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<p>1</p><p>Kev Nair</p><p>Teaching your tongue & Speech Rhythm</p><p>Prof. Kev Nair was born in Kerala, South India, in 1949.</p><p>He’s an eminent scholar of international repute. He’s a first</p><p>class LL.B. and a first class LL.M. And he was ranked first in</p><p>university in both the LL. B. and LL. M. exams.</p><p>• “Nair was the first person in the world to give shape to the</p><p>area of study now known as ‘English fluency development’</p><p>and to systematize it into a distinct teachable subject... So</p><p>he is better known as the father of fluency development.”</p><p>– General Knowledge Today.</p><p>• “He had been researching since 1971, and the results... led</p><p>him to new discoveries... ”</p><p>– THE HINDU.</p><p>• “Prof. Kev Nair is regarded the world over as the father</p><p>of fluency lexicography... Fluency lexicography came into</p><p>existence as a separate branch of dictionary writing with</p><p>the publication of Prof. Nair’s Dictionary of Active Fluency</p><p>Combinations in 1986.”</p><p>– Competition Success Review.</p><p>• “A renowned English language lexicographer”</p><p>– The New Sunday Express.</p><p>• “One of the world’s most respected English language</p><p>scholars...Perhaps more innovative in method than Roget</p><p>and more modern in approach than Fowler, Prof. Kev Nair</p><p>is... one of the foremost Indian scholars who wield great</p><p>influence on the thinking of the English-educated people</p><p>around the world.”</p><p>– General Knowledge Today.</p><p>• “A towering English language expert”</p><p>– Competition Success Review.</p><p>• “Prof. Kev Nair... has... reached out to thousands – judicial</p><p>officers, professionals, top executives, scholars – who</p><p>2</p><p>need that comfort and ease in speech with his specialised</p><p>fluency techniques.”</p><p>– The New Indian Express.</p><p>Prof. Nair is a lawyer by profession. He lives with his wife and</p><p>children in Kochi, Kerala, an enchanting place on the earth.</p><p>3</p><p>Fluent English Dictionaries1 by Kev Nair</p><p>• A Dictionary of Active Fluency Combinations.</p><p>• A Dictionary of Fluency Word Clusters.</p><p>• The Complete Fluency Words.</p><p>• A Dictionary of Essential Fluency Phrases.</p><p>• Core Fluency Thesaurus.</p><p>• Comprehensive Adjectival Fluency Dictionary.</p><p>• Narrative Fluency Dictionary.</p><p>• Thesaurus of Phrasal Verbs.</p><p>1 Note: The Fluent English Dictionaries do not form part of Fluentzy: The</p><p>English Fluency Encyclopedia. They’re separate publications – meant for those</p><p>who want to specialize in fluency-oriented vocabulary. For details, visit www.</p><p>fluencybookz.com.</p><p>4</p><p>Books by Kev Nair making up</p><p>Fluentzy: The English Fluency Encyclopedia</p><p>• B1: Idea units & Fluency.</p><p>• B2: Speech Generation & Flow Production.</p><p>• B3: Teaching your Tongue & Speech Rhythm.</p><p>• B4: Key Speech-initiators & Speech-unit Patterns.</p><p>• S1/B13 & S2/B14: Fluency in Functional English (Vols. 1 & 2).</p><p>• S3/B15: Fluency in Telephone English & Sectoral English.</p><p>• B5: How to Deal with Hesitation.</p><p>• B6: Oral Training in Fluency Vocabulary (Vol.1).</p><p>• B7: Packing of Information.</p><p>• B8: Impromptu Speech-flow Techniques.</p><p>• S4/B16: Fluency Building & Mouth Gymnastics.</p><p>• S5/B17: Fluency in speaking about people.</p><p>• B9: Fluency in Asking Questions.</p><p>• B10: Oral Training in Fluency Vocabulary (Vol.2).</p><p>• B11: Fluency & Moment-to-Moment Speech-production.</p><p>• B12: Oral Training in Fluency Vocabulary (Vol.3).</p><p>• S6/B18 & S7/B19: Fluency in Topicwise English (Vols. 1 & 2).</p><p>• S8/B20: Fluency & Pronunciation.</p><p>Books by Kev Nair making up</p><p>Fluentzy: The English Fluency Encyclopedia</p><p>• B1: Idea units & Fluency.</p><p>• B2: Speech Generation & Flow Production.</p><p>• B3: Teaching your Tongue & Speech Rhythm.</p><p>• B4: Key Speech-initiators & Speech-unit Patterns.</p><p>• S1/B13 & S2/B14: Fluency in Functional English (Vols. 1 & 2).</p><p>• S3/B15: Fluency in Telephone English & Sectoral English.</p><p>• B5: How to Deal with Hesitation.</p><p>• B6: Oral Training in Fluency Vocabulary (Vol.1).</p><p>• B7: Packing of Information.</p><p>• B8: Impromptu Speech-flow Techniques.</p><p>• S4/B16: Fluency Building & Mouth Gymnastics.</p><p>• S5/B17: Fluency in speaking about people.</p><p>• B9: Fluency in Asking Questions.</p><p>• B10: Oral Training in Fluency Vocabulary (Vol.2).</p><p>• B11: Fluency & Moment-to-Moment Speech-production.</p><p>• B12: Oral Training in Fluency Vocabulary (Vol.3).</p><p>• S6/B18 & S7/B19: Fluency in Topicwise English (Vols. 1 & 2).</p><p>• S8/B20: Fluency & Pronunciation.</p><p>5</p><p>B3</p><p>Teaching your Tongue</p><p>& Speech Rhythm</p><p>“How speakers can train their speech organs</p><p>and achieve the characteristic English speech</p><p>rhythm.” – THE HINDU.</p><p>Fifth Edition</p><p>Prof. Kev Nair</p><p>Adult Faculties Council</p><p>B3</p><p>Teaching your Tongue</p><p>& Speech Rhythm</p><p>“How speakers can train their speech organs</p><p>and achieve the characteristic English speech</p><p>rhythm.”</p><p>Fifth Edition</p><p>Prof. Kev Nair</p><p>Adult Faculties Council</p><p>TM</p><p>TM</p><p>6</p><p>For Uma</p><p>TEACHING yOuR TONGuE & SPEECH RHyTHM.</p><p>Copyright © Prof. K. E. V. Nair @ KevNair 1982, 1988, 1995, 2000, 2008.</p><p>First published 1982.</p><p>4th edition 2000 (17 impressions).</p><p>5th edition 2008.</p><p>Prof. K. E. V. Nair @ KevNair has asserted his right to be identified as the</p><p>author of this book in accordance with the Copyright Act, 1957.</p><p>All rights reserved worldwide. No part of this book shall be copied or</p><p>reproduced or stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or</p><p>manner whatever, or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying,</p><p>recording or otherwise, without the prior permission, in writing, of the</p><p>publisher, except in the case of brief quotations or as expressly permitted</p><p>by law.</p><p>All quotations from this book shall credit the author, Prof. KevNair.</p><p>This book is sold subject to the condition that it shall not, by way of trade</p><p>or otherwise, be lent, resold, hired out or otherwise circulated in any form</p><p>of binding or cover other than that in which it is published, and without a</p><p>similar condition, including this condition, being imposed on any acquirer</p><p>or the subsequent purchaser.</p><p>Any violation of these terms and conditions will invite civil and criminal</p><p>proceedings and will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.