photography
Example. The tall tile is the stressed syllable.
4 syllables, stress on syllable 2. Say “tog” loud and long.
/fəˈtɑːɡrəfi/ · nhiếp ảnh
Words ending in -graphy usually stress the third syllable from the end.
Practice
How to place word stress in English
English stresses one syllable in a word, while beginners often give every syllable equal weight. Wrong stress can make a word hard to recognise, or change its class, as with record. This tool looks up the words you are studying and lets you practise on those same words.
How to use it in 3 steps
- Type a word to see the stressed syllable, hear it and read the rule.
- Choose a word set: rules, levels A1–C1, your own list or your word book.
- Listen, choose the stressed syllable, then retry the words you missed.
Common word stress rules
| Word type | Stress | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Two-syllable nouns, adjectives | Usually the first syllable | teacher, happy |
| Two-syllable verbs | Usually the second syllable | decide, enjoy |
| Endings -tion, -sion, -ic, -ity, -ian, -ious, -ial | The syllable just before the ending | information, fantastic |
| Endings -graphy, -logy, -cy, -ate | The third syllable from the end | photography, celebrate |
| Endings -ese, -eer, -ee | Usually the ending itself | Vietnamese, engineer |
Frequently asked questions
Why learn word stress?
Stress helps listeners recognise a word. Spelled the same, the noun record is /ˈrekərd/ and the verb is /rɪˈkɔːrd/.
Do the rules work for every word?
No. They are general tendencies with exceptions such as visit, open and hotel. Foxalo marks exceptions so you can learn them on their own.
Which pronunciation does the practice use?
It uses American IPA. Some words may be stressed differently in British English, so check your own dictionary when it matters.