Stress
1. Practise Commonly mispronounced words
This recorded list of commonly mispronounced words was compiled by the University of Tilburg. You can play the words in a British or an American English accent. Note that you will need a browser other than Internet Explorer to be able to hear the audiofiles (such as Google Chrome or Firefox).
This recorded list of commonly mispronounced words was compiled by the University of Tilburg. You can play the words in a British or an American English accent. Note that you will need a browser other than Internet Explorer to be able to hear the audiofiles (such as Google Chrome or Firefox).
2. Listen and repeat: homographs
This website contains recorded examples of homographs: pairs of word that are written the same but pronounced differently. Part 3 addresses words that can be used either as a noun (e.g. contest) or a verb/adjective (e.g. contest) according to the syllable that is stressed. The other two parts illustrate other pronunciation differences by means of which we can express different meanings. And what is the difference between 'the white house' and 'a white house'? In the first phrase, the adjective is stressed and the phrase has idiosyncratic meaning: the house of the U.S. president (not a house that is white). Consider also: a French teacher vs a French teacher.
This website contains recorded examples of homographs: pairs of word that are written the same but pronounced differently. Part 3 addresses words that can be used either as a noun (e.g. contest) or a verb/adjective (e.g. contest) according to the syllable that is stressed. The other two parts illustrate other pronunciation differences by means of which we can express different meanings. And what is the difference between 'the white house' and 'a white house'? In the first phrase, the adjective is stressed and the phrase has idiosyncratic meaning: the house of the U.S. president (not a house that is white). Consider also: a French teacher vs a French teacher.