</p><p>Published in India by Mrs. uma V. Nair, Adult Faculties Council, DP Lane,</p><p>Elamakkara PO, Kochi-682 026, Kerala.</p><p>Printed in India by Ayodhya Printers Ltd., Elamakkara PO, Kochi-682 026,</p><p>Kerala.</p><p>Adult Faculties Council’s websites:</p><p>www.fluentzy.com; www.fluencybookz.com.</p><p>Phone: (91)(0484) 2538449, 2408361.</p><p>Fax: (91)(0484) 2408361.</p><p>E-mail: info@fluentzy.com.</p><p>Price: Rs.175.00</p><p>7</p><p>Contents</p><p>Chapter 1: ‘Teaching’ your ‘tongue’, 11</p><p>Important principles of description, 11</p><p>Descriptive principle 1, 11</p><p>Descriptive principle 2, 13</p><p>Descriptive principle 3, 13</p><p>The way to teach your tongue, 14</p><p>Drill 1, 14</p><p>Drill 2, 15</p><p>Drill 3, 16</p><p>Drill 4, 16</p><p>Drill 5, 17</p><p>Word List 1: Irregular verbs, 18</p><p>Word List 2: Regular verbs, 19</p><p>Two exercises, 22</p><p>Chapter 2: Rhythm and flow of speech, 23</p><p>The syllable, 23</p><p>Two groups of words, 24</p><p>The way the English language flows, 24</p><p>The way non-English languages flow, 26</p><p>1) uniform stress, 26</p><p>2) uniform time distribution, 27</p><p>Let English flow the way English should flow, 27</p><p>up and down movement, 28</p><p>Syllable stress, 29</p><p>1) Polysyllabic words, 29</p><p>2) Monosyllabic words, 30</p><p>8</p><p>List A: Weak function words, 31</p><p>“Schwa”, 32</p><p>List B: Neutral function words, 33</p><p>Guidelines, 34</p><p>Limited freedom, 37</p><p>Shortened forms, 38</p><p>Chapter 3: Foot and rhythm, 43</p><p>The fundamental principle of English rhythm, 44</p><p>Beating the rhythm, 45</p><p>Two special cases, 47</p><p>1) The silent stress, 47</p><p>2) unstressed syllables at the beginning of ‘words’, 48</p><p>Speed of speech, 49</p><p>Chapter 4: Frequently-used polysyllabic words, 51</p><p>Alphabetical Lists, 52</p><p>Chapter 5: Stresswise list of polysyllabic words, 71</p><p>Stress-exaggeration Exercise, 94</p><p>Chapter 6: Do words stop on the tip of your tongue?,</p><p>96</p><p>Chapter 7: Questions for Practice, 106</p><p>Importance of the drill with word groups, 110</p><p>Two Important exercises, 112</p><p>9</p><p>Preface to the 5th edition</p><p>Here’s the latest edition of this book.</p><p>I have now added some new material covering the topic “Do</p><p>words stop on the tip of your tongue?”.</p><p>Do you have any comments and suggestions? Please do</p><p>you can do this if you tap on at the rate of about</p><p>8 to 10 taps per 6 seconds. yes, 8 to 10 taps in 6 seconds. you</p><p>can count the number of taps by tapping on a white paper with</p><p>the tip of a pencil, and by counting the number of pencil marks</p><p>made in 6 seconds. Once you’ve learnt to tap at this rate, you</p><p>can practice saying the practice material at this rate. And within</p><p>a few minutes, you’ll get used to saying word groups at this rate</p><p>of speed.</p><p>When you speak at this rate, you’ll take about 2 seconds to</p><p>utter an idea unit of average length — that is, to utter an idea</p><p>unit consisting of 5 to 6 short and simple words. About 2 seconds</p><p>on an average per idea unit. This is the average rate at which a</p><p>fluent native speaker of English speaks English.</p><p>Don’t be under the impression that the faster you speak, the</p><p>more fluent you sound. No. you sound fluent not when you speak</p><p>50 FOOT AND RHyTHM</p><p>faster (than at the normal speed), but when you speak with an</p><p>uninterrupted flow (at the normal speed — that is, at the rate</p><p>of one idea unit of 5 to 6 short and simple words in about two</p><p>seconds).</p><p>And what is an “uninterrupted flow”? An uninterrupted flow</p><p>is a flow that is interrupted by as few unmanaged hesitations as</p><p>possible. yes, there must be as few unmanaged hesitations as</p><p>possible in your speech. And what is an “unmanaged hesitation”?</p><p>But this is another topic, and we’ll take it up later.</p><p>* * *</p><p>51FREQuENTLy-uSED POLySyLLABIC WORDS</p><p>CHAPTER 4</p><p>Frequently-used</p><p>polysyllabic words</p><p>you’re now going to get a complete list of essential polysyllabic</p><p>words. (you’ll get a similar list of monosyllabic words in a later</p><p>Book). These are all the polysyllabic words you’ll normally</p><p>need for fluent speech. The only words that are left out are</p><p>special polysyllabic words. For example, ‘palpitation’ is a special</p><p>polysyllabic word that doctors use when they talk about heart-</p><p>troubles. It is not a word of general use. The words you’re going</p><p>to get are words of general use — words that you can use for any</p><p>kind of communication.</p><p>The stressed syllable in each word has been printed in CAPITAL</p><p>letters. The remaining letters represent unstressed syllables. Here</p><p>you should bear these things in mind:</p><p>• The stressed syllable in a word is said with more</p><p>breath-force or effort than the unstressed syllables. So</p><p>the stressed syllable can be heard more loudly than the</p><p>unstressed syllables.</p><p>• The stressed syllable is pronounced more slowly and</p><p>clearly than the unstressed syllables. The unstressed</p><p>syllables are said weakly and rapidly. The length of the</p><p>sound of the stressed syllable never gets reduced when</p><p>you stress it. It’s always uttered by giving it sufficient</p><p>time, so that its full length can come out. But the sounds</p><p>of unstressed syllables always show reduction in length.</p><p>In fact, when compared to the length reduction that</p><p>unstressed syllables show, the stressed syllable often</p><p>sounds stretched out.</p><p>When you go through the list of polysyllabic words, remember</p><p>one thing: The stressed syllable in each word has been shown on</p><p>52 FREQuENTLy-uSED POLySyLLABIC WORDS</p><p>the basis of sound, and not on the basis of spelling. Take the word</p><p>‘addition’, for example. Here the stress falls on ‘ddi’. So you’ll</p><p>find it printed as ‘aDDItion’. This is a syllable division based on</p><p>sound. But on the basis of spelling, you can divide the word in</p><p>another way also: ‘ad-di-tion’. This is a syllable-division that</p><p>is meant for typists and printers, so they can decide where to</p><p>divide the word at the end of a line while typing or printing. But</p><p>we’re not concerned about that kind of division. We’re concerned</p><p>about where the stress falls while speaking. So you’ll find that</p><p>double spellings like ‘dd’, ‘gg’, ‘ll’, etc. have been treated as single</p><p>sounds. Pay attention to the stressed syllables that are shown in</p><p>capital letters, and don’t worry about the mechanics of syllable</p><p>division. As we’ve already seen, a syllable is a unit of sound. A</p><p>syllable will always have a vowel in it. It may also have one or</p><p>more consonants before it or after it — or before and after it.