The useful methods of quickly and effectively determining the primary stress position of the english words for 12th grade students

THANH HOA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING
NGUYEN MONG TUAN COMPREHENSIVE SCHOOL
EXPERIENCED INITIATIVE
 THE USEFUL METHODS OF QUICKLY AND EFFECTIVELY DETERMINING THE PRIMARY STRESS POSITION OF THE ENGLISH WORDS FOR 12th GRADE STUDENTS
The writer:	Nguyen Van Thuan
School’s post: 	Teacher
Experienced initiative of subject: 	English
THANH HOA 2017
TABLE OF CONTENTS
PAGES
1. INTRODUCTION
3
1.1. THE REASON OF SELECTING THE TOPIC..
3
1.2. OBJECTIVES OF THE TOPIC..
4
1.3. THE TASKS OF IMPLEMENTING THE TOPIC.....
4
1.4. THE MAIN METHODS OF STUDYING THE SUJECT..
4
1.5. STUDIED OBJECTS OF THE TOPIC...
5
2. THE REAL STATE OF PROBLEM RESEARCH..
5
2.1. The real state
5
2.2. The result of the above real state.
6
3. PROBLEM SOLVING.
6
3.1. THE MEASURES OF IMPLEMENTING..
6
3.2.THE METHODS OF ORGANIZING TO IMPLEMENT...
6
3.2.1. DEFINITE STRESS.
7
3.2.2. POSITION OF THE PRIMARY STRESS DEPENDS ON THE FORMS OF THE: VERBS – NOUNS – ADJECTIVES – ADVERBS..
10
3.2.3. OTHER MATTERS OF STRESS
12
4. CONCLUSION AND PROPOSAL.
15
4.1. THE RESULT OF RESEARCHING..
15
4.2. PROPOSAL.
17
5. REFERENCES..
18
1. INTRODUCTION
1.1 THE REASON OF SELECTING THE TOPIC: 
As we all know, marking primary stresses on multi-syllable words is so much challenging for not only English learners, but the teachers as well. There have many different ideas on this matter.
	For many teachers, it is essential and better to teach stress while teaching each word itself to the students. This is undoubtedly an excellent approach, but how the students remember all individual words together with their primary stress pattern is a big question. And, the stdents may forget the word, or its stress pattern, or they may find it impossible to guess a new word’s stress pattern. Other teachers believe that it is important for the students to be provided with rules for marking stress, after that they are able to do the practice better. In fact, English, as we know, is not a phonetically alphabet language, and there are always irregular words facing the students. After years of teaching, with the valuable help of colleagues, I find that it is effective and importand to combine the two above mentioned ideas whiles teaching the students how to mark primary stresses on multi-syllable English words. To better their teaching, teachers are to make the students aware of what a primary stress on a multi-syllable word is, how to guess the stress patterns on certain words. Checking the students’ work, giving remarks, and summarizing the cases areimportant. Keeping the work done times after time, paying attention to the irregulars, establishing new rules are also essential and effective. In this talk, I would like to share with you my own experiences (which I have had through time of teaching and which I have had from colleages’ sharing) on how to mark stresses on multi-syllable words. I really hope to receive your feedbacks and sharing so as to enrich my knowledge to better my work. And I am writing into my initiative “The useful methods of quickly and effectively determining the primary stress position of the English words for 12th grade students”. 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 practically used in teaching.
1.2. OBJECTIVES OF THE TOPIC.
1.2.1. 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.
1.2.2. For the teacher
- Guides, examines and remarks the students to study the methods of determining the primary stress position of the words quickly, effectively.
- Follows 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.
- Supplies useful knowledge and good experiences for myself in order to improve the quality of teaching.
1.3. THE TASKS OF IMPLEMENTING THE TOPIC.
- Understand the students’ state of skill of doing stress exercises.
- Studying the skill of doing stress exercises.
- Apply the topic to teach English in Nguyen Mong Tuan Comprehensive school.
- Compare, collate the result of implementing the topic.
- Remark, have conclusion about the result and effect of the topic.
1.4. THE MAIN METHODS OF STUDYING THE SUBJECT.
I write this topic based on:
+ The method of studying theory.
