English Pronunciation: Sentence Stress

Level B1 · Lesson 1

Language Focus: Content Words vs Function Words

In natural English speech, we don't stress every word equally. We give more stress to words that carry meaning, and we say words that carry grammar more quickly and quietly.

TypeWord classesStress
Content wordsNouns, main verbs, adjectives, adverbsUsually stressed
Function wordsArticles, prepositions, pronouns, auxiliary verbs, conjunctionsUsually weak / unstressed
Why it matters: Native speakers judge rhythm by stressed content words, not by counting words. This is why English can sound "fast" — the function words are squeezed in quickly between the important, stressed words.

See it in a sentence

The underlined words are the content words — these carry the sentence's meaning and get the stress.

The TEACHER QUICKLY CLOSED the DOOR.

She WANTS a COFFEE and a SANDWICH.

Notice that "the", "a", and "and" are said quickly and quietly — they are not stressed.

Listen and Practise

Click the speaker to listen to each word. Then click whether it is a content word or a function word.

Exercise 1: True or False

Exercise 2: Multiple Choice

Exercise 3: Matching

Click the speaker to listen to each word. Then click the word, and click the box with its correct type.

Exercise 4: Word Sort

Drag each word into the correct box: Content word or Function word.

Content Word (stressed)

Function Word (weak)

Exercise 5: Gap Fill

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