</p><p>There’s one more thing. After a few words in the list, you’ll</p><p>find the letters ‘n’ and ‘v’ within brackets. ‘n’ stands for ‘noun’</p><p>(naming word), and ‘v’ stands for ‘verb’ (action word).</p><p>Now let’s go for the words. you’ll find the words listed in two</p><p>ways: First, alphabetically. Then, according to the position of the</p><p>stressed syllable in the words — that is, stress-position-wise.</p><p>Alphabetical lists</p><p>A: • aBILity, Able, aBOuT, aBOVE, aBROAD, ABsence,</p><p>ABsent, ABsolute, ABsolutely, abSORB, ABsorbing, aBuSE.</p><p>• acCELerate, ACcent, acCEPT, ACcident, accommoDAtion,</p><p>aCCOmmodate, aCCOMpany, aCCOMplish, aCCORDing,</p><p>aCCOuNT, aCCOuNTant, ACCurate, aCCuSE, aCCuStom,</p><p>aCHIEVE, aCHIEVEment, ackNOWLedge, aCQuAINT,</p><p>aCQuAINTance, aCQuIRE, aCROSS, ACtion, ACTive,</p><p>ACTively, acTIVity, ACtual, ACtually. • aDDItion,</p><p>aDDItional, aDDRESS, ADequate, adJuST, adminiSTRAtion,</p><p>ADmirable, admiRAtion, adMIRE, adMIT, aDOPT,</p><p>53FREQuENTLy-uSED POLySyLLABIC WORDS</p><p>ADult, adVANCE, adVANCED, adVANtage, adVENTure,</p><p>ADvertise, adVERTisement, adVICE, adVISE. • aFFAIR,</p><p>aFFECT, aFFECtion, aFFECtionate, aFFORD, aFRAID,</p><p>AFter, afterNOON, AFTerwards. • aGAIN, aGAINST,</p><p>Agency, Agent, aGO, aGREE, aGREEment. • aHEAD.</p><p>• AIMless, AIRport. • aLARM, ALcohol, aLIKE, aLIVE,</p><p>aLLOW, aLLOWance, ALmost, aLONE, aLONG, aLOuD,</p><p>alREAdy, ALso, ALter, alTHOuGH, altoGEther, ALways. •</p><p>aMAZE, amBItion, amBItious, aMONG, aMOuNT, aMuSE,</p><p>aMuSEment. • ANalyse, aNAlysis, ANchor, ANcient, ANger,</p><p>ANgle, ANgry, ANimal, ANkle, anniVERsary, aNNOuNCE,</p><p>aNNOy, ANnual, aNOther, ANswer, anXIEty, ANxious, Any,</p><p>Anybody, Anyhow, Anyone, Anything, Anyway, Anywhere.</p><p>• aPART, aPOLogize, aPOLogy, aPPARently, aPPEAL,</p><p>aPPEAR, aPPEARance, Appetite, aPPLAuSE, Applicant,</p><p>appliCAtion, aPPLy, aPPOINT, aPPOINTment, aPPREciate,</p><p>aPPROACH, aPPROVAL, aPPROVE, aPPROXimate,</p><p>aPPROXimately. • Area, ARgue, ARgument, aRISE, ARmy,</p><p>aROuND, aRRANGE, aRRANGEment, aRREST, aRRIVE,</p><p>Arrow, ARticle, artiFIcial, ARTist. • aSHAMED, aSHORE,</p><p>aSIDE, aSLEEP, aSSEMble, aSSIST, aSSISTance, aSSISTant,</p><p>aSSOciate, associAtion, aSSuME, aSSuRE, aSTONish,</p><p>aSTONishment. • ATmosphere, aTROcious, aTTACH,</p><p>aTTACK, aTTAIN, aTTEMPT, aTTEND, aTTENDance,</p><p>aTTENtion, Attitude, aTTRACT, aTTRACtion, aTTRACTive.</p><p>• Audience, Author, auTHOrity, autoMAtic. • aVAILable,</p><p>Average, aVOID. • aWAKE, aWARD, aWARE, aWAy, AWful,</p><p>AWKward.</p><p>B: • BAby, BACKbone, BACKground, BACKward,</p><p>BACKwards, backyARD, BADly, BAggage, BALance,</p><p>BALcony, baLLOON, baNAna, BANDage, BANKer,</p><p>BANKrupt, BARber, BARgain, BArrel, BASEment,</p><p>BAsic, BAsin, BAsis, BASket, BATHroom, BAtter, BAttle.</p><p>• BEAutiful, BEAuty. beCAuSE, BEckon, beCOME,</p><p>BEDclothes, BEDroom, BEDside, beFORE, beFOREhand,</p><p>54 FREQuENTLy-uSED POLySyLLABIC WORDS</p><p>BEggar, beGIN, beGINNer, beGINNing, beHAVE, beHAviour,</p><p>beHIND, BEing, beLIEF, beLIEVE, BElly, beLONG,</p><p>beLONGings, beLOVED, beLOW, BEnefit, beSIDE, beSIDES,</p><p>BEtter, beTWEEN, beyOND. • BIcycle, BIRTHday, BIScuit,</p><p>Bitter, BItterness. • BLACKmail, BLACKsmith, BLAdder,</p><p>BLANket, BLESSing, BLOODy, BLOssom, BLuNder. • BOdy,</p><p>BOLDness, BOMBing, BONy, BOOKshelf, BOOKshop,</p><p>BORder, BORing, BOrrow, BOther, BOttle, BOttom,</p><p>BOuNDary, BOWels. • BRAvery, BREAKdown, BREAKfast,</p><p>BRIDEgroom, BRIEFcase, BRIGHTen, BROADcast,</p><p>BROADen, BROther. • Bubble, Bucket, Budget, BuILDing,</p><p>BuLKy, Bullet, BuLLy, BuMper, BuNdle, BuRden, BuRGlar,</p><p>Burial, Bury, BuSiness, BuSinessman, Busy, Butcher,</p><p>Butter, Button, Buttonhole. • Bypass, Bystander.</p><p>C: • CAbin, CAbinet, CAble, CAfe, CALculate, CALender,</p><p>CALMness, CAmera, camPAIGN, caNAL, CANcel,</p><p>CANdle, canTEEN, CANvas, CApable, caPAcity, CAPital,</p><p>CAPtain, CAPture, CARbon, CARDboard, caREER,</p><p>CAREful, CAREless, CARpenter, CARpet, CArriage,</p><p>CArry, carTOON, caSSETTE, CAstle, CAsual, CAsualty,</p><p>CAtalogue, CAttle, CAution, CAutious. • CEILing,</p><p>CELebrate, CELebrated, CEllar, ceMENT, CEmetery,</p><p>CENtimetre, CENtral, CENtre,</p><p>CENtury, CEremony,</p><p>CERtain, CERtainly, CERtainty, cerTIficate, CERtify. •</p><p>CHAIRman, CHAllenge, CHAMpion, CHAnnel, CHApter,</p><p>CHAracter, CHAtter, CHAuffeur, CHEERful, CHEMical,</p><p>CHERish, CHIcken, CHILDren, CHILDhood, CHILDish,</p><p>CHIMney, CHOcolate, CHuBBy. • ciGAR, cigaRETTE,</p><p>Clnema, CIRcle, CIRcular, CIRculate, CIRcuit, cirCuItious,</p><p>CIRcumstance, CIRcus, CItizen, CIty, CIvil, civiliZAtion,</p><p>CIvilize. • CLArify, classifiCAtion, CLASSify, CLASSical,</p><p>CLASSroom, CLEARing, CLEver, CLImate, CLImax,</p><p>CLOCKwork, CLOTHing, CLOuDy, CLuMsy, CLuSter.</p><p>• COffee, COffee-pot, COllar, coLLECT, coLLECTION,</p><p>COlleague, COllege, COlony, COlour, COlourful, COlumn,</p><p>55FREQuENTLy-uSED POLySyLLABIC WORDS</p><p>combiNAtion, comBINE, COmedy, COMfort, COMfortable,</p><p>coMMAND, coMMEND, COmment, COmmentary,</p><p>COmmentator, COmmerce, coMMERcial, coMMIT,</p><p>COmmon, COmmonplace, commonSENSE, coMMOtion,</p><p>coMMunicate, communiCAtion, coMMunity, comPANion,</p><p>COMpany, comPARative, comPARatively, comPARE,</p><p>comPARison, comPEL, comPETE, compeTItion, comPETitor,</p><p>comPLAIN, comPLAINT, comPLETE, comPLETELy,</p><p>COMplex, comPLEXion, COMplicate, COMplicated,</p><p>comPLy, comPOSE, COMpound, compreHEND,</p><p>compreHENsion, compreHENsive, comPRISE, comPuLsion,</p><p>comPuLsory, comPuTE, comPuter, COMrade, conCEAL,</p><p>conCEDE, conCEIT, conCEssion, conCEIted, conCEIVE,</p><p>concenTRAtion, CONcentrate, CONcept, conCEPtion,</p><p>conCERN, conCERNing, conCISE, conCLuDE, conCLusion,</p><p>CONcrete, conDEMN, conDItion, conDItional, conDOLE,</p><p>CONduct (n), conDuCT (v), conDuCtor, conFER,</p><p>CONference, conFESS, conFEssion, conFIDE, CONfidence,</p><p>CONfident, confiDENtial, confiDENtially, conFINE,</p><p>conFIRM, CONflict (n), conFLICT (V), conFORM, conFuSE,</p><p>conFuSion, conGESted, conGEStion, conGRAtulate,</p><p>CONjure, coNNECT, coNNECtion, CONquer, CONscience,</p><p>CONscious, CONsciousness, conSENT, CONsequence,</p><p>CONsequently, conSERvative, conSIder, conSIderable,</p><p>conSIderably, conSIderate, consideRAtion, conSIST,</p><p>conSPIracy, conSPIRE, conSPIrator, CONstant, conSTRuCT,</p><p>conSTRuCtion, conSuLT, conSuME, conSumer,</p><p>conSuMPtion, CONtact, conTAIN, conTAINer, CONtemplate,</p><p>conTEMPT, conTEMPtuously, conTEMPtible, conTEND,</p><p>conTENDed, conTENT (v), CONtent (n), CONtest (n),</p><p>conTEST (v), CONtext, conTInue, conTInuous, conTInually,</p><p>CONtract (n), conTRACT (v), contraDICT, CONtrary,</p><p>CONtrast (n), conTRAST(v), conTRIbute, contriBution,</p><p>conTROL, conVENience, conVENient, conVENtion,</p><p>conVENtional, converSAtion, conVEy, conVEyance,</p><p>56 FREQuENTLy-uSED POLySyLLABIC WORDS</p><p>CONvict (n), conVICT (v), conVICtion, conVINCE, co-</p><p>OPerate, co-opeRAtion, Copy, CORdial, CORner, coRRECT,</p><p>coRRECtion, correSPOND, correSPONdence, COrridor,</p><p>coRRuPT, COSTly, COttage, COtton, COuNTer, COuNtry,</p><p>COuNtryside, COuple, COurage, couRAgeous, COuSin,</p><p>COver, COvering, COward, COwardice. • CRACKer, CRAdle,</p><p>CRAFTy, CRAZy, creATE, CREAtures, CREdit, CRIMInal,</p><p>CRIpple, CRISis, CRItical, CROckery, CROSSroads, CRuel,</p><p>CRuelty. • CuLtivate, CuLtural, CuLture, Cunning,</p><p>CuPboard, curiOSity, Curious, Current, CuRtain, CuRtsey,</p><p>Cushion, CuStom, CuStomer, CuTlery. • Cycle, Cyclist,</p><p>Cylinder.</p><p>D: • DAddy, DAIly, DAiry, DAmage, DANcer, DANCing,</p><p>DANger, DANgerous, DARKen, DARKness, DARLing,</p><p>DAuGHter, DAylight, DAytime, DAzzle. • DEAFen, DEALer,</p><p>deBATE, deCAy, deCEIVE, deCEIVer, deCEIT, DEcent,</p><p>deCIDE, deCIdedly, deCIsion, declaRAtion, deCLARE,</p><p>deCLINE, DEcorate, deCREASE, DEdicate, DEEPer, DEEPly,</p><p>deFEAT, deFENCE, deFEND, deFINE, DEfinite, Definitely,</p><p>defiNItion, deFy, deGREE, deLAy, deLIBerate, DElicate,</p><p>deLIcious, deLIGHT, deLIGHTed, deLIGHTful, deLIver,</p><p>deLIvery, deMAND, demoCRATic, deMOLish, DEmonstrate,</p><p>demonSTRAtion, DENtist, deNy, dePART, dePARTment,</p><p>dePARture, dePEND, dePENDant, dePENDence,</p><p>dePENDent, dePLORE, dePLORable, dePRESS, DEPuty,</p><p>deRIVE, deSCEND, deSCENDant, deSCENT, deSCRIBE,</p><p>deSCRIPtion, deSERT (v), DEsert (n), deSERVE, deSIGN,</p><p>deSIRable, deSIRE, deSPAIR, DESperate, deSPIcable,</p><p>deSPISE, deSPITE, destiNAtion, DEStiny, deSTROy,</p><p>deSTRuCtion, DEtail, DEtailed, deTECT, deTECTive,</p><p>determiNAtion, deTERmine, deTEST, deTESTable,</p><p>deVELop, deVELopment, deVICE, DEvil, deVOTE. • DIal,</p><p>DIAlogue, DIamond, DIary, dicTATE, dicTAtion, dicTAtor,</p><p>DIffer, DIfference, DIfferent, DIfficult, DIfficulty, diGEST</p><p>(v), DIGnity, DInner, diPLOma, diRECT, diRECtion,</p><p>57FREQuENTLy-uSED POLySyLLABIC WORDS</p><p>diRECTly, diRECTor, DIRTy, disadVANtage, disaGREE,</p><p>disaGREEment, disaPPEar, disaPPEarance, disaPPOINT,</p><p>disaPPOINTment, disaPPROVal, disaPPROVE, diSASter,</p><p>diSAStrous, disCHARGE, DIscipline, disCLOSE, disCOMfort,</p><p>disconTENDed, DIScount (n), disCOuNT (v), disCOuRage,</p><p>diSCOver, diSCOvery, diSCREET, diSCRIMinate,</p><p>discrimiNAtion, diSCuSS, diSCuSSion, diSEASE,</p><p>disGRACE, disGuISE, disGuST, disHONest, disLIKE,</p><p>disMISS, disMISSal, disoBEy, disoBEdient, disORder,</p><p>diSPLAy, disPLEASE, diSPOSE, diSPOSal, diSPuTE,</p><p>dissatisFACtion, diSSAtisfy, diSSOLVE, DIStance, DIStant,</p><p>diSTINCT, diSTINCtion, diSTINCTly, diSTINguish, diSTORT,</p><p>diSTORtion, diSTRESS, diSTRIbute, DIStrict, diSTuRB,</p><p>diSTuRBance, diVIDE, diVIsion, diVORCE. • DOCtor,</p><p>DOCument, doMEStic, DOminate, DONkey, DOORstep,</p><p>DOORway, DOuble, DOuBTful, DOuBTless, downSTAIRS,</p><p>DOWNward, DOWNwards, DOzen. • DRAgon, DRAma,</p><p>draMAtic, DRAWing, DRAWer, DREADful, DRESSmaking,</p><p>DRIVer, DRuNKard, DRyness. • DuLLness, DuNgeon,</p><p>DuRing, DuSTy, Duty.</p><p>E: • EAger, EAgerly, EAgle, EARly, EARnest, EARNings,</p><p>EARTHquake, EAsily, EASTern, EASTward, EAsy. •</p><p>ECho, eCOnomy, ecoNOmic, ecoNOmical. • Edit,</p><p>Editor, eDItion, Educate, eduCAtion, eduCAtional. •</p><p>eFFECT, eFFECTive, eFFIcient, eFFIciency, Effort. •</p><p>EIther. • eLAStic, ELbow, Elder, ELdest, eLEct, eLECtion,</p><p>eLECtric, eLECtrical, elecTRIcity, eleMENTary, Element,</p><p>Elephant, elseWHERE. • emBArass, emBOdy, emBRACE,</p><p>eMERGE, eMERgency, eMOtion, eMOtional, EMphasise,</p><p>EMphasis, EMpire, emPLOy, employEE, emPLOyer,</p><p>emPLOyment, EMPty. • eNAble, enCLOSE, enCOuNter,</p><p>enCOurage, enCOuragement, ENDing, ENDless,</p><p>enDuRE, enDuRance, ENemy, enerGEtic, ENergy,</p><p>enGAGE, enGAGED, ENgine, engiNEER, engiNEERing,</p><p>enJOy, enJOyable, enJOyment, enLARGE, eNORmous,</p><p>58 FREQuENTLy-uSED POLySyLLABIC WORDS</p><p>eNOuGH, enSuRE, ENter, ENterprise, ENterprising,</p><p>enterTAIN, enterTAINment, enTHusiasm, enTHusiast,</p><p>enTHusiastic, enTIRE, enTIREly, enTItle, ENtrance,</p><p>enTREAT, ENtry, ENvelope, enVIRonment, ENvy. • Equal,</p><p>eQuAlity, eQuIP, eQuIPment. • eRECT, Error. • eSCAPE,</p><p>eSPEcially, Essence, eSSENtial, eSTABlish, eSTATE,</p><p>Estimate, eTERnal, eTERnity. • eVALuate, Even, Evening,</p><p>eVENT, eVENTually, Ever, everLASTing, Every, Everybody,</p><p>Everyday, Everyone, Everything, Everywhere, Evidence,</p><p>Evident, Evil. • exact (igZAKT), exaggerate (igZAggerate),</p><p>exaggeRAtion, examine (igZAMin), example (igZAMple),</p><p>EXcellent, except (ikSEPT), exception (ikSEPtion),</p><p>excess (ikSES), exCHANGE, excite (ikSAIT), excitement</p><p>(ikSAITment), exciting (ikSAITing), exclaim (ikSCLAIM),</p><p>exclaMAtion, exclude (ikSCLuDE), exclusive (ikSCLusive),</p><p>excursion (ikSCuRsion), excuse (ikSCuSE), EXecute,</p><p>EXercise, exhaust (igZOST), exhaustive (igZOSTive),</p><p>exhibit (igZIbit), exhiBItion, exist (igZIST), existence</p><p>(igZISTance), expand (ikSPAND), expansion (ikSPANsion),</p><p>expect (ikSPECT), expense (ikSPENS), expenditure</p><p>(ikSPENDiture), expensive (ikSPENsive), experience</p><p>(ikSPERience), experienced (ikSPErienced), experiment</p><p>(ikSPERiment), experiMENTal, EXpert, explain (ikSPLAIN),</p><p>explaNAtion, explode (ikSPLODE), exploit (ikSPLOIT),</p><p>exploRAtion, explore (ikSPLORE), explosion (ikSPLOsion),</p><p>explosive (ikSPLOsive), export (ikSPORT) (v), EXport (n),</p><p>express (ikSPRESS), expression (ikSPREssion), extend</p><p>(ikSTEND), extension (ikSTENsion), extent (ikSTENT),</p><p>external (ikSTERNal), extinguish (ikSTINguish), EXtra,</p><p>extract (ikSTRACT) (v), extraordinarily (ikSTRORdinarily),</p><p>extraordinary (ikSTRORdinary), extreme (ikSTREME),</p><p>extremely (ikSTREMEly). • EyEbrow, EyElid, EyEsight.