Question

In which syllable is primary stress placed in the word "development"?

• A. First
• B. Second
• C. Third
• D. Fourth

Answer 1

Answer:

B. Second

Understanding Stress in 'development'

• The word "development" is divided into four syllables: de-vel-op-ment.
• In the pronunciation /dɪˈveləpmənt/, the primary stress is placed on the second syllable, 'vel'.
• English is a stress-timed language, meaning that stressed syllables occur at roughly equal intervals, and stress placement is crucial for clear pronunciation and comprehension.

Rules for Stress Placement in English (Competitive Exam Focus)

• Variable Stress: Unlike some languages, English stress is not fixed on a particular syllable (e.g., always on the first syllable). Its variability makes it a frequent topic in phonetics sections of competitive exams.
• Suffix Influence: Many suffixes in English influence stress placement. While the suffix '-ment' itself is usually unstressed, it typically does not shift the primary stress from the root word. The root word here is 'develop' (/dɪˈveləp/), where stress is already on 'vel'. Adding '-ment' maintains this stress pattern.
• Polysyllabic Words: For words with three or more syllables (like 'development'), stress often falls on the second or third syllable from the end, or is determined by the stress of the root word.
• Common Suffixes and Stress Patterns (for competitive exams):
  • Words ending in -tion, -sion, -cian, -tial, -cial often have primary stress on the syllable immediately preceding the suffix (e.g., 'information' /ˌɪnfərˈmeɪʃn/, 'decision' /dɪˈsɪʒn/).
  • Words ending in -ity, -ety, -graphy, -logy often have primary stress on the syllable immediately preceding the suffix (e.g., 'capability' /ˌkeɪpəˈbɪləti/, 'biology' /baɪˈɒlədʒi/).
  • Words ending in -ical, -ative, -ive often have primary stress on the syllable immediately preceding the suffix (e.g., 'economical' /ˌiːkəˈnɒmɪkl/, 'conservative' /kənˈsɜːvətɪv/).
• Importance of IPA: In competitive exams, you might see stress marked using the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA). The symbol ˈ (prime mark) is placed immediately before the syllable that carries the primary stress. For example, 'development' is /dɪˈveləpmənt/.