| Word stress
All spoken words have sounds and syllables. For example, the word "cat" has three sounds but only one syllable. The word "cattle" has two syllables. The word "catalogue" has three syllables, and "caterpillar" has four syllables. In English, when a word has two or more syllables, one of these is stressed, that is, spoken more loudly and given a longer time. The other syllables are weak, that is, spokensoftly and given little time.
If students have a good model, they will pick up most word stress patterns automatically. The rules for word stress are fairly complicated, but students should be aware of the importance of word stress because when a student uses an incorrect word stress pattern, the listener may not understand the meaning of what the student is trying to say.
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| Helping students hear word stress patterns
You can help students understand about word stress by using the sound "da" for stressed syllables and "di" for weak ones. So cat= da, cattle= da di, catalogue= da, di, di, and caterpillar= da di, di, di. You can also illustrate these stress patterns by loud and soft claps, or loud and soft taps on the desk.
You can help students practice hearing these patterns by writing a list of two or more syllables on the blackboard. Students copy these into their notebooks. Now read the words aloud. Students have to underline the stressed syllable in each word.
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| | Word Stress Bingo
Write fifteen word patterns with different word stresses on the blackboard using "O" for a stressed syllable and "o" for an unstressed syllable, for example: Ooo (butterfly), ooOo (competition). Students must make a chart with ten squares in their books and copy ten word patterns from the fifteen, putting one in each square. The teacher dictates a mixed selection of words from the board. When students hear one of the words on their card, they cross it off. The first student to cross out all words correctly is the winner.
Helping students to practice word stress patterns
To practice correct word stress, students can play Word Stress Bingo in groups, taking turns to give the dictation. Groups can discuss whether the dictation is correct.
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speak的过去分词 (初中英语单词)
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