English stress and rules
8 English Word Stress Rules to Promote Clear Communication When you speak English, do you say the words evenly or do you sing them ? You should be singing! No, I’m not talking about karaoke. What I mean is that your intonation and pitch should fluctuate (go up and down) You should produce some sounds longer than others. There should be a rhythm to English sentences. It shouldn’t sound flat, monotone (all in the same tone) and boring! I know it sounds like an additional challenge, especially when speaking English is already difficult. However, when you pronounce every bit of a word and sentence with the same pitch, volume and length, it might make it difficult for native speakers to understand you. Let’s start with a real-life example. ord Stress Matters In her head, this sentence was understandable to Saskia: “Dessert is my favorite thing!” But when she said this to a friend, a native English speaker, he looked confused and asked her: “Why? It’s ju