</p><p>F: • FAble, FACtory, FAILure, FAIRly, FAITHful, faMIliar,</p><p>FAMily, FAMous, FANcy, fanTAstic, FARMer, FARMhouse,</p><p>FARther, FARthest, FAscinate,</p><p>FAshion, FAshionable, FAsten,</p><p>59FREQuENTLy-uSED POLySyLLABIC WORDS</p><p>FAtal, FAther, FAuLTless, FAuLTy, FAvour, FAvourable,</p><p>FAvourite. • FEARful, FEARless, FEAther, FEAture,</p><p>FEEble, FEELing, FEllow, FEmale, feROcious, feROcity,</p><p>Ferry, FERtile, FEStival, FEver, FEverish. • FICtion,</p><p>ficTItious, FIGHTer, FIgure, FILLing, FILter, FILTHy, FInal,</p><p>fiNANcial, FINEly, FINger, Finish, FIRMness, FISHerman,</p><p>FITness. • FLATTen, FLAtter, FLAvour, FLEXIble, FLICKer,</p><p>FLOuRish, FLOWer, FLuent, FLuently, FLutter. • FOGGy,</p><p>FOllow, FOllower, FOllowing, FOlly, FONDly, FOOlish,</p><p>FOOTpath, FOOTstep, forBID, FOREarm, FOREcast,</p><p>FOREfinger, FOREhead, FOreign, FOreigner, foreSEE,</p><p>Forest, forGET, forGETful, forGIVE, FORMal, FORmer,</p><p>FORmerly, FORmula, FORTnight, FORtunate, FORtunately,</p><p>FORtune, FORward, founDAtion, FOuDer, FOuNtain. •</p><p>FRACTion, FRACture, FRAMEwork, FRANtic, FRANtically,</p><p>FREEly, FREEdom, FREquent, FREquently, FRESHen,</p><p>FRICtion, FRIENDly, FRIENDship, FRIGHTen, FRIGHTful,</p><p>FRIGHTfully, FRONtier, FRuITful. • Fugitive, fulFILL,</p><p>FuLLy, FuNCtion, Funeral, FuNNy, Furious, FuRnish,</p><p>FuRniture, FuRther, Fury, Future.</p><p>G: • GAIety, GAIly, GAllant, GAllery, GAMble, GAMbler,</p><p>GArage, GARbage, GARden, GARdner, GARDening,</p><p>GARment, GATEway, GAther. • GENeral, GENerally,</p><p>GENerate, GENerous, GENius, GENtle, GENtleman,</p><p>GENtleness, GENtly, GENuine, GESture. • GHASTly. •</p><p>giGANtic, GIggle. • GLASSes, GLImmer, GLOry. • GOddess,</p><p>GOLDen, GOLDsmith, goodByE, GOODness, goodNIGHT,</p><p>GOSpel, GOssip, GOvern, GOvernment. • GRACEful,</p><p>GRACEfully, GRAcious, GRAciously, GRADual, GRADually,</p><p>GRADuate, GRAmmar, graMMAtical, GRANDchild,</p><p>GRANDdaughter, GRANDfather, GRANDmother,</p><p>GRANDparents, GRANDson, GRATEful, GRAtitude,</p><p>GREATly, GREATness, GREEDy, GREETings, GRIEVance,</p><p>GROcer, GRuMble. • guaranTEE, GuILTy, GuNpowder,</p><p>Gutter.</p><p>60 FREQuENTLy-uSED POLySyLLABIC WORDS</p><p>H: • HAbit, haBItual, HAIRcut, haLLO, Hammer,</p><p>HANDbag, HANDful, HANdicraft, HANDkerchief, HANdle,</p><p>HANDout, HANDsome, HANDsomely, HANDy, HAppen,</p><p>HAppy, HAppily, HAppiness, HARbour, HARDen, HARDly,</p><p>HARDness, HARMful, HARMless, HARmony, HARSHly,</p><p>HARvest, HAsten, HASTy, HATEful, HATred, HAuGHty,</p><p>HAzard. • HEADache, HEADing, HEADlight, HEADline,</p><p>HEADlong, headMASter, headMIStress, headQuARters,</p><p>HEALTHy, HEARTy, HEAven, HEAvy, HEAvily, HEIGHTen,</p><p>HELPer, HELPful, HELPless, heREditary, HEritage, HEro,</p><p>heROic, herSELF, HEsitate, hesiTAtion. • HIGHway,</p><p>HILLside, HILLy, himSELF, HINder, HIStory, hiSTORical.</p><p>• HObby, HOLDer, HOliday, HOllow, HOly, home-MADE,</p><p>HOMEsick, HOMEwork, HOnest, HOnestly, HOney,</p><p>HOneymoon, HOnour, HOnourable, HOPEful, HOPEless,</p><p>hoRIzon, HOrrible, HOrror, HOrrified, hoSPITable,</p><p>HOspital, HOstage, HOStel, HOSTess, HOStile, hoTEL,</p><p>HOuSEhold, HOuSEwife, howEVER. • Huddle, Human,</p><p>huMANity, HuMble, Humour, Humourous, HuNger,</p><p>HuNgry, HuNTer, huRRAH, huRRAy, Hurricane, Hurry,</p><p>HuSband.</p><p>I: • iDEa, iDEal, iDENtify, Idle, Idleness, IDly,</p><p>IGnorant, igNORE. • iLLEgal, iLLEgally, ILLness, ill-</p><p>TREAT, iLLIterate, Illustrate, illuSTRAtion. • Image,</p><p>iMAGinable, iMAGinary, imagiNAtion, iMAginative,</p><p>iMAgine, Imitate, imiTAtion, immaTuRE, iMMEdiate,</p><p>iMMEdiately, iMMEnse, iMMORal, iMMORTal, IMpact (n),</p><p>imPACT (v), imPART, inPARtial, imPAtience, imPAtient,</p><p>imPERfect, imPERsonal, imPLORE, imPLy, impoLITE,</p><p>Import (n), imPORT (v), imPORTance, imPORTant,</p><p>imPOSSible, imPRESS, imPREssion, imPREssive, imPRIson,</p><p>imPRObable, imPROper, imPROVE, imPROVEment. •</p><p>inBORN, inCAPable, INcident, inciDENTal, inciDENTally,</p><p>incliNAtion, inCLINE, inCLuDE, inCLuDing, INcome,</p><p>inCOMparable, incomPATible, inCOMpetent, incomPLETE,</p><p>61FREQuENTLy-uSED POLySyLLABIC WORDS</p><p>incompreHENSible, inconCEIVable, incoRRECT, inCREASE</p><p>(v), INcrease (n), inCREDible, inDEcent, inDEED,</p><p>indePENDence, indePENDent, INdex, INdicate, indiCAtion,</p><p>inDIfferent, indiRECT, indiVIdually, INdoor, inDOORS,</p><p>inDuCE, inDuStrial, inDuStrious, INdustry, ineFFECtive,</p><p>ineFFIcient, inEVitable, inEVItably, inFECT, inFECtious,</p><p>inFERior, inFLAME, inFLAmmable, inflaMMAtion, inFLICT,</p><p>Influence, influENtial, inFORM, inforMAtion, inGEnious,</p><p>ingeNuity, inHAbit, inHAbitant, inHERit, iNItial, iNItiative,</p><p>inJECT, inJECtion, INjure, INjury, inJuSTice, iNNAte,</p><p>Inner, INNocent, iNNumerable, inQuIRE, inQuIRy,</p><p>inQuIsitive, INsect, inSENsible, inSENsitive, inSERT,</p><p>inSIDE, INsight, insigNIficant, insinCERE, inSIST, INsolent,</p><p>inSPECT, inSPECtion, inSPECTor, inspiRAtion, inSPIRE,</p><p>inSTALL, inSTALment, INstance, INstant, INstantly,</p><p>inSTEAD, INstitute, instiTution, inSTRuCT, inSTRuCtion,</p><p>INstrument, instruMENtal, inSuLT, inSuRance, inSuRE,</p><p>INtake, INTellect, inteLLECtual, inTELLigence, inTELLigent,</p><p>inTELLigible, inTEND, inTENSE, inTENtion, inTENtional,</p><p>inTENtionally, INterest, INterested, INteresting, interFERE,</p><p>interFERence, inTERior, interMEdiate, inTERnal,</p><p>interNAtional, inTERpret, inTERpreter, interpreTAtion,</p><p>inteRRuPT, inteRRuption, INterval, interVENE, INterview,</p><p>INtimate, inTImidate, INto, inTOLerant, introDuCE,</p><p>introDuCtion, inTRuDE, inVADE, inVALid, inVAsion,</p><p>inVENT, inVENtion, inVENTor, inVEST, inVEStigate,</p><p>investiGAtion, inVESTment, inVISible, inviTAtion, inVITE,</p><p>inVOKE, inVOLVE, INward, INwardly, INwards. • Iron,</p><p>Irony, Island. • Isolate, Issue, Item, itSELF, Ivory.</p><p>J: • JAcket. • JEAlous, JEAlousy, JEOpardize, JEOpardy,</p><p>JEtty, JEWel, JEWellery. • JOlly, JOuRNal, JOuRnalist,</p><p>JOuRney, JOyful. • JuDGEment, JuNCtion, JuNgle,</p><p>JuSTice, JuSTify.</p><p>K: • KEttle. • KIlo, KIlometre, kind-HEARTed, KINDness,</p><p>62 FREQuENTLy-uSED POLySyLLABIC WORDS</p><p>KITCHen. • KNOWledge, KNuckle.</p><p>L: • LAbel, LAbour, LAdder, LAdy, laMENT, LAMP-post,</p><p>LANDlady, LANDlord, LANDscape, LANguage, LATEly,</p><p>LATer, LATest, LAtter, LAuGHter, LAuNdry, LAvatory,</p><p>LAWyer, LAyer, LAzy. • LEADer, LEADership, LEARNed,</p><p>LEARNing, LEAther, LECture, LEgal, LEgend, LEgendary,</p><p>LEIsure, LEIsurely, LEmon, lemoNADE, LENGTHen, LESSen,</p><p>LEsson, LEtter, LEvel, LEver. • LIable, LIar, LIberal, LIberate,</p><p>libeRAtion, LIberty, LIbrary, LIcense, LIGHTen, LIGHTening,</p><p>LIKEly, LImit, LINger, LIquid, LIquor, LIsten, LIstener,</p><p>LIterary, LIterature, LIttle, LIVElihood, LIVEly, LIVing.