What Is Stress?

English is a stress-timed language with regular patterns of stressed and unstressed elements. When a word in a sentence is said higher, longer, and louder, it is considered stressed.

Individual words also contain stressed and unstressed elements. These elements are called syllables. A syllable is a beat in a word. Most English words have two or more syllables. Word stress means that one syllable in a word is higher, longer, and louder than other syllables in the same word. Syllables that are low, short, and quiet are unstressed.

Together the stressed and unstressed elements in words and sentences create rhythm. This rhythm gives English a musical quality which is truly music to my ears!