Stress vs. Reduction | Content vs. Function| HOME

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Explanation

STRESS occurs in words with two or more syllables. One syllable will sound stronger than the rest.

REDUCTION occurs in three cases:

• In unstressed syllables

• In single-syllable words

• In function words

English speakers stress and reduce vowel sounds very markedly. Stressed syllables have to be pronounced according to their syllabication patterns. The unstressed syllables reduce to the schwa /ə/, sound. Schwa stands for soft.

Soft syllables tend to sound the same. For instance, in these words, the schwa /ə/ sounds in every unstressed syllable:

The same sound occurs in function words when they are unstressed. However, the majority of times they are unstressed. This unstressed sound in words is termed reduction. This is when the sound is cut down to the  schwa /ə/.

One-syllable words are unstressed. Two- or poly-syllable words will always have one stressed syllable. Content words are pronounced at a higher pitch than function words, whether they are one- or -poly-syllabic. This is termed STAIR, as in going up and down the steps of a stairway. Lower stair steps belong to function words. The next step up belongs to content words, and the top stair step belongs to stressed syllables.

Competent American English speakers can produce the different pitches with good level of control. For this, syllabication, or  syllabification, is an important aspect to study and practice.

Listen to the contrast between function and content words in the following sentences.

EXAMPLE

I think Tom and Lee went home.

The reduced function words are "I" and "and". So, the pronunciation resembles this pattern:

UNSTRESSED LOW PITCH reduced*	STRESSED HIGH PITCH **	STRESSED HIGH PITCH **	UNSTRESSED LOW PITCH reduced*	STRESSED HIGH PITCH **	UNSTRESSED LOW PITCH **	UNSTRESSED LOW PITCH **
	think	Tom		Lee
I			and		went	home

* The function words I  and  and are reduced.

The content words think, Tom. Lee, went and home carry the stress.

In sentences, the intonation almost always begins in a high pitch, and the pitch alternates between stressed and unstressed syllables. Natural spoken English is much clearer when the high-low-high pitch pattern is produced. In short S-V-O sentences this is the norm.

Listen carefully and compare the stressed vs. unstressed vowel sounds. The syllables in bold indicate the high pitch, or stress.

The party was fun.

UNSTRESSED LOW PITCH reduced*	STRESSED HIGH PITCH **	UNSTRESSED LOW PITCH **	UNSTRESSED LOW PITCH reduced*	UNSTRESSED LOW PITCH **
	par
The		ty	was	fun

** The  content words are stressed in their corresponding syllable. One-syllable words may or may not be stressed. In this case, only practice and experience can help.

You can pass the test.

We have been here all day.

Yes, we are coming home now.

Do as I say, not as I do.

I think of you all the time.

They have more than they need.

He was a good teacher.

I eat it because it is healthy

Pre-studied topics:

• Words, Phrases and Sentences
• Vowel Sounds vs. Spelling
• Function vs. Content Words
• The schwa
• Rhythm and Stress
• Syllabication

In the following exercises you are going to practice the reduced form of function words. Connect the function word with the other words of the phrase and say the phrase with a smooth rhythm.

Articles a, an and the

Listen and repeat the following phrases and sentences.

1 Pronounce the word a as the schwa before words beginning with a consonant.

2 Pronounce the word an as schwa + n before words beginning with a vowel sound.

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Certified English teacher

Last update: May, 2022