Two-Syllable Words - Can you Identify Stress? American English

Hey guys, I’m on my way to take a look at my wedding venue. You’re going to come along

and study American English pronunciation in this real life English video.

In today’s video, we’re going to do a listening comprehension quiz on two-syllable

words. Can you identify which syllable is stressed? Why does it matter? Even if all

of the sounds in a word are correct, one must speak with long vs. short syllables in order

to sound American. One of the main things I work on with advanced students is shortening

short syllables. It has an amazing impact on reducing their accent. Let’s get started.

>> So, the space that we’re getting married in used to be a chocolate factory, about a

century ago.

>> Getting. What syllable is stressed, is longer? Does it sound like DA-da or da-DA?

Getting, DA-da.

>> The space that we’re getting married in [3x]

Married. DA-da or da-DA? Married, DA-da.

>> The space that we’re getting married in [3x] used to be a chocolate factory.

Chocolate. Wait, is this a two-syllable or a three-syllable word? Choc-late, choc-o-late.

There are many words in English with first syllable stress that can be pronounced with

either 2 or 3 syllables, I tend to pronounce them with 2. Chocolate. Other examples: family,

restaurant. Chocolate, DA-da.

>> Used to be a chocolate [3x] factory about a century ago.

About. DA-da or da-DA? About, da-DA.

>> Used to be a chocolate factory about a century [3x] ago.

Ago. DA-da or da-DA? Ago, da-DA.

>> Used to be a chocolate factory about a century ago [3x].

>> So, the space that we’re getting married in used to be a chocolate factory, about a

century ago. And now …

And now it’s a photography studio, painted all white with hardwood floors.

Painted. DA-da or da-DA? Painted, DA-da.

>> …painted all [3x] white with hardwood floors.

Hardwood. DA-da or da-DA? Hardwood, DA-da.

This is a compound word. Most compound words have stress on the first word. Compound words

are words made by putting two other words together. Other examples: bedroom, keyboard.

>> With hardwood floors [3x]. It’s a little industrial, as you can see.

Little. DA-da or da-DA? Little, DA-da.

>> It’s a little industrial [3x], as you can see. Exposed brick up there.

Exposed. DA-da or da-DA? Exposed, da-DA.

>> Exposed brick [3x] up there. Wa—um. Metal rafters.

Metal. DA-da or da-DA? Metal, DA-da.

>> Wa—um. Metal rafters [3x].

Rafters. DA-da or da-DA? Rafters, DA-da.

>> Metal rafters [3x].

>> And now it’s a photography studio, painted all white with hardwood floors. It’s a little

industrial as you can see. Exposed brick up there. Wa—um. Metal rafters.

This used to be the smokestack of the factory. Smokestack: another compound word. What does

that mean? Stress is probably on the first syllable.

Smokestack, DA-da.

>> This used to be the smokestack [3x]. And yeah, this is where we’re going to do it.

Where we’re going to get married.

Gonna. DA-da or da-DA? Gonna, DA-da.

>> And yeah. This is where we’re gonna [3x] do it, where we’re gonna get married.

So we came back today…

Today. DA-da or da-DA? Today, da-DA.

>> So we came back today [3x] so that we could, sort of, think about decorations and layout.

Layout. Another compound word. DA-da or da-DA? Layout, DA-da.

>> …sort of, think about decorations and layout [3x]. But I’m really excited about

the space.

Really. DA-da or da-DA? Really, DA-da.

>> But I’m really [3x] excited about the space.

>> This used to be the smokestack of the factory. And, yeah, this is where we’re gonna do

it. Where we’re gonna get married. So we came back today so that we could, sort of,

think about decorations and layout. But I’m really excited about the space.

Now it gets harder. You won’t hear the word on its own, slowly, outside of the sentence.

You’ll only hear the word in the sentence. Can you still tell which syllable is stressed?

>> I think, I think these tables come with the space. These high tables.

DA-da.

>> I think these tables come with the space. These high tables. Yeah. Exciting.

Another three-syllable word that I’ve turned into a two-syllable word.

>> So, I think the tables are gonna go here. And the bar is probably going to be somewhere

else.

DA-da.

>> And the bar is probably going to be somewhere else.

>> And the bar is probably going to be somewhere else.

DA-da.

>> Is probably going to be somewhere else.

>> We are having alcohol at our wedding.

DA-da. The –ing ending will never be stressed.

>> We are having alcohol at our wedding.

>> We are having alcohol at our wedding. DA-da.

>> We are having alcohol at our wedding. Some people choose not to.

DA-da.

>> Some people choose not to...

>> although most people do.

da-DA.

>> Although most people do. And we’re getting married, and having the reception all here

in this same space. It used to be really typical to get married in a church, less so now.

>> Most of my cousins have gotten married outside.

DA-da.

>> Most of my cousins have gotten married outside.

DA-da.

>> Most of my cousins have gotten married outside.

DA-da. Outside can actually have stress on either the first or the second syllable, depending

on how you’re using it.

>> Most of my cousins have gotten married outside. A lot of my friends as well. We can’t

do that because it’s going to be January in Philadelphia.

da-DA. I could have reduced this further to just ‘cuz’.

>> We can’t do that because it’s going to be January in Philadelphia.

>> Um, but hopefully this will be just as lovely!

DA-da.

>> Um, but hopefully this will be just as lovely! We’re going to have lots of candles.

Everywhere, candles, candles, candles.

DA-da. >> We’re going to have lots of candles. Everywhere, candles, candles, candles. And,

um, the chocolate that used to be made in this factory.

>> It was the precursor to the Hershey’s kiss.

DA-da.

>> It was the precursor to the Hershey’s kiss. It’s shaped the same, it’s called

a Wilburbud.

>> And we’re gonna have a lot of those for our guests to enjoy as well.

da-DA.

>> And we’re gonna have a lot of those for our guests to enjoy as well.

>> Unless we eat them all before the wedding.

da-DA.

>> Unless we eat them all before the wedding.

da-DA.

>> Unless we eat them all before the wedding. Which might happen.

DA-da.

>> Which might happen.

>> Um, we are going to have a full dinner for our guests.

DA-da.

>> Um, we are going to have a full dinner for our guests.

>> That’s pretty typical as well.

DA-da.

>> That’s pretty typical as well.

>> So, I guess I’m curious about, if you’ve been married before, what was your wedding

like? What was the space like? The venue. Was it outdoors, indoors, was it in a church?

So let me know in the comments below.

>> So, I guess I’m curious about, if you’ve been married before, what was your wedding

like? What was the space like? The venue. Was it outdoors, indoors, was it in a church?

So let me know in the comments below.

>> The venue. Was it outdoors, indoors, was it in a church? So let me know in the comments

below.

Let’s review all the words with stress on the first syllable. DA-da. Getting, married,

chocolate, painted, hardwood, little, metal, rafters, smokestack, gonna, layout, really,

tables, probably, having, wedding, people, cousins, gotten, lovely, candles, Hershey’s,

happen, dinner, pretty, venue, comments, outdoors, indoors

Now let’s review all the words with stress on the second syllable. da-DA. About, ago,

exposed, today, although, outside, because, enjoy, unless, before.

Many more two-syllable words in English have stress on the first syllable than the second.

Was there anything about the pronunciation of a word or a phrase in this video that you

found interesting? Next week I’ll release a bonus video with other topics from this

trip to the venue!

>> Alright guys, that’s it, and thanks so much for using Rachel’s English.

Click here to see related videos. Links are also in the description below.