</p><p>• LObby, LOcal, LOcally, loCATE, LONEliness, LONEly,</p><p>LONGing, LOOSen, LOrry, LOuDly, LOVEly, LOVer, LOWer,</p><p>LOyal, LOyalty. • LuCKy, Luggage, lukeWARM, LuMber,</p><p>Lunatic, Luxury (LuKshery).</p><p>M: • maCHINE, maCHInary, MAdam, MADman, MADness,</p><p>magaZINE, Magic, maGIcian, Magistrate, MAGnet,</p><p>MAGnetic, magNIficent, MAINland, MAINly, mainTAIN,</p><p>MAINtenance, MAjesty, MAjor, maJOrity, MAlice, MANage,</p><p>MANagement, MANager, manKIND, MANly, MAnner,</p><p>MANsion, manuFACture, MANuscript, MAny, MARble,</p><p>MARgin, MARket, MArriage, MArried, MArry, MARvel,</p><p>MARvellous, MASculine, MAson, MASSES, MASter,</p><p>MASterpiece, maTErial, MAtter, MAttress, maTuRE,</p><p>maTurity, MAXimum. • MEAgre, MEANing, MEANtime,</p><p>MEANwhile, MEAsure, MEAsurement, meCHAnic,</p><p>meCHAnical, MEdal, MEddle, MEdia, MEdiate, MEdical,</p><p>MEdicine, MEditate, MEdium, MEETing, MEllow, MEMber,</p><p>MEMbership, meMOrial, MEmory, MENace, MENtal,</p><p>MENtion, MERchant, MERciful, MERciless, MERcy, MEREly,</p><p>MERit, MErry, MEssage, MEssenger, MEtal, MEthod,</p><p>MEtre. • MIddle, middle-Aged, MIDnight, MIGHTy,</p><p>MILEage, MILItary, MILKman, MILKy, MINgle, MINimum,</p><p>MINister, MInor, miNOrity, MInute, MIRacle, MIrror,</p><p>MISchief, MISchievous, MISerable, MISery, misFORtune,</p><p>63FREQuENTLy-uSED POLySyLLABIC WORDS</p><p>misLEAD, MISSing, MIssion, miSTAKE, MISter, MIStress,</p><p>misunderSTAND, MIXture. • MOdel, MODerate,</p><p>MODerately, MODern, MODest, MODesty, MODify, moLEST,</p><p>MOment, MOney, MONkey, moNOtonous, MONster,</p><p>MONTHly, MONument, MOODy, MOONlight, MOral,</p><p>moRAlity, MORNing, MORtally, MORTgage, mosQuIto,</p><p>MOSTly, MOther, MOtion, MOtionless, MOtor, MOuNtain,</p><p>mouSTACHE, MOuTHful, MOVEment, MOVie. • Muddle,</p><p>MuDDy, multipliCAtion, MuLtiply, MuLtitude, Mummy,</p><p>MuRder, MuRderer, MuRmur, Muscle, muSEuM, Music,</p><p>Musical, muSIcian, Mutter, Mutual. • mySELF, Mystery,</p><p>mySTErious.</p><p>N: • NAked, naRRATE, NArrow, NAsty, NAtion, NAtional,</p><p>NAtionality, NAtive,</p><p>NAtural, NAturally, NAture, NAuGHty,</p><p>NAvy. • NEARby, NEARly, NEcessary, neCEssity, NEEdle,</p><p>NEEDless, NEgative, neGLECT, NEGligent, NEGligible,</p><p>neGOtiate, negotiAtion, NEIGHbour, NEIGHbourhood,</p><p>NEIGHbouring, NEIther, NEphew, NERvous, NETwork,</p><p>NEver, nevertheLESS, NEWly, NEWSpaper. • NICKname,</p><p>NIGHTfall, NIGHTmare. • noBIlity, NOble, NObody, NOISy,</p><p>NOminate, NONsense, NORmal, NORmally, NORTHern,</p><p>NORTHward, NORTHwards, NOStril, NOTEworthy,</p><p>NOthing, NOtice, NOticeable, NOtify, NOtion, noTOrious,</p><p>NOuRish, NOWadays, NOwhere. • Nucleus, NuIsance,</p><p>NuMber, Numerous.</p><p>O: • oBEdience, oBEdient, oBEdiently, oBEy, OBject (n),</p><p>obJECT (v), obJECtion, obJECtive, obliGAtion, oBLIgatory,</p><p>oBLIGE, obSCuRE, obserVAtion, obSERVE, OBsolete,</p><p>OBstacle, obSTRuCT, obSTRuCtion, obTAIN, OBvious.</p><p>• oCCAsion, oCCAsional, oCCAsionally, occuPAtion,</p><p>Occupy, oCCuR, oCCuRRence, Ocean, o’CLOCK. • Odour.</p><p>• oFFENce, oFFEND, Offer, oFFENsive, Office, Officer,</p><p>oFFIcial, Often. • oKAy. • OMElette, oMIT. • oneSELF,</p><p>ONly, ONto. • Open, Opening, Operate, opeRAtion,</p><p>64 FREQuENTLy-uSED POLySyLLABIC WORDS</p><p>oPINion, oPPOnent, opporTuNity, oPPOSE, Opposite,</p><p>oPPRESS. • Oral, Orange, Orator, ORder, ORderly,</p><p>ORdinarily, ORdinary, ORgan, organiZAtion, ORganize,</p><p>ORigin, oRIginal, oRIginally, ORnament, ornaMENTal,</p><p>ORphan. • Other, Otherwise. • ourSELVES, OuTbreak,</p><p>OuTburst, OuTcast, OuTcome, OuTcry, outDATed, outDO,</p><p>OuTdoor, outDOORS, OuTer, OuTfit, OuTlaw, OuTlet,</p><p>OuTline, outLIVE, OuTlook, outNuMber, OuTput,</p><p>OuTrage, outRAGEous, outSIDE, outSIDer, OuTskirts,</p><p>outSPOken, outSTANDing, OuTward, OuTwards, Oven,</p><p>Over. • overALL, Overboard, Overcoat, overCOME,</p><p>overFLOW, overHANG, overHAuL, overHEAR, overLOOK,</p><p>overNIGHT, oveRuN, overTAKE, overTHROW, Overtime,</p><p>overTuRN, overWHELM. • Owing (to), OWNer,</p><p>OWNership.</p><p>P: • PAckage, PAcket, PAINful, PAINTer, PAINTing, PALace,</p><p>PALEness, PANic, Paper, PARachute, paRADE, PAragraph,</p><p>PArallel, PARcel, PARdon, PArent, PARlour, PARTly, PARtial,</p><p>parTIcipate, PARticle, parTIcular, parTIcularly, parTIculars,</p><p>PARTner, part-TIME, PARty, PASSage, PAssenger, passer-By,</p><p>Passion, PASSport, PAStime, PAtience, PAtient, PAtiently,</p><p>PAttern, PAVEment, PAyment. • PEACEful, PEAsant,</p><p>PEbble, peCuliar, peDEStrian, PENalty, PENcil, PENetrate,</p><p>PEnny, PENsion, PEOple, PEpper, perCEIVE, PERfect</p><p>(adj), perFECtion, PERfectly, perFORM, perFORMance,</p><p>PERfume, perHAPS, Period, periODical, PERmanent,</p><p>perMIssion, perMIT, perPETual, perSIST, PERson, PERsonal,</p><p>PERsonally, persoNALity, perSuADE, perSuAsion, PETrol,</p><p>PEtty. • phiLOsophy, PHOtograph (PHoto), phoTOgrapher,</p><p>photoGRAPHic, phoTOgraphy, PHysical, phySIcian. •</p><p>PICKpocket, PICture, pictuRESQuE, PIllar, PIllow, PIlot,</p><p>PIty, PIteous, PItiful. • PLASter, PLAStic, PLATform, PLAyer,</p><p>PLEAsant, PLEAsure, PLENtiful, PLENty, PLuCKy, PLuMBer,</p><p>PLuNder. • POcket, POem, POet, poETic, POetry, POIson,</p><p>POIsonous, poLICE, poLICEman, POlicy, POlish, poLITE,</p><p>65FREQuENTLy-uSED POLySyLLABIC WORDS</p><p>poLITEly, poLITEness, poLItical, poliTIcian, POlitics,</p><p>poLLution, POpular, popuLARity, POpularly, POpulated,</p><p>popuLAtion, PORter, PORtion, porTRAy, PORtrait,</p><p>poSItion, POSitive, poSSESS, poSSEssion,(v), poSSESSive,</p><p>possiBIlity, POSSible, POSSibly, POSTage, POSTal, POSter,</p><p>POSTman, poSTPONE, poTAto, POttery, POverty, POWder,</p><p>POwer, POwerful. • PRACtical, PRACtically, PRACtice</p><p>(n), PRActise (v), PRAyer, preCEDE, PREcious, preCISE,</p><p>PREdecessor, PREface, preFER, PREferable, PREference,</p><p>PREGnant, PREjudice, PREjudiced, prepaRAtions, prePARE,</p><p>preSCRIBE, preSCRIPtion, PREsence, preSENT (v), PREsent</p><p>(n), PREsently, preSERVE, preSIDE, PREsident, PREssure,</p><p>preSTIGE, preSuME, preTEND, PREtext, PREtty, preVAIL,</p><p>PREvalent, preVENT, preVENtion, PREvious, PRICKles,</p><p>PRICKly, PRImary, PRINcipal, PRINciple, PRINTer, PRIson,</p><p>PRIsoner, PRIvate, PRIvately, probaBIlity, PROBable,</p><p>PROBably, PROBlem, proCEdure, proCEED, PROcess,</p><p>proCLAIM, proDuCE (v), PROduce (n), proDuCer,</p><p>PROduct, proDuCtion, proFESS, proFEssion, proFEssional,</p><p>proFEssor, proFIciency, PROfit, PROgramme, proGRESS (v),</p><p>PROgress (n), proGRESSive, proGRESSively, proJECT (v),</p><p>PROject (n), PROmise, proMOTE, proMOtion, proNOuNCE,</p><p>pronunciAtion, PROper, PROperly, PROperty, proPORtion,</p><p>proPOSal, proPOSE, proPRIEtor, PROsper, proSPERity,</p><p>PROsperous, proTECT, proTECtion, proTEST(v), PROtest</p><p>(n), PROuDly, PROverb, proVIDE, proVIDed, PROvince,</p><p>proVIsion, provoCAtion, proVOKE. • psychoLOgical. •</p><p>PuBlic, publiCAtion, PuBlish, Pudding, Puddle, Pulley,</p><p>PuNCtual, punctuAlity, Punish, Punishment, Pupil,</p><p>PuRchase, PuRpose, purSuE, purSuIT, Puzzle.