+ The method of investigating.
+ Comparison, collation and summary of the result, effect of the topic.
1.5. STUDIED OBJECTS OF THE TOPIC.
- The students of class 12A3 : The academic year 2016 -2017.
- Nguyen Mong Tuan Comprehensive school.
2. THE REAL STATE OF PROBLEM RESEARCH 
2.1. The real state:
 During the process of teaching English at Nguyen Mong Tuan Comprehensive school, having helped 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 about the stress of the words. 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. 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 indentifying the main stress of the words in the test. At that time only about 30 percent of the students in Nguyen Mong Tuan Comprehensive 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 method of teaching and helping students have the best way to determine the primary stress of the words, they can not understand how to do it effectively and quickly. 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 effectively.
2.2. The result of the above real state:
 I applied my topic to teach the students of class 12A3 in the academic year 2016-2017. Through the fact of teaching, I could hold the real ability of the students as well as their ways of determining position of stress, and I had practical solution to support, guide them to do this kind of exercise scientifically and effectively. For the students, by applying this method they could determine the position of the primary stress quickly and exactly.
3. PROBLEM SOLVING
3.1. THE MEASURES OF IMPLEMENTING
3.1.1. For the teacher:
- Guides the students to study basic knowledge and the rules of position of the primary stress in the English words.
- Reminds the students to learn the rules of each part of stress by heart.
- Prepares exercises, tests for each part and the synthetic general exercises.
- Has the students practise to analyse, compare and collate.
3.1.2. 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 by themselves to do exercises, tests or examinations of stress better.
3.2. 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 “The useful methods of quickly and effectively determining the primary stress position of the English words for 12th grade students” 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, consists of three following parts:
3.2.1. DEFINITE STRESS
3.2.1.1. 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)
3.2.1.2. 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/
-ative representative /repri’zentətiv/
-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/
 Cathotic /’kæθətik/
 Rhetoric /’retərik/
3.2.1.3. 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/
3.2.2. POSITION OF THE PRIMARY STRESS DEPENDS ON THE FORMS OF THE: VERBS – NOUNS – ADJECTIVES – ADVERBS.
3.2.2.1. Stress in two-syllable words.
3.2.2.1.1. Two - syllables words have unequal strength. 
- Stress of the most of these words is on the stronger syllables
Example:
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/
3.2.2.1.2. 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.
Example:
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
Example:
hobby (n) /’hɒbi/
habit (n) /’hæbit/
luckily (adv) /’lʌki/
busy (a) /’bizi/
pretty (a) /’priti/
3.2.2.2. Stress in three - syllable words.
- The rules for verbs
For most three-syllable words, stress is on the last syllable.
Example: 
entertain /entə’tein/
understand /ʌndə’stænd/
introduce /intrə’dju:/
- If the last syllable is weak or short, stress is on the second syllable.
Example: 
develop / di’veləp/
determine /di’tɜ:min/
- Stress is not on the first syllable, except for the definite stress in part [3.2.1.1]
Example: 
concentrate /’kɒnsentreit/
Modernize /’mɒdənaiz/
- Rulers for nouns, adjectives, adverbs
+ For most three-syllable nouns, adjectives, adverbs, stress is on the first syllable.
Example:
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
Example:
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 [3.2.1.1].
Example:
volunteer /vɒlən’tɪə/
referee /refə’ri:/
3.2.2.3. 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.
Example:
Biology /bai’ɒlədʒi/
Philosophy /fi’lɒsəfi/
Manificent /mæn’nifiksənt/
Trigonometry /trigə’nɒmətri/
3.2.3. OTHER MATTERS OF STRESS.
3.2.3.1. 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.
Example:
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/
3.2.3.2. The primary stress position of compound nouns.
3.2.3.2.1. Most compound nouns have main stress position on the first syllable.
Example: 
filmmaker /’filmmeikə/
shorthand /‘ʃɔ:thænd/
bookshop /’bʊkʃɒp/
airport /’eəpɔ:/
dropout /’drɒpaut/
check-up /’tʃekʌp/
breakdown /’breikdau/
3.2.3.2.2. But compound verbs combined from a verb and a preposition have stress on the second syllable.
Example:
breakdown /breik’dau/
tryout /trai’aut/
walkout /wɔ:lk’aut/
dropout /drɒp’aut/
check –up /tʃe’kʌp/
3.2.3.3. Affects of suffixes for the position of stress.
3.2.3.3.1. The following suffixes neither have stress nor affect to position the main stress of words.
-able, -age, -al, -en, -ful, -ing, -ed, -ish, -like, -less, -ly, -ment, -ness, -ous, -fy, 
-wise, -y
Example: 
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/
3.2.3.3.2.The suffixes make a change of the position of stress. 
- The following suffixes can make a change of the possition of stress in original words.
al, ary, ity, ion, ic,ial , alism, ian, ious ...
Example: 
-ian
human
/’hju:mən/
humanitarian
/hju:m æni’teərɪən/
-ity
durable
/’djurəbl/
durability
/djurə’biləti/
-al
environment
/in’vaiərəmənt/
environmental
/invaiərəmæntəl/
-ial
president
/’prezidənt/
presidential
/prezi’denʃl/
-alism
experiment
/iks’perimənt/
experimentaliasm
/iksperi’mentəlizəm/
-ion
exhibit
/ig’zibi/
exhibition
/igzi’biʃn/
4. CONCLUSION AND PROPOSAL.
4.1. THE RESULT OF RESEARCHING
- Through surveying, experimenting, comparing and collating the result that the students of 12A3 school year 2016-2017 applied my subject to do exercises, tests and examinations of stress, I have conclusion that :
4.1.1. About the theory:
4.1.1.1 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.
4.1.1.2. 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.
4.1.2. 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 pronounce 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 Nguyen Mong Tuan Comprehensive school. I implemented to examine and collate the result of class 12A3, the academic year 2016 -2017 was applied the above topic.
4.1.3. Question: Find the word with the stress pattern different from that of the other three words in each question. (Allowed time: 15 minutes)
1.	A. admire 	B. honor 	C. title 	D. difficult
2.	A. describe 	B. struggle 	C. political 	D. society
3.	A. independence	B. Politician	C. immortality	D. different
4.	A. comfort	B. nation	C. apply	D. moment
5.	A. ashamed	B. position	C. begin	D. enemy
6.	A. influential	B. creative	C. introduction	D. university
7.	A. profit	B. suggest	C. surrender	D. report
8.	A. career	B. majority	C. continue	D. education
9.	A. vocational	B. employer	C. minority	D. reasonable
10.	A. general	B. opinion	C. abroad	D. surprise	
11.	A. Important	B. especially	C. prefer	D. influence
12.	A. mineral	B. example	C. diamond	D. popular
13.	A. republic	B. collector	C. situation	D. inscription
14.	A. protection	B. separate	C. develop	D. encourage
15.	A. recognize	B. stimulate	C. activity	D. adult
16.	A. intelligent	B. direct	C. desire	D. satisfactory
17.	A. relationship	B. command	C. vocabulary	D. island
18.	A. define	B. idea	C. express	D. figure
19. A. suppose	B. Expect	C. unusual	D. Literary
20.A. carpenter	B. revise	C. ignore	D. traditional
The achieved result of class: 
Class
Total
Mark 0-4
Mark 5-6
Mark 7-8
Mark 9-10
number
%
SL
%
SL
%
SL
%
12A3
42
13
20
6
3
4.2. PROPOSAL.
	Application the topic: “The useful methods of quickly and effectively determining the primary stress position of the English words for 12th grade students” 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.
CONFIRMATION OF THE PRINCIPAL
Thanh Hóa, May 25th, 2017
I declare that this is my writing and It does not infringe any copy.
Writen by:
 Nguyen Van Thuan
5. REFERENCES.
5.1. Textbooks English 12 ( Published in 2007 Educational Publishing )
5.2. Book of English teachers 12 ( Published in 2007 Educational Publishing )
5.3. Documentation teacher training class 12 ( Published in 2007 Educational Publishing )
5.4. English language teaching Methodology ( Teacher ' s work book)
5.5. Internet