Stress in English Compound Nouns/Verbs

(d)  Stress in English Compound Nouns/Verbs

The primary stress always falls on the first syllable in English compound nouns.

Examples:

'book.case      'black.bird      'bride.groom      'house.maid    

'sun.glass       'hair.pin           'swim.suit          'night.fall       'sun.rise

(e)  Stress to contrast English Nouns ---  Verbs

Some English words are both nouns and verbs.  They have the same spelling, so the only difference between the noun and the verb is the word stress.

For nouns, the stress falls on the first syllable whereas for verbs, the stress falls on the second syllable.

Examples:

              Nouns                                                 Verbs

1.            'abstract                                     ab'stract

2.            'convict                                       con'vict

3.            'conflict                                      con'flict      

4.            'permit                                        per'mit

5.            'object                                        ob'ject

6.            'present                                      pre'sent

7.            'refuse                                        re'fuse

8.            'record                                        re'cord

9.            'promise                                     pro'mise

10.          '                                                       ' 

(f)  Stress in English Phrasal Verbs and the Noun Counterparts

The stress falls on the first syllable for nouns and the second syllable for phrasal verbs.

              Nouns                                 Phrasal Verbs

1.        a 'letdown                                to let 'down

2.        a 'printout                          to print 'out

3.        a 'sellout                            to sell 'out

4.        a 'takeover                         to take 'over

5.        a rundown                                 to run 'down

6.        a 'knockout                         to knock 'out

7.        a 'dropout                            to drop 'out

8.        a 'fallout                              to fall 'out