Some experiences in helping students grade 12th determine the stress position of the English words, easy , quickly, effectively

THANH HOA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING
DUONG DINH NGHE HIGH SCHOOL
EXPERIENCE INITIATIVE
Some experiences in helping students grade 12th 
determine the stress position of the English words,easy,quickly, effectively’’
 	The author: Nguyen Thi Lien
Job position: Teacher – group leader
Experience initiative belongs to English Subject
THANH HOA – 2018
CONTENTS PAGES
A. INTRODUCTION 1 
I. THE REASON OF SELECTING THE TOPIC 	1
II. OBJECTIVES, TASKS, OBJECTS, 	
AND THE METHODS OF RESEARCHING 	 1 
 1. Objectives of the topic	1
2. The tasks of implementing the topic	2
3. The main methods of studying the subject	2
4. Studied objects of the topic.	2
III. THE REAL STATE OF PROBLEM RESEARCH 2
1. The real state.	2
2. The result of the above real state	2	
B. SOLUTION 3
I. THE MEASURES OF IMPLEMENTING 3
II. THE METHODS OF ORGANIZING TO IMPLEMENT. 3
1. Definite stress 4
2. Position of the primary stress depends on the forms of the 6 
 Verbs- Nouns- Adjectives –Adverbs. 
3. Other matters of stress 8
C. CONCLUSION 10
I. THE RESULT OF RESEARCHING 10
II. PROPOSAL 11
D. REFERENCES	 
A. INTRODUCTION
I. THE REASON OF SELECTING THE TOPIC: 
As far as we know English is widely used all over the world not only in communication but also in many other aspects such as culture, politics, economy, commerce, tourism and so on. Along with mother tongue, everybody in the world can use English to communicate with one another. It is English that helps people closer, more friendly and understandable. Therefore, this language is going to become the common language of human.
	English is the international language, so we have to learn how to pronounce each word correctly and have rhythm, intonation from words to speeches, and one of these problems is “The primary stress position of the words”. Determining the primary stress position of the words is one of the most difficult parts in pronunciation whereas it always appears both in communication and in exercises, tests as well as the national examinations. During the process of teaching at Duong Dinh Nghe high school, I have found the methods which can help students determine the primary stress position of the words quickly and effectively. I am writing into my initiative 
‘Some experiences in helping students grade 12th determine the stress position of the English words, easy , quickly, effectively’’. This is considered to be a reference document, thus I would like the colleagues to give comments and ideas to my initiative so that I can make it perfect and used in real teaching.
II.OBJECTIVES,TASKS, OBJECTS AND THE METHODS OF RESEARCHING
1. Objectives of the topic
a. For the students
- Determine the objectives, the requirement and the importance of English.
- Understand the methods of determining the primary stress position of the words quickly, effectively when doing exercises, tests and examinations.
- Know how to apply the methods of determining the primary stress position of the words to do exercises, tests and examinations about stress.
- Speak English perfectly with accurate stress.
b. For the teachers
- Guide, examine and remark the students to study the methods of determining the primary stress position of the words quickly, effectively.
- Follow close to the process of teaching English especially when teaching students to do exercises, tests, study for getting GCSE, attend to advanced students examinations or entrance examinations to university.
- Supply useful knowledge and good experiences for myself in order to improve the quality of teaching.
2. The tasks of implementing the topic
- Understand the students’ state of doing stress exercises.
- Studying the skill of doing stress exercises.
- Apply the topic to teach English at Duong Dinh Nghe high school 
- Compare, collate the result of implementing the topic.
- Remark, have conclusion about the result and effect of the topic.
3. The main methods of studying the subject
I write this topic based on:
+ The method of studying theory.
+ The method of investigating.
+ Apply the topic to real teaching Englíh at Duong Dinh Nghe high school
+ Comparison, collation and summary of the result, effect of the topic.
4. Studied objects of the topic
- The students of class 12A4 and 12A7 of Duong Dinh Nghe high school
The academic year 2015 2016, 2016-2017,2017-2018, in 3 years .
III. THE REAL STATE OF PROBLEM RESEARCH 
1. The real state:
 During the process of teaching English at Duong Dinh Nghe high school, having taught students to study for getting GCSE, take part in advanced students examinations and entrance examinations to universities and colleges. Through many years of my own teaching, I realize that most of students are bad at not only knowledge but also the skill of identifying the primary stress position of the words when they do exercises, tests, examinations. With the primary stress position of words exercises require students to have certain knowledge, and they have to know and remember the main rules of position of the primary stress of words. They may learn them by heart and apply these rules to do exercises flexibly so that they will get good result. 
 Many years ago, when taking the national examinations, students had many difficulties in identifying the main stress of the words in the test. At that time only about 30 percent of the students in Duong dinh nghe high school was able to do this kind of exercise.
From this consequence, we can see that:
 If the teachers pay no attention to innovating the methods of teaching and helping students have the best ways to determine the primary stress position of the words, they cannot understand how to do it quickly, effectively. To improve above consequence as well as help the students of our school to do this kind of this exercise better and more confidently, I present some methods or called the rules of determining the primary stress position of the words quickly, effectively. In this subject I will present some basic rules that students can understand and remember easily, from that they will be able to apply to do exercises, tests or examinations successfully.
2. The result of the above real state:
 I applied my topic to teach 3 years from school year 2015-2016, 2016-2017, 2017-2018 for students of class 12A4,12A7. Through the fact of teaching, I could hold the real ability of the students as well as their ways of determining position of stress of words, and I had practical solution to guide them to do this kind of exercise scientifically and effectively. For the students, by applying these methods, they could determine the position of the primary stress quickly and exactly.
B. SOLUTION
I. THE MEASURES OF IMPLEMENTING
1. For the teachers:
- Guide the students to study basic knowledge and the rules of position of the primary stress in the English words.
- Remind the students to learn the rules of each part of stress by heart.
- Prepare exercises, tests for each part and the synthetic general exercises.
- Have the students practice to analyze, compare and collate.
2. For the students: 
- Concentrate on the lessons; understand the rules, the methods to find out position of the primary stress of the words,
- Know how to apply what they have learnt to do exercises, tests, examinations, flexibly and effectively.
- Compare, estimate and get out experience for themselves to do exercises, tests or examinations about stress well.
 II. THE METHODS OF ORGANIZING TO IMPLEMENT.
NOTES
- The primary stress of words is marked with a comma (’) in front of or above the syllable containing stress.
- Primary stress of words falls in two or more than two – syllable words and in syllables containing vowels as a, e, i, o, or, u. 
- Primary stress of words never falls in weak syllables containing /ə/
The topic ‘Some experiences in helping students grade 12th determine the stress position of the English words, easy , quickly, effectively’’
 is the methods to determine the primary stress position of English words which appears in exercises, tests, examinations quickly, effectively and speaking English more accurately, I divide into three parts:
1. DEFINITE STRESS
1.1. Stress in suffixes
For the stem words with the following suffixes, stress is on these suffixes:
-ee employee /implɔɪ’i:/
-eer volunteer /vɒlʌt’ɪə/
-ese Chinese / tʃai’ni:z/
-ette cigarette /sigə’ret/
-esque picturesque /piktʃə’resk/
-ique unique /ju:’ni:k/
-oo bamboo /bæm’bu:/
-ade lemonade /lemə’neid/
-self himself /him’self/
-ur occur /ə’kɜ:/
-dict predict /pri’dikt/
-ect effect /i’fekt/
-fer prefer /prifɜ:/
-mit commit /kə’mit/
-pel compel /kəm’pel/
-press express /ek’pres/
-rupt corrupt /kərʌpt/
- sist assist /ə’sist/
-test detest /di’test/
-tract attract /ə’trækt/
-vert avert /ə’vɜ:t/
-vent prevent /pri’vent/
 aire millionaire /miliə’neə/
-ain entertain /entə’tein/ (apply to verbs)
1.2. The words with the following suffixes have stress on the syllables right in front of these suffixes.
-sion
discussion /dis’kʌʃn/
-tion
foundation /fau’deiʃn/
-ic
economic /i:kə’nɒmik/
-ical
economical /i:kə’nɒmikl/
-ity
familiarity/fæmili’ærəti/
-ial
official /ə’fiʃəl/
-ially
oficially/ə’fiʃəli/
-tive
suggestive /sə’dʒestiv/
-logy
technology /tek’nɒlədʒi/
-ian
librarian /lai’breəriən/
-ance
attendance /ə’tendən/
-ence
independence /indi’pendənt/
-ience
experience /ik’spiəriən/
-ient
efficient /i’fiʃənt/
-iar
familiar /fə’miliə/
-eous
spontaneous /spɒn’teinəs/
-ious
victorious /vik’tɒriəs/
-ory
memory /’meməri/
-cial
financial /fai’næʃl/
-tial
preferential /prefə’renʃl/
-cion
suspicion /sʌs’piʃən/
-xious
anxious /’ænʃiəs/
Except for : 	 television /’teliviʒən/ 
 Politics /’pɒlətiks/
 Arabic /’ærəbik/
 Lunantic /’lu:nətik/
 Arithmetic /ə’ri θmətik/
 Catholic /’kæθətik/
 Rhetoric /’retərik/
1.3. The words with the following suffixes, stress is on the third syllable counting from the last syllable of the word.
-ate consulate /’kɒnsjulit/
-ute constitute /’kɒnstitju:t/
-ude institude /’institju:/
-ite opposite /’ɒpəzit/
-ary documentary /dɒkju’mentəri/
-ative propagative /’prɒpəgeitive/
-fy beautify /’bju:tifai/
-ply multiply /’mʌltiplai/
-ise econnomise /i’kɒnəmaiz/
-ize modernize /’mɒdənize/
2. POSITION OF THE PRIMARY STRESS DEPENDS ON THE FORMS OF THE: VERBS – NOUNS – ADJECTIVES – ADVERBS.
2.1. Stress in two-syllable words.
2.1.1. Two - syllables words have unequal strength. 
- Stress of the most of these words is on the stronger syllables
 Ex:
Advice (n) /əd’vais/
Machine (n) /mə’ʃi:n/
Mistake (n) /mis’teik/
answer (n-v) / ‘ænsə/ 
happen (v) /’hæpən/
amazed (v) /ə’meizd/ 
alone (adj – adv) / ə’l əʊ/
2.1.2. Two - syllables words have unequal strength. 
Position of stress depends on the forms the words.
VERBS:
In this case, stress of most of the words is on the second syllables.
Note: 
Ex:
begin /bi’gin/
relax /re’læks/
maintain /mein’tein/
NOUNS, ADJECTIVES AND ADVERBS.
Stress is on the first syllable of most of nouns, adjectives and adverbs
Ex:
hobby (n) /’hɒbi/
habit (n) /’hæbit/
luckily (adv) /’lʌki/
busy (a) /’bizi/
pretty (a) /’priti/
2.2. Stress in three - syllable words.
- The rules for verbs
For most three-syllable words, stress is on the last syllable.
Ex: 
entertain /entə’tein/
understand /ʌndə’stænd/
introduce /intrə’dju:/
- If the last syllable is weak or short, stress is on the second syllable.
Ex : 
develop / di’veləp/
determine /di’tɜ:min/
- Stress is not on the first syllable, except for the definite stress in part (1.1).
Ex : 
concentrate /’kɒnsentreit/
Modernize /’mɒdənaiz/
- Rulers for nouns, adjectives, adverbs
+ For most three-syllable nouns, adjectives, adverbs, stress is on the first syllable.
Ex:
Cinema /’sinəmə/
Intellect /’intəlekt/
Government /‘gʌvmənt/
Difficult /’difiklt/
Different /’difərənt/
+ If the first syllable is a weak, short one, or ended with /əʊ/, the main stress is on the second syllable
Ex:
Computer /kəm’pju:tə/
Potato /pə’teitəʊ/
Disaster /di’za:stə/ 
+For three – syllable nouns, adjectives and adverbs, stress is rare on the third syllable, except for part [1.1].
Ex:
volunteer /vɒlən’tɪə/
referee /refə’ri:/
2.3: Stress in words of more than three syllables.
- For more than three syllables words which does not belong to definite stress,
stress is usually on the third syllable counting from the last syllable.
Ex:
Biology /bai’ɒlədʒi/
Philosophy /fi’lɒsəfi/
Magnificent /mæn’nifiksənt/
Trigonometry /trigə’nɒmətri/
3. OTHER MATTERS OF STRESS
3.1. For two- syllable words which have both noun and verb meanings
- Nouns have stress on the first syllable.
- Verbs have stress on the second syllable.
Ex:
Words
Nouns
Verbs
Contrast
/’kɒntra:st/
/kən’tra:st/
Decrease
/’dikri:s/
/di’kri:s/
Export
/’ekspɔ:t/
/iks’pɔ:t/
Insult
/’insʌlt/
/in’sʌlt/
Progress
/’prəʊgres/
/prə’gres/
Record
/’rek ɔ:d/
/ri’k ɔ:d/
3.2. The primary stress position of compound nouns.
3.2.1. Most compound nouns have main stress position on the first syllable.
Ex: 
filmmaker /’filmmeikə/
shorthand /‘ʃɔ:thænd/
bookshop /’bʊkʃɒp/
airport /’eəpɔ:/
dropout /’drɒpaut/
check-up /’tʃekʌp/
breakdown /’breikdau/
3.2.1. But compound verbs combined from a verb and a preposition have stress on the second syllable.
Ex:
breakdown /breik’dau/
tryout /trai’aut/
walkout /wɔ:lk’aut/
dropout /drɒp’aut/
check –up /tʃe’kʌp/
3.3. Affects of suffixes for the position of stress.
3.3.1. The following suffixes neither have stress nor affect to position the main stress of words.
-able, -age, , -en, -ful, -ing, -ed, -ish, -like, -less, -ly, -ment, -ness, -ous, -fy, -wise, -y
Ex: 
Ly
Dangerous
/’deindʒərəs/
dangerously
/’deindʒərəsli/
Ful
Beauty
/’bju:ti/
beautiful
/’bju:tifl/
Ing
Engineer
/endʒi’nɪə/
engineering
/endʒi’nɪəriŋ/
ment
Develop
/di’veləp/
development
/di’veləpmənt/
3.3.2.The suffixes make a change of the position of stress. 
- The following suffixes can make a change of the position of stress in original words.
al, ary, ity, ion, ic,ial , alism, ian, ious ...
Ex: 
-ian
Human
/’hju:mən/
humanitarian
/hju:m æni’teərɪən/
-ity
Durable
/’djurəbl/
durability
/djurə’biləti/
-al
Environment
/in’vaiərəmənt/
environmental
/invaiərə’mæntəl/
-ial
President
/’prezidənt/
presidential
/prezi’denʃl/
-alism
experiment
/iks’perimənt/
experimentaliasm
/iksperi’mentəlizəm/
-ion
Exhibit
/ig’zibi/
exhibition
/igzi’biʃn/
C. CONCLUSION AND PROPOSAL
I. THE RESULT OF RESEARCHING
- Through surveying, experimenting, comparing and collating the result that 
the students of 12A4,7 after 3 academic year 2015->2018 I applied my subject to do exercises, tests and examinations of stress, I have conclusion that :
1. About the theory:
1.1 For the teacher
- Creates the teaching methods which are suitable for students request.
- Forms and applies the methods, skills of doing exercises on stress to teach the students flexibly and effectively. From this, I have been improving my quality of English teaching.
1.2. For the students
- Understand and know how to do exercises, tests, examinations of stress perfectly. They feel confident and enjoy doing this kind of exercises.
2. About the fact :
- Through result of doing stress exercises, tests and examinations, it can be seen that the experience and result of the students in doing this kind of this exercise have been improving much more than they used to be. Because they can understand the basic rules of determining the primary stress primary of the words. Furthermore, they can pronoun
ce English words better and speak English perfectly.
- To have a basic comparison, give out the exact conclusion for the studying process and applying the topic to teach English in Duong Dinh Nghe high school. I implemented to examine and collate the result of class 12A4,7 with 12A9 the academic year 2017 -2018.
+ Class 12A9 was not applied the above topic.
+ Class 12A4,7 was applied the above topic.
TEST 15’
Question: Find the word with the stress pattern different from that of the other three words in each question. (Allowed time: 15 minutes)
2. A. tertiary 
1. A. construction 
3. A. enjoyable 
4. A. entertainment 
5. A. business 
6. A. precious 
7. A. desperate 
8. A. practical 
9. A. pioneer 
10. A. diplomatic 
B. participant 
B. miserable 
B. comparison 
B. observation 
B. passion 
B. extreme 
B. influence 
B. secretary 
B. destination 
B. disappear 
C. discourage 
C. obstinate 
C. magical 
C. education 
C. favourite 
C. security 
C. suggestion 
C. manager 
C. artificial 
C. memorial 
D. successful
D. improvement
D. successful
D. prediction
D. banana
D. apologize
D. definite
D. immediately
D. essential
D. presidential
 The achieved result of two classes: 
Class
Total
Mark 0-4
Mark 5-6
Mark 7-8
Mark 9-10
number
%
SL
%
SL
%
SL
%
12A4
40
12
30%
20
50%
6
15%
2
5%
12A7
37
7
19%
10
27%
12
32,4%
8
21,6%
12A9
31
19
61,2%
8
25,8%
4
13%
0
0 %
II. PROPOSAL:
Application the topic‘Some experiences in helping students grade 12th determine the stress position of the English words, easy , quickly, effectively’’
has been gaining good result. However, I myself have not discovered its limitation yet, I would like to get the comments and advice from the colleagues, especially from the English teachers so that my topic will be more completed and widely used in teaching English for students in high school.
 Thanh Hóa, ngày 06 tháng 05 năm 2018
XÁC NHẬN CỦA
THỦ TRƯỞNG ĐƠN VỊ
Tôi xin cam đoan đây là SKKN của mình viết và đã ứng dụng vào dạy thực tế ở trường THPT Dương Đình Nghệ không sao chép nội dung của người khác.
(Ký và ghi rõ họ tên)
 Nguyễn Thị Liên
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