Sentence stress (1)

1. Sentence stress.

Look at the following sentence and question.

I live in a house in the country.
What do you do?

Listen to the sentence and question.

When we speak, some words are pronounced more strongly than others. In these two examples the words in bold are stressed.

I live in a house in the country.
What do you do?

2. Listen.

Listen to the sentences and questions. How many stressed words are there in each one?

3. Stressed words.

Look at the sentences and questions from the previous exercise. Which types of words are most often stressed? Choose "stressed" or "not stressed" below.

Now listen again and repeat the sentences and questions. Pay attention to the stress and rhythm of each one.

1. What's your name?
2. I work in an office.
3. Can you touch your toes?
4. I'll meet you there at eight.
5. She was waiting for the bus.
6. I went to the beach at the weekend.
7. He wanted to buy her a new watch.
8. I've been living in London for years.
9. We were going to arrive in the morning.
10. Can you help me carry these books?

4. Stressed words.

Look at the sentences and questions below. Can you predict how many stressed words there are in each one?

5. Listen and repeat.

Listen again, and repeat the sentences and questions. Pay attention to the stress and rhythm of each one.

1. Where do you live?
2. What's your brother's name?
3. I live in a house in the country.
4. He'll visit you at school in the morning.
5. She wanted to go to a Chinese restaurant.
6. They decided to rent a caravan.
7. Turn your head to the right and look at your shoulder.
8. Can you give me change for a pound?
9. I'd come and see you, but I'm busy.
10. Would you like to come to the cinema?