</p><p>Q: • qualifiCAtion, QuAlified, QuAlify, QuAlity, QuANtity,</p><p>QuArrel, QuARter, QuARterly, QuAver, QuEStion, QuICKly,</p><p>QuIetly, QuIetness, QuIver, quoTAtion.</p><p>R: • RAbbit, RAcial, RAcialism, RAcket, RAdio, RAILing,</p><p>66 FREQuENTLy-uSED POLySyLLABIC WORDS</p><p>RAILway, RAINbow, RAINcoat, RAINing, RAlly, RApid,</p><p>RApidly, RArely, RAther, RAttle, RAzor. • reACT, reACtion,</p><p>READer, REAdy, realiZAtion, REalize, reALity, REALLy,</p><p>REAson, REAsonable, reBEL (v), REbel (n), reBEllion,</p><p>reCALL, reCEIPT, reCEIVE, REcent, REcently, reCEPtion,</p><p>REcipe, RECKless, recogNItion, REcognize, reCOIL,</p><p>recoLLECT, recoLLECtion, recoMMEND, REconcile,</p><p>REcord (n), reCORD (v), reCOver, reCOvery, recreAtion,</p><p>reCRuIT, RECtangle, REDDish, reDuCE, reDuCtion,</p><p>reFER, refeREE, REference, reFINE, reFLECT, reFLECtion,</p><p>reFORM, reFRESH, reFRESHment (s), REfuge, refuGEE,</p><p>reFusal, reFuSE, reGARD, reGARDless, REgion, REgional,</p><p>REgister, reGRET, REgular, REgularly, reguLAtion,</p><p>reHEARsal, reHEARSE, reinFORCE, reJECT (v), reJOICE,</p><p>reLATE, reLAtion, reLAtionship, Relative, Relatively, reLAX,</p><p>reLEASE, reLIable, reLIEF, reLIEVE, reLIgion, reLIgious,</p><p>reLINquish, reLuCtance, reLuCtant, reLy, reMAIN,</p><p>reMAINS, reMARK, reMARKable, reMARKably, REmedy,</p><p>reMEMber, reMIND, reMOTE, reMOVal, reMOVE, RENder,</p><p>reNEW, reNOWN, reNOWNed, rePAIR, rePEAT, rePENT,</p><p>repeTItion, rePLACE, rePLy, rePORT, rePORTer, repreSENT,</p><p>repreSENtative, rePROACH, reproDuCE, reproDuCtion,</p><p>rePuBlic, repuTAtion, reQuEST, reQuIRE, REScue,</p><p>reSEARCH, reSEMblance, reSENT, reserVAtion, reSERVE,</p><p>reSIDE, REsidence, REsident, reSIGN, resigNAtion, reSIST,</p><p>reSISTance, resoLution, reSOLVE, reSORT, reSOuRCE (s),</p><p>reSPECT, reSPECTful, reSPOND, reSPONSE, responsiBILity,</p><p>reSPONsible, REStaurant, RESTless, reSTORE, reSTRAIN,</p><p>reSTRICT, reSuLT, reSuME, reTAIN, reTIRE, reTIREment,</p><p>reTREAT, reTuRN, reVEAL, reVENGE, reVERSE, reVIEW,</p><p>reVISE, reVOKE, reVOLT, revoLution, reVOLVE, reWARD.</p><p>• RHythm. • RIbbon, RIddle, RIDer, riDIculous, RIfle,</p><p>RIgid, RIot, RIpen, RISKy, RIval, RIvalry, RIver. • ROBBer,</p><p>ROBBery, ROCKy, ROTTen, ROuGHly, ROuNDabout,</p><p>rouTINE, ROyal. • RuBBer, Rubbish, RuDEly, Rugged,</p><p>67FREQuENTLy-uSED POLySyLLABIC WORDS</p><p>RuLer, Rumour, RuNNer, RuNway, Rural, RuSTy, Rustle,</p><p>RuTHless.</p><p>S: • SAcred, SAcrifice, SAddle, SADly, SADness, SAFEly,</p><p>SAFEty, SAILor, SALary, SALESman, SALTy, saLuTE,</p><p>SAMple, SANDwich, SANDy, SAtire, satisFACtion,</p><p>satisFACtory, SAtisfy, SAucer, SAuSage, SAVage, SAVings.</p><p>• SCARCEly, SCARCity, SCAREcrow, SCAtter, SCENery,</p><p>SCHEDule, SCHOLarship, SCIence, scienTIfic, SCIentist,</p><p>SCIssors, SCORNful, SCuLPtor, SCuLPture. • SEAside,</p><p>SEAson, SECond, SECondary, second-HAND, SECret,</p><p>SECretary, SECtion, seCuRE, seCuRity, seDuCE, SELdom,</p><p>seLECT, seLECtion, self-CONfident, self-CONScious,</p><p>self-conTROL, self-INTerest, self-MADE, self-reSPECT,</p><p>self-SERvice, SELfish, SELLer, SENDer, senSAtion,</p><p>SENSEless, SENsible, SENsitive, SENtense, SENtiment,</p><p>SEParate, SEParately, sepaRAtion, SERial, SERies, SErious,</p><p>SEriously, SERmon, SERpent, SERvant, SERvice, SEssion,</p><p>SETTing, SEttle, SEttlement, SEveral, seVERE, SEXual,</p><p>SEXy. • SHAbby, SHAdow, SHAdowy, SHADy, SHAllow,</p><p>SHAMEful, SHAMEless, SHAPEless, SHARPen, SHARPly,</p><p>SHAtter, SHELter, SHIMMer, SHINy, SHIver, SHOElace,</p><p>SHOPkeeper, SHOPPing, SHORTage, SHORTer, SHORTly,</p><p>SHORTcoming, SHOuLder, SHOWer, SHudder. • SICKness,</p><p>SIDEwork, SIDEways, SIGHTseeing, SIGnal, SIGnature,</p><p>SIGnify,</p><p>sigNIficant, SIlence, SIlent, SIlently, SIlly, SIlver,</p><p>SImilar, simiLArity, SImilarly, SIMple, simPLIcity, SIMply,</p><p>sinCERE, sinCERity, SINGer, SINgle, SINgular, SISter,</p><p>SItuated, situAtion. • SKELeton, SKILful, SKILfully,</p><p>SKILLed. • SLACKen, SLAuGHter, SLAvery, SLEEpy,</p><p>SLENder, SLIGHTly, SLIPPer, SLIPPery, SLIPshod, SLOWly.</p><p>• SNAPshot. • SOber, so-CALLED, SOcial, soCIEty, SOFTen,</p><p>SOFTly, SOFTness, SOLdier, SOLemn, SOLid, SOLitary,</p><p>SOLitude, soLution, SOMEbody, SOMEhow, SOMEone,</p><p>SOMEthing, SOMEtime, SOMEtimes, SOMEwhere, SOrrow,</p><p>SOrrowful, SOrry, SOuTHern, SOuTHward, SOuTHwards,</p><p>68 FREQuENTLy-uSED POLySyLLABIC WORDS</p><p>souveNIR, SOVereign. • SPAcious, SPARKle, SPEAKer,</p><p>SPEcial, SPEcialist, SPECtacle, SPECtacles, specTAtor,</p><p>SPECulate, SPEEDy, speeDOmeter, SPELLing, SPIrit,</p><p>SPITEful, SPLENdid, SPORTSman, SPRINkle. • STAble,</p><p>STAdium, STAgger, STAIRcase, STAmmer, STANdard,</p><p>STANdardise, STARtle, starVAtion, STATEment, STAtion,</p><p>STAtionery, STAtue, STEADfast, STEAdy, STICKy, STIFFen,</p><p>STILLness, STINgy, STOCKing, STOMach, STONy,</p><p>STORage, STORey, STORMy, STORy, STRAIGHTen,</p><p>STRANGEly, STRANGer, STRENGTHen, STRETCHer,</p><p>STRICTly, STRIKing, STRONGly, STRuCture, STRuggle,</p><p>STubborn, STudent, STudy, STuFFy, STupid, stuPIdity,</p><p>STuRdy, STutter. • subDuE, SuBject (n), subMIT,</p><p>SuBstance, SuBstitute, SuBtle, SuBtract, Suburb, succeed</p><p>(sukSEED), success (sukSESS), sucCESSful, Sudden,</p><p>Suddenly, Suffer, suFFIcient, Sugar, suGGEST, suGGEStion,</p><p>SuIcide, SuITable, SuITcase, SuMMary, Summer, Summon,</p><p>Summons, SuNlight, SuNrise, SuNset, SuNshine, SuNNy,</p><p>suPERior, Supermarket, superSTItion, superSTItious,</p><p>Supper, suPPLy, suPPORT, suPPOSE, suPPRESS, suPREME,</p><p>SuREly, SuRface, SuRgeon, SuRgery, surPRISE,</p><p>suRRENder, suRROuND, suRROuNDings, SuRvey (n),</p><p>surVEy (v), surVIVE, suSPECT, suSPIcion, suSPIcious,</p><p>suSTAIN. • SWAllow, SWAMpy, SWEATer, SWEETen,</p><p>SWEETly, SWEETness, SWOllen, SWELLing, SWIFTly. •</p><p>SyMbol, SyMpathise, SyMpathy, SyStem, systeMAtic.</p><p>T: • TAble, TAble-cloth, TABlet, TACKle, TAIlor, TARget,</p><p>TAXpayer, TEACHer, TEAcup, TEENager(s), TELegram,</p><p>TElephone, TElevision, TEMper, TEMperate, TEMperature,</p><p>TEMple, TEMporarily, TEMporary, TENant, TENdency,</p><p>TENder, TENsion, TERminal, TErrible, TErribly, teRRIfic,</p><p>TErrify, TErritory, TError, TErrorist. • THANKful, THEatre,</p><p>themSELVES, THEory, THEREfore, therMOmeter, THICKen,</p><p>THICKness, THINKer, THIRSTy, THOrough, THOroughly,</p><p>THOuGHTful, THOuGHTless, THREAten, THRILLer,</p><p>69FREQuENTLy-uSED POLySyLLABIC WORDS</p><p>throughOuT, THuNder, THuNderstorm. • TIcket, TIdy,</p><p>TIGHTen, TIGHTly, TIMber, TIny, TItle. • toDAy, toGEther,</p><p>TOilet, TOken, TOlerable, TOlerably, TOlerate, toMAto,</p><p>toMOrrow, toNIGHT, TOpic, TORture, TOtal, TOuRist,</p><p>toWARD(S), TOWel, TOWer. • TRADer, traDItion,</p><p>traDItional, TRAffic, TRAItor, TRAMple, TRANSfer(n),</p><p>transFER (v), transFORM, tranSIStor, transLATE,</p><p>tranSLAtion, transMIT, transPARent, tranSPORT (v),</p><p>TRANsport (n), TRAvel, TRAveller, TREAson, TREAsure,</p><p>TREATment, TREMble, treMENdous, TRESpass, TRIangle,</p><p>TRIfle, TRIgger, TRIumph, TROuble, TROublesome,</p><p>TROusers, TRuMpet. • TuMble, Tunnel, TuRNing. •</p><p>TyPEwriter, TyPist.</p><p>U: • uGly. • uLtimate. • umBRElla, uMpire. • unAble,</p><p>unARMED, unButton, unCERtain, unCERtainty, uNcle,</p><p>unCOMfortable, unCOmmon, unCONscious, uNder,</p><p>uNderground, uNdergrowth, underLINE, underSTAND,</p><p>underSTANDing, uNderstatement, underTAKE, uNderwear,</p><p>unDO, unDRESS, unEAsy, unemPLOyment, unFAIR,</p><p>unFORtunately, unHAppy, uniform, union, uNIQuE, unit,</p><p>uNITE, unity, uniVERsal, uNIverse, uniVERsity, unJuST,</p><p>unKIND, unKNOWN, unLAWful, unLESS, unLIKE, unLIKEly,</p><p>unLOAD, unLOCK, unLuCKy, unNECessary, unPLEASant,</p><p>unsatisFACtory, unTIdy, unTIE, unTIL, unusual, unWILLing.</p><p>• upHILL, upHOLD, uPkeep, uPON, upper, uppermost,</p><p>uPright, uProar, upROOT, upSET, upSTAIRS, uPward,</p><p>uPwards. • uRban, uRgent, uRgently. • uSEful,</p><p>uSEfulness, uSEless, usual, usually, uTmost, utter.</p><p>V: • VAcancy, VAcant, vaCAtion, VAcuum, VAliant,</p><p>VAliantly, VAlid, VAlley, VAlour, VAluable, VAlueless, VANish,</p><p>variAtion, vaRIEty, VArious, VAry. • VEgetable, VEhicle,</p><p>VENgeance, VENture, veRANdah, VERify, VERtical, VEry,</p><p>VEssel. • VIcious, VIciously, VICtim, VICtor, vicTOrious,</p><p>VICtory, VIGour, VIllage, VIolate, VIolence, VIolent, VIRtue,</p><p>70 FREQuENTLy-uSED POLySyLLABIC WORDS</p><p>VIRtuous, VISible, VIsion, VISit, VISitor(s), VItal, VIVid. •</p><p>voCABulary, VOLTage, VOLume, VOLuntarily, VOLuntary,</p><p>volunTEER, VOMit, VOTer, VOyage. • VuLgar.</p><p>W: • WAgon, WAITor, WAKen, WAllet, WANder, WARdrobe,</p><p>WAREhouse, WARMly, WARNing, WASTEful, WATCHdog,</p><p>WATCHman, WAter, WAterproof, WAtery. • WEAKen,</p><p>WEAKness, WEALTHy, WEAPon, WEATHer, WEDDing,</p><p>WEEKday, WEEKend, WEEKly, WELcome, WELfare, well-</p><p>KNOWN, well-MADE, WESTern, WESTward, WESTwards.</p><p>• whatEVer, whenEVer, wherEVer, WHETHer, whichEVer,</p><p>WHIMper, WHISker, WHISper, WHIStle, WHITEness,</p><p>whoEVer, WHOLLy. • WIDEly, WIDEn, WIDEspread,</p><p>WIDow, WILLing, WINdow, WINNer, WINDy, WINter,</p><p>WISdom, WISEly, WITTy, withDRAW, wiTHIN, wiTHOuT,</p><p>WITness. • WOMan, WOMen, WONder, WONderful,</p><p>WOODen, WOOLLen, WORKer, WORKshop, world-WIDE,</p><p>WOrry, WORship, WORTHless, worthWHILE, WORTHy. •</p><p>WRINkle, WRINKled, WRITer, WRITing.</p><p>XYZ: • yEARly, yEllow, yESterday. • yOuNGster, yourSELF,</p><p>yourSELVES.</p><p>* * *</p><p>71STRESSWISE LIST OF POLySyLLABIC WORDS</p><p>CHAPTER 5</p><p>Stresswise list</p><p>of Polysyllabic Words</p><p>Here’s a listing of these same polysyllabic words as we saw in</p><p>the last chapter — given in a different way. This new listing</p><p>categorises these words according to the syllable on which the</p><p>primary stress falls.</p><p>Category 1:</p><p>Here are the core polysyllabic words in which the primary stess</p><p>falls on the first syllable:</p><p>A</p><p>Able, ABsence, ABsent, ABsolute, ABsolutely, ABsorbing,</p><p>ACcent, ACcident, ACCurate, ACtion, ACTive, ACTively,</p><p>ACtual, ACtually, ADequate, ADmirable, ADult, ADvertise,</p><p>AFter, AFTerwards, Agency, Agent, AIMless, AIRport,</p><p>ALcohol, ALmost, ALso, ALter, ALways, ANalyse, ANchor,</p><p>ANcient, ANger, ANgle, ANgry, ANimal, ANkle, ANnual,</p><p>ANswer, ANxious, Any, Anybody, Anyhow, Anyone,</p><p>Anything, Anyway, Anywhere, Appetite, Applicant,</p><p>Area, ARgue, ARgument, ARmy, Arrow, ARticle, ARTist,</p><p>ATmosphere, Attitude, Audience, Author, Average, AWful,</p><p>AWKward.</p><p>B</p><p>BAby, BACKbone, BACKground, BACKward, BACKwards,</p><p>BADly, BAggage, BALance, BALcony, BANDage, BANKer,</p><p>BANKrupt, BARber, BARgain, BArrel, BASEment, BAsic,</p><p>BAsin, BAsis, BASket, BATHroom, BAtter, BAttle, BEAutiful,</p><p>72 STRESSWISE LIST OF POLySyLLABIC WORDS</p><p>BEAuty, BEckon, BEDclothes, BEDroom, BEDside, BEggar,</p><p>BEing, BElly, BEnefit, BEtter, BIcycle, BIRTHday, BIScuit,</p><p>Bitter, BItterness, BLACKmail, BLACKsmith, BLAdder,</p><p>BLANket, BLESSing, BLOODy, BLOssom, BLuNder, BOdy,</p><p>BOLDness, BOMBing, BONy, BOOKshelf, BOOKshop,</p><p>BORder, BORing, BOrrow, BOther, BOttle, BOttom,</p><p>BOuNDary, BOWels, BRAvery, BREAKdown, BREAKfast,</p><p>BRIDEgroom, BRIEFcase, BRIGHTen, BROADcast,</p><p>BROADen, BROther, Bubble, Bucket, Budget, BuILDing,</p><p>BuLKy, Bullet, BuLLy, BuMper, BuNdle, BuRden, BuRGlar,</p><p>Burial, Bury, BuSiness, BuSinessman, Busy, Butcher,</p><p>Butter, Button, Buttonhole, Bypass, Bystander.</p><p>C</p><p>CAbin, CAbinet, CAble, CAfe, CALculate, CALender,</p><p>CALMness, CAmera, CANcel, CANdle, CANvas, CApable,</p><p>CAPital, CAPtain, CAPture, CARbon, CARDboard, CAREful,</p><p>CAREless, CARpenter, CARpet, CArriage, CArry, CAstle,</p><p>CAsual, CAsualty, CAtalogue, CAttle, CAution, CAutious,</p><p>CEILing, CELebrate, CELebrated, CEllar, CEmetery,</p><p>CENtimetre, CENtral, CENtre, CENtury, CEremony,</p><p>CERtain, CERtainly, CERtainty, CERtify, CHAIRman,</p><p>CHAllenge, CHAMpion, CHAnnel, CHApter, CHAracter,</p><p>CHAtter, CHAuffeur, CHEERful, CHEMical, CHERish,</p><p>CHIcken, CHILDhood, CHILDish, CHILDren, CHIMney,</p><p>CHOcolate, CHuBBy, CIRcle, CIRcuit, CIRcular, CIRculate,</p><p>CIRcumstance, CIRcus, CItizen, CIty, CIvil, CIvilize, CLArify,</p><p>CLASSical, CLASSify, CLASSroom, CLEARing, CLEver,</p><p>CLImate, CLImax, Clnema, CLOCKwork, CLOTHing,</p><p>CLOuDy, CLuMