  qunder eestimate qunder e go qunder eline qunder emine qunder e pay

  qunder e score qunder e state qunder etake qupedate qupe grade

  qupeload qupe set qupehold qupe size

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 Note the following early-stressed verbs: ebypass, eoutline. 

(d) ebackbiting eoutpouring eoutsourcing euprising eupskilling

(e)  qinecoming qine growing qoff-e putting qone going qine growing   qout e growing qout elying qover ebearing qover e powering qupecoming 

  qupelifting qupe standing  

 Notice that due to stress-shift there is preference for early stress patterns in prenominal

 position: qincoming e flight, qoff-putting reemark , etc. Some dictionaries give only the early-stressed

 pattern with the note ‘only before noun’. 

2.6 Word stress in particle + noun formations: off-licence, off-   key  

Particles + nouns result in either (a) single-stressed nouns or (b) double-stressed adjectives and/or

adverbs. Notice the stress-shifted contexts: an qoff-key reemark; She q sang off-ekey: 

(a) eafter-effect eaftershave eaftershock eaftertaste eafterthought 

  eby-election ebyproduct   ebystander edownside ein-laws

  einmate einsight einstep eoff-chance eoff-season

  eonlooker eoutlaw eoutpatient eoutskirts eovercoat 

  eoverdose eoverdraft eovertime eoversight eovertone

  eoverview eunderground eunderpants

 Note also the following double-stressed nouns: qafter enoon, qoff-ewhite, qout e side; upeheaval. 

(b) qdowne stream qin-edepth qinedoor ( s)  qin-e flight qin-ehouse

  qineland qoff-ebalance qoff-ecolour qoff-eduty qoff-e guard

qoff ehand qoff eline qoff-e peak qoff-e season qoff e shore

qoff e stage qon-eboard qoneline qon-e screen qone shore

qon-e site qone stage qout edoor ( s) qout e side qover ehead 

  qover eland qover eleaf qover enight qover e seas qover eweight 

  qunder eage qunder ecover qunder e ground qunder e sea qunder eway

qupe front qupehill qupe stairs qupe stream

2.7 Word stress and grammatical category

Stress placement may distinguish between certain nouns and adjectives, on the one hand, and

verbs, on the other, most of which are two-syllable words with identical spellings and identical or

similar phonemic patterns. This is one of the easiest rules for the prediction of stress placement which

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learners can put into practice. They have to remember that there is a tendency for nouns and

adjectives to take stress on the first syllable and verbs, on the second. Notice that a similar rule

operates in Sp. etérmino, eúltimo and the corresponding verbs ter emino, termienó; ul etimo, ultiemó. In

this section we shall examine some 70 of the most common pairs. In the majority of cases, the

unstressed syllable of the verb contains a weak vowel, e.g. suspect /s´espekt/, but this tendency is notso strong with nouns and adjectives, i.e. the unstressed syllables of these words are in most cases

strong, e.g. /es!spekt/. This pattern also applies to derivatives such as misconduct   / qmIsekÅnd!kt/

(n.), / qmIsk´ned!kt/ (v.): 

abstract accent addict affix annex attribute

  commune compound conduct conflict conserve construct 

  contest contract contrast converse convert convict 

  decoy decrease defect desert escort exploit 

  export extract ferment frequent object perfect 

  perfume permit pervert present produce progress  project prospect protest rebel rebound record 

  reflex refund reject retard segment subject 

  surmise survey suspect transfer

 Note:

commune /ekÅmju˘n/ (n.), group of people; /k´emju˘n/ (v.), communicate.

console /ekÅns´Ul/ (n.), switchboard; /k´nes´Ul/ (v.), give satisfaction.

content /ekÅntent/ (n.), things contained; /k´netent/ (n., adj., v.), satisfaction, satisfied, satisfy.

refuse /erefju˘s/ (n.), rubbish; /rIefju˘z/ (v.), turn down.

The noun corresponding to the verb cone fine is econfines.

Derivatives introduced by suffix re-  meaning ‘again’ may have two different patterns: in (a)

nouns and adjectives take primary stress on the prefix, e.g. refill   /eri˘fIl/, and verbs have secondary

stress on the prefix and primary stress on the stem / »ri˘efIl/3. In (b) two different stress and/or

 phonemic patterns indicate two different meanings:

(a) recount refit refund relaunch relay remake

  replay reprint rerun reset resit retake

  rethink revamp

(b) recover / qri˘ek!v´/, cover again; /rIek!v´/, regain, come back to health. 

recreation / qri˘krieeISn/, creating again; / qrekrieeISn/, leasure activity. 

reform / qri˘efç˘m/, form again; /rIefç˘m/, improve. 

re-present / qri˘prIezent/, submit again; / qreprIezent/, symbolize. 

In some cases it is only the stress pattern that distinguishes between noun and verb, e.g. increase 

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/eINkri˘s/, /INekri˘s/. (Cases involving phrasal verbs and their nominalized forms, as in  play back  

/ qpleI ebQk/ (v.), /epleIbQk/ (n.) are listed in chapter 3, section 3.5.8). Similarly:

backfire dictate digest discount discharge discourse

  downgrade finance impact implant import imprint   incline indent insert insult interchange intern

  intrigue invite mandate miscount misfire mismatch

  misprint overflow overhaul overlap overload overthrow

  rampage remake replay reprint rethink torment 

  transfer transplant transport

Finally, there are nouns/adjectives and verbs which have the same phonemic and stress patterns

 –early stress in (a), late stress in (b), and mid stress in (c):

(a)  access answer balance barbecue benefit bottle  boycott bypass capture catalogue challenge colour 

  combat comment concrete corner cover deluge

  discipline discount empty exercise exile exit 

  favour feature figure filter finish forecast 

  forfeit format honour index influence input 

  interest invoice limit market massacre mention

  merchandise narrow offer orbit order outline

  output panic paper photocopy photograph pilot 

  practice (-ise)  preview process promise question recap

  relapse remedy reprimand rescue retail (= sell )  ridicule  sabotage sacrifice sentence silence study substitute

  surcharge surface telephone value visit whisper 

  whistle

(b)  account acclaim address advance alert amount 

  appeal approach arrest attack attempt cement 

  collapse consent content control debate decline

  decree default defeat delay delight demand 

  desire direct disdain disguise disgrace disgust 

  dismay dispatch display disregard dissent divorce

  escape exchange exhaust express guarantee lament 

  mature mistake mistrust preserve recall reclaim

  recruit reform refrain regard regret relapse

  release repair repeat reply report reproach

  repulse request reserve resort respect result 

  retreat return revenge reverse review revolt 

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reward supply support surprise

(c)  commission deposit discredit dishonour encounter endeavour 

  exhibit experience manoeuvre position

The late-stressed adjective express  /Ikespres/ may optionally change to early stress (as if

stress-shifted) in a context such as qexpress / qekspres/ deelivery. The adjective compact   /k´mepQkt/

 becomes / ekÅmpQkt/ in attributive contexts such as qcompact edisc, qcompact ecamera. Other single-

stressed words, e.g. ascent   /´esent/, descent   /dIesent/; import   /Imepç˘t/, export   /Ikespç˘t/, etc. may

take early stress to underline contrastive meanings, e.g. the qascent and qdescent of the emountain; we

qimport qmangoes and qexport e peaches. Note orient  /eç˘ri´nt/ (n., adj.), /eç˘rient/ (v.).

Also note variability between /s/~/z/: abuse /´ebju˘s/ (n.), /´ebju˘z/ (v.); excuse /Ikeskju˘s/ (n.),

/Ikeskju˘z/ (v.); disuse / qdIse ju˘s/ (n.), disused   / qdIse ju˘zd/ (adj.); misuse  / qmIse ju˘s/ (n.), / qmIse ju˘z/

(v.).

2.7 Word stress alternations

Learners can also pay attention to the rules governing the so-called ‘stress alternations’ resulting

from the addition of affixes to stems so as to form related words. The application of phonological

rules may cause changes in both the pattern of phonemes and stress placement. An examination of

the correspondence between phoneme and spelling reveals that vowels vary with stress. These rules

may provide further clues to predict stress patterns. In the following examples, the ‘tadpole’

notations do not  indicate prominent, unstressed vowels, as in diplomat /edIpl´mQt/: 

1 5  2 1 5 1affirm, affirmation combine, combination compile, compilation

compose, composition condense, condensation deprive, deprivation

expect, expectation incline, inclination install, installation

invite, invitation oppose, opposition relax, relaxation

1 5  1 5 1 (1) 1 2 1 5 1accuse, accusatory, accusation compete, competitive, competition

confirm, confirmatory, confirmation conserve, conservatory, conservation

  consult, consultative, consultation declare, declarative, declaration

derive, derivative, derivation exclaim, exclamatory, exclamation

explore, exploratory, exclamation  inflame, inflammatory, inflammation

inform, informative, information prepare, preparatory, preparation

repeat, repetitive, repetition restore, restorative, restoration

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5 1  2 1 1 5 1 civil, civilization central, centralization drama, dramatization

idol, idolization modern, modernization neutral, neutralization

 stable, stabilization standard, standardization symbol, symbolization

1 5 1  1 2 1 5 1 amalgam, amalgamation consider, consideration continue, continuation

determine, determination imagine, imagination interpret, interpretation

1 5 1  2 1 5 1 attribute, attribution contribute, contribution distribute, distribution

  demolish, demolition prohibit, prohibition

1 5 1 1  1 2 1 5 1 

accelerate, acceleration appreciate, appreciation conciliate, conciliation  depreciate, depreciation impersonate, impersonation initiate, initiation

intoxicate, intoxication negotiate, negotiation recuperate, recuperation

  retaliate, retaliation

5 1 1 1 5 1 1 2 1 5 1benefit, beneficence, beneficial competence, competitor, competition

democrat, democracy, democratic diplomat, diplomacy, diplomatic

execute, executive, execution hypocrite, hypocrisy, hypocritical

intellect, intelligence, intellectual photograph, photography, photographic

  politics, political, politician

2.8 Word stress in RP and American English

There is noticeable variation in stress placement between RP and AmE particularly in words of

French origin. In general, the tendency here is for Americans to place the primary stress on the last

syllable, whereas the British prefer an early stress. The following is a list containing the most

common examples of two-, three-, and four-syllable words. Syllables containing strong, prominent

vowels are not accounted for:

2.8.1 Two-syllable words

 RP ~   AmE  

5 1 1 5 adverse, ballet, beret, brochure, café, caffeine, chauffeur, cliché,collage, complex (adj.) , concierge, crochet, debris, debut, decor,

detail, diagnose, duvet, filet, flambé, fondue, frontier, gateau,

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 glacé, harass, manqué, massage, paté, plateau, précis, premiére,

risqué, sachet, salon, soiree, sauté, soufflé, trousseau, vaccine.

1 5 5 1  Two-syllable verbs in -ate: castrate, dictate, dilate, donate,

 frustrate, hydrate, locate, migrate, narrate, rotate, stagnate,translate, truncate, vacate, vibrate; address (n.) , baptize, capsize,

elsewhere, moustache, resource.

2.8.2 Three-syllable words

1 5 1 2 1 5 attaché, démodé, exposé, fiancé(e), financier, renaissance.

1 5 1 5 1 1 contractor, dictator, inquiry, narrator, spectator, vibrator.

5 1 1 1 5 1   sonorous, transference.

5 1 1 2 1 5 cabaret, caviar, Chardonnay, derrière, emigré, entourage,matinée, negligee, obsolete.

2 1 5 5 1 1 cigarette, magazine, margarine, mayonnaise, millionaire, souvenir, stewardess.

2.8.3 Four-syllable words

1 5 1 1 2 1 5 1 advertisement

1 5 1 1 5 1 1 1 1 laboratory, metallurgy.

As noted in chapter 1, a further difference between RP and AmE involves presence or absence of

vowel reduction in the suffix of polysyllabic words ending in -ary, -ery, -ory, -ony, -ative, -berry with

 primary stress either on the antepenultimate or earlier syllable. Whereas the British version favours

elision of schwa, the American version prefers a strong vowel:

 RP ~   AmE  

 secretary, library /esekr´tri, e laIbri/ /esekr´teri, e laIbreri/ 

monastery, cemetery /emÅn´stri, esem´tri/ /emA˘n´steri, esem´teri/ 

territory, category /eter´tri, ekQt´gri/ /eter´tç˘ri, ekQt´gç˘ri/ 

testimony, matrimony /etestIm´ni, emQtrIm´ni/ /etestImoUni, emQtrImoUni/

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administrative, evaluative /´demInIstr´tIv, IevQlju´tIv/ /´demInIstreItIv, IevQljueItIv/ 

 strawberry, blackberry /estrç˘bri, eblQkbri/ /estrç˘beri, eblQkberi/

A similar type of rhythmic difference concerns words ending in -ile: agile, /eQdZaIl/, /eQdZl/,

 fertile /efŒ˘taIl/, /efŒ˘rtl/, volatile /evÅl´taIl/, /evA˘l´tl/, etc.   Notice also placenames such as

 Edinburgh /eedInbr´/, /eedInbŒ˘rg/; Birmingham /ebŒ˘mIN´m/, /ebŒ˘rmINhQm/. 

2.9 Alternative stress patterns

There are numerous words with a main stress patterns and a variant pattern. In most cases,

 preference is due to generation differences among RP speakers. The list below contains some of the

most representative examples, with the recommended option first. Other optional patterns,

 particularly those formed by derivation, are included in section 2.9. OALD-8, CALD-3 and LED being

EFL dictionaries, offer more concise information, i.e. the alternative patterns they include are limited

to a minimum and in general only one recommended pronunciation is given. We have excluded from

the present analysis all those alternative forms involving a choice between two different strong

vowels in a given stressed syllable, e.g. defamation  / qdef´emeISn,  qdi˘f´emeISn/,  privacy  /eprIv´si,

epraIv´si/, since the choice does not affect the rhythm of the word. The following notations do not

account for prominent syllables:

2.9.1 Two-syllable words

5 1 1 5 adult, brochure, bureau, contact (v.) , decade, defect (n.) , detail,diagnose, harass, impious, meanwhile, mishap, soiree.

1 5 5 1 bouquet, dispute (n.) , diverse, grimace, ordeal, regime, relapse(n.) research, romance, terrain.

2 5 5 1 elsewhere, princess.

2.9.2 Three-syllable words

1 5 1 5 1 1 clandestine, disputant, exquisite.

5 1 1 1 5 1  mischievous, paprika, sonorous, uprising.

5 1 1 2 1 5  absolute, caravan, caviar, discotheque, etiquette, gasoline, jubilee, kerosene, nicotine, premature.

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2 1 5 5 1 1 artisan, dungarees, registrar, souvenir, submarine.

2.9.3 Four-syllable words

5 1 1 1 1 5 1 1  aristocrat, controversy, exigency, formidable, kilometre.

1 5 1 1 5 1 1 1 contribute, despicable, (in)hospitable, metallurgy, nomenclature, primarily.

5 1 1 1 2 1 5 1  absolutely, predecessor, television.

2.9.4 Five-syllable words

2 1 5 1 1 5 1 1 1 (1)  necessarily, voluntarily.

5 1 1 1 (1)  2 1 5 1 1  arbitrarily, customarily, disciplinary, momentarily, ordinarily,temporarily.

2.9.5 Six-syllable words

1 2 1 5 1 1 2 1 1 5 1 1  applicability, demonstrability, despicability, transferability.

 Note: the pattern eabsolute is used attributively only, as in qabsolute erubbish; the pattern

qabsoelutely is used as an emphatic equivalent of yes. 

2.10 Word stress patterns

The main stress patterns in their citation forms are illustrated in the next section. The following

 principles deserve mention:

(i) Every word has one, and only one, primary stress.

(ii) Secondary stresses (normally one, less frequently two) always precede, and never follow, primary stresses in words. (See sections 1.4, 1.6 and 3.3 for other views). There is a strong tendency

in English for secondary and primary stresses to be separated by unstressed syllables. Therefore,

consecutive stresses –secondary and primary– are relatively unusual and derive mostly from

 prefixation, e.g. redo / qri˘edu˘/, unlike / q!nelaIk/, etc. Notice that all double-stressed words, and

 particularly adjectives, can undergo stress-shift. 

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(iii) A three-syllable word with a primary stress on the last syllable has a secondary stress on the

antepenultimate syllable, e.g. magazine / qmQg´ezi˘n/; in a few cases where the primary stress is on

the penultimate syllable, the secondary may occur on the previous syllable, e.g. remarry / qri˘emQri/.

A four-syllable word with a primary stress on the penultimate syllable has a secondary stress on the

first syllable, e.g. conversation / qkÅnv´eseISn/; if it has the primary stress on the last syllable, then thesecondary stress will normally be on the first syllable, e.g. misunderstand / qmIs!nd´estQnd/.

(iv) Five- and six-syllable words with the primary stress on the fourth syllable from the left take

the secondary either on the first syllable, e.g. organisation / qç˘g´naIezeISn/, irritability / qIrIt´ebIl´ti/

or on the second, e.g. consideration /k´nqsId´ereISn/, responsibility /rIqspÅns´ebIl´ti/.

(v) English derivatives do not always follow the stress pattern of the roots they originate from,

e.g.  person /epŒ˘sn/,  personification /p´qsÅnIfIekeISn/; adapt /´edQpt/, adaptation / qQdQpeteISn/,

compare /k´mepe´/, comparable /ekÅmpr´bl/; parent /epe´r´nt/, parental /p´erentl/. 

(vi) Primary stresses usually separate pure vowels occurring in sequence and hiatus is produced,

rather than the corresponding semivowel + diphthong sequence (as Spanish phonology would prefer),e.g. variation / qve´rieeISn/, graduation / qgrQdZueeISn/. Cf. *[ve´erjeISn, grQedZweISn].

(vii) Triple-stressed polysyllabic derivatives beginning with two consecutive stresses are regularly

simplified (stress-shifted) in a faster, less studied style, e.g. unsystematic  / q!nqsIst´emQtIk,

q!nsIst´emQtIk/, demystification / qdi˘qmIstIfIekeISn, qdi˘mIstIfIekeISn, di˘qmIstIfIekeISn/.

(viii) Inflections, i.e. suffixes which do not change word classes but indicate categories such as

number and tense, are stress-neutral, e.g. acecentuate, acecentuated, acecentuating.  But note,

however, that some of these word endings may also form different word classes, e.g. ine gratiate (v.),

ine gratiating (adj.).

(ix) Two-syllable verbs ending in -ate  take late stress: migrate  /maIegreIt/; three-syllable verbstake early stress:  segregate /esegr´geIt/. The exceptions are all derivatives: overstate  / q´Uv´esteIt/,

recreate (create again) / qri˘krieeIt/, reinstate / qri˘InesteIt/, underrate / q!nd´ereIt/.

(x) As pointed out in section 2.2, syllabification is not always straightforward, e.g. in words

containing the sequences /i´, u´/: ingenious /InedZi˘ni´s/,  immediacy  /Iemi˘di´si/, conspicuous 

/k´nespIkju´s/. Here two versions are possible, compressed and non-compressed, depending on

stylistic factors. Here we shall choose the latter, but learners must keep in mind the type of reduction

these words may be subjected to. These decisions have a bearing on the rhythm of the word.

We shall use the so-called ‘tadpole’ notation to account for stressed and prominent syllables:

2.10.1 Two-syllable words

2.10.1.1 Primary stress + unstressed syllable (5 1)

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aspirin, auburn, bargain, borough, chocolate, circuit, circus, civil, climate, colour,

conjure, consul, courier, desperate, doctorate, effort, fastener, faultless, favourite,

 flourish, focus, furnace, furtive, garbage, grandeur, hazard, hostage, island, leopard,

malice, margin, medicine, menace, mountain, nourish, palace, palate, panel, preface,

 private, purchase, sausage, scholar, secret, seizure, senate, southern, spinach, stomach, substance, surface, surplus, symptom, terrace, valley, vengeance, villain.

 Note interest  /eIntr´st, eIntrest/.

2.10.1.2 Primary stress + prominent syllable (5 3)access, adverb, almost, ampere, apex, archive, argue, aspect, athlete, bingo, bistro,

bureau, capsule, chaos, climax, colleague, compere, congress, contrast, crayon,

depot, diagram, dialect, dialogue, diphthong, docile, empire, euro, expert, female,

 finite, foretaste, forethought, futile, gourmet, grotto, gymnast, index, kiosk, latte,

memoir, migrane, moron, morpheme, narrow, phoneme, pristine, programme, protein, proverb, refuge, satire, shallow, tabloid, triphthong, turbine, turmoil, umpire, venue.

2.10.1.3 Unstressed syllable + primary stress (1 5)abhor, abode, abyss, alert, ascent, assault, astray, banal, canoe, canal, career, caress,

collate, commute, complete, condemn, contempt, convene, deceive, descent, discuss,

domain, élite, enhance, enthral, equate, excel, exert, extinct, facade, fatigue, foment,

 galore, grimace, impinge, imply, infer, intact, intrude, invest, lagoon, obscene,

obscure, observe, offence, patrol, perplex, persist, persuade, pervade, perverse,

relent, renown, revenge, remark, salute, submit, succinct, supreme, suspense.

2.10.1.4 Prominent syllable + primary stress (3 5) arcade, augment, austere, blockade, boutique, campaign, canteen, cartoon, cascade,

cashier, champagne, curtail, digress, dilate, foretell, maintain, naive, ornate, partake,

 pontoon, portray, rapport, regime, shampoo, technique, transcend, transcribe,

transgress, translate, transpire, trombone, unchanged.

2.10.1.5 Secondary stress + primary stress (2 5)amen, antique, champagne, Chinese, concave, convex, debrief, debunk, deflate,

defrost, diarrhoea, eighteen, farewell, hotel, innate, malformed, mischance, misuse,

misjudge, misplace, misquote, payee, pioneer, precook, prejudge, prewar, princess,

rebuild, refloat, regroup, rehouse, relive, routine, sardine, sublet, trustee, unarmed,

unclean, unclear, unfair, unkempt, unkind, unknown, unlit, unmarked, unmatched,

unpack, unpaid, unquote, unreal, unspoiled, unsure, untrained, unwise, violin. 

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2.10.2 Three-syllable words

2.10.2.1 (5 1 1) (5 1 3) (5 3 1) (5 3 3)

adamant, adequate, affable, amateur, asterisk, catholic, boisterous, cabinet, circular,

comfortable, cumbersome, delicates, derelict, digital, eczema, edible, exigence,

 fabulous, fortunate, glamorous, guardianship, impudent, interval, intricate, jealousy,

 jeopardy, lavatory, literature, masculine, miniature, necessary, obstinate, orator,

orchestra, pedestal, predator, prejudice, ravenous, sacrilege, scaffolding,

treacherous, tremulous, tricycle, turbulance, tyranny, ultimate, vegetable, vertebrate.

 Note interesting  /eIntr´stIN, eIntrestIN/. 

altitude, amplitude, appetite, apricot, artichoke, avenue, baritone, caramel, catalogue,

corridor, democrat, deviate, digitize, dinosaur, diplomat, execute, exercise, expedite,

 formulate, habitat, handicap, imbecile, improvise, infantile, institute, intellect,

introvert (n.) , jeopardize, juvenile, latitude, lubricate, maniac, marmalade,menopause, monologue, obsolete, paradise, paradox, paragraph, pedagogue,

 permeate, piccolo, protocol, reconcile, reservoir, sacrifice, suicide, universe;

autopsy, biopsy, corpuscle, cubism, cucumber, hierarchy, mutism, orgasm, racism,

realism, rectangle, retailer, sarcasm, subtitle, tourism, triangle, violator;

demarcate, diphthongize, elongate, exorcize, inundate.

2.10.2.2 (1 5 1) (3 5 1) (1 5 3) (3 5 3)

abandon, advantage, amalgam, apparel, commotion, contagion, contestant,

conundrum, demeanour, determine, deterrent, develop, diminish, disciple, excursion,

exotic, extremist, exuberant, facetious, fallacious, ferocious, fictitious, gymnasium,

horizon, idyllic, illiterate, immediate, incentive, incessant, interpret, intestine,

narration, narrator, obedient, opponent, pedestrian, performance, protester,

recipient, redundant, supportive, suppression, surveillance, tenacious, thesaurus;

ambition, anxiety, archaic, arthritis, asthmatic, audition, auspicious, authentic,

autistic, bombardment, bronchitis, carnation, cartoonist, diabetic, diabolic, diacritic,

didactic, digestive, fantastic, flirtatious, formation, gigantic, harmonic, lumbago,

martini, mascara, mosaic, narcotic, optician, organic, ostensive, partition,

 psychiatrist, rendition, salvation, sensation, spectator, transmission, transaction,transexual, transparent, traumatic, tribunal, triumphant, umbrella, volcanic;

alumni, annihilate, attaché, casino, continued, contribute, distribute, fiancée, gazebo,

impromptu, infertile, mosquito, placebo, tobacco, tomato;

albino, espresso, idealize, Latino, torpedo, transvestite, triathlete, volcano.

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2.10.2.3 (2 5 1)abnormal, antacid, bilingual, bimonthly, deflation, diabetic, diachronic, diagnosis,

haphazard, malpractice, miscarriage, non-fiction, non-racial, outsider, prehistory,

 prejudgement, pro-British, scientific, subconscious, substandard, theoretic,

transgenic, trilingual, unanswered, unbalance, ungrateful, unhappy, unhealthy,unhurried, unknowing, unloving, unlucky, unmanly, unnoticed, unproven,

unpublished, unpunctual, unscripted, unstable.

2.10.2.4 (2 1 5) (2 3 5)

acquiesce, apprehend, ascertain, barricade, castanet, chandelier, cheerio, cigarette,

clarinet, condescend, convalesce, disembark, disrespect, entertain, guarantee,

indistinct, intersperse, intertwine, intervene, magazine, mandolin, orangeade,

 picturesque, predefine, predispose, promenade, recommend, reminisce, serenade,

 serviette, seventeen, tangerine, unabridged, unconfirmed, unexplored, unobserved,unperturbed;

 predigest, rapporteur, unforeseen.

2.10.3 Four-syllable words

2.10.3.1 (5 1 1 1) (5 1 3 1) (5 1 1 3)

accuracy, adequacy, alimony, amateurish, amicable, caterpillar, ceremony, delicacy,

efficacy, exigency, imagery, interestingly, intimacy, intricacy, matrimony, melancholy,

miserable, nominative, participle, regularly, similarly, veritable, vulnerable;

alienated, alternator, architecture, benefactor, calculator, centimetre, commentator,

complicated, demonstrator, euphemism, excavator, fascinating, feminism, gladiator,

illustrated, indicator, isolated, magnetism, moisturizer, operator, orchestrated,

organism, organizer, orthodoxy, patronizing, pedagogy, percolator, pessimism,

 plagiarism, pluralism, pragmatism, predecessor, radiator, scepticism, terrifying,

terrorism, traumatism;

automobile, capitalize, caricature, personalize, popularize, systematize.

 Note: legislature /e ledZIsl´tS´, eledZIsleItS´/; ordinary /eç˘dn(´)ri, eç˘dneri/.

2.10.3.2 (1 5 1 1) (1 5 1 3) (3 5 1 1) (3 5 1 3)

apology, accessory, catastrophe, certificate, compatible, complexity, concomitant,

conglomerate, conspirator, curriculum, deodorant, explanatory, extravagance,

 fraternity, geometry, invertebrate, laboratory, meticulous, miscellany, monopoly,

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 particular, penultimate, proportionate, protagonist, ridiculous, sabbatical, sagacity,

 solicitor, stability, statistical, stupidity, tyrannical, unanimous, vernacular;

accelerate, accumulate, apologize, appreciate, commercialize, conciliate,

contaminate, contextualize, eliminate, enthusiast, exterminate, externalize,

extrapolate, facilitate, familiarize, habitué, hallucinate, incorporate, infuriate,

ingratiate, initialize, insecticide, insomniac, intimidate, intoxicate, irresolute, italicize,

legitimize, predominate, preoccupied, reciprocate, recuperate, retaliate, similitude;

activity, alternative, ambassador, ambiguous, antiquity, artillery, austerity, authority,

autonomous, auxiliary, biologist, captivity, coincidence, diameter, digestible, fertility,

 festivity, finality, foreseeable, formality, fortuitous, grandiloquent, hostility,

hypothesis, identical, idolatry, magnificent, mammography, mortality, orthography,

 participant, pornography, practitioner, psychologist, spectacular, technology,

typology, unbreakable, unmerciful, unpleasantness;

identify, participate, transliterate, triangulate, unauthorized.

2.10.3.3 (2 1 5 1) (2 3 5 1)

adolescence, allergenic, anaesthetic, baccalaureate, bifurcation, Caribbean,

claustrophobia, circulation, coalition, convalescent, desperation, detrimental,

deviation, exploration, fluctuation, formulation, idiotic, inconsiderate, innovation,

interference, interjection, interruption, laryngitis, mediaeval, mediocre, oceanic,

orthographic, penicillin, situation, statistician, substitution, superficial, superstitious,

 supposition, transatlantic, trepidation, trisyllabic, variation;

acceptation, condemnation, conurbation, demarcation, deportation, egocentric,elongation, embarkation, encrustation, expectation, exploitation, exportation,

idealistic, importation, inartistic, incarnation, innervation, prolongation, realization,

relaxation, retardation, transplantation, unhygienic, unscientific.

2.10.3.4 (2 1 1 5)

aquamarine, entrepreneur, interrelate.

2.10.3.5 (2 5 1 1)

bicarbonate, biochemistry, biological, coauthoring, mismanagement, postgraduate,

 prerequisite, proconsulate, refurbishment, subtropical, uncountable, unlimited,

unnecessary, unprincipled, unprintable, unsuitable.

2.10.3.6 (2 5 1 3)

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miscalculate, unjustified, unoccupied, unorthodox, unparalleled, unqualified,

unrecognized.

2.10.4 Five-syllable words

2.10.4.1 (5 1 1 1 1) (5 1 1 3 1)

 figuratively, qualitatively, quantitatively, speculatively;

amateurism, negativism, primitivism, puritanism, radicalism, spiritualism.

2.10.4.2 (1 5 1 1 1) (1 5 1 3 1) (3 5 1 3 1)

accompaniment, affectionately, colloquialism, comparatively, dispassionately,

extraordinarily, illiteracy, innumerable, particularly;

abbreviated, accelerator, administrator, apologizing, catholicism, collaborator,

communicator, consumerism, disoriented, domesticated, elasticated, enthusiasm,

excruciating, expansionism, expressionism, extenuating, facilitator, humiliating,

ingratiating, initiator, insinuating, intimidating, intoxicating, invigorating,

manipulator, metabolism, negotiator, opinionated, originator, refrigerator,

 sophisticated.

unhesitating, unmitigated, unprecedented. 

2.10.4.3 (2 1 5 1 1) (2 3 5 1 1) (2 1 5 1 3)

archaeology, bibliography, camaraderie, capability, cosmopolitan, curiosity,

disproportionate, femininity, futurologist, hypocritical, immaturity, incorruptible,

indiscriminate, inspirational, instability, insufficiency, metropolitan, pedagogical,

 periodical, physiology, psychological, sexuality, similarity, speciality, spontaneity,

technicality, triviality, unanimity, ungetatable, uninhibited, university;

bicentenary, biodiversity, confrontational, elasticity, illegality, immortality,

inarticulate, inactivity, informality, productivity, subjectivity, unforeseeable;

archipelago, differentiate, hyperventilate, hypochondriac, incapacitate, paracetamol,

 paradisiac, rehabilitate, renegotiate, revolutionize.

2.10.4.4 (2 1 1 5 1) (2 1 3 5 1)

amplification, antiabortion, characteristic, civilization, classification, codification,

disciplinarian, edification, extraposition, extraterrestrial, humanitarian, intervocalic,

 Mediterranean, memorabilia, misinformation, modification, notification,

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oceanographic, paradisiacal, paradigmatic, probabilistic, qualification, ramification,

 specification, verification, versification;

authorization, centralization, dramatization, fertilization, globalization, glottalization,

humanization, improvisation, labialization, legalization, maximization,

mechanization, memorization, modernization, polarization, pressurization,

 privatization, standardization, sterilization, suprasegmental, traumatization,

trivialization, urbanization, utilization, velarization, verbalization, visualization.

2.10.4.5 (1 2 1 5 1) (3 2 1 5 1)

abbreviation, acceleration, accentuation, accommodation, accumulation,

administration, affiliation, amalgamation, apologetic, appendicitis, appreciation,

approximation, assimilation, assassination, congratulation, consideration,

conspiratorial, continuation, depreciation, discrimination, encyclopedia, enthusiastic,

evacuation, exaggeration, examination, hallucination, humiliation, incorporation,infatuation, investigation, manipulation, obliteration, pronunciation, sophistication.

antagonistic, anticipation, articulation, authentication, authoritarian, participation.

 Note: (2 1 1 5 1), (2 3 1 5 1) and (1 2 1 5 1) are also the stress-shifted versions of the pattern (2 2 1 5 1) in prefixed derivatives such as decomposition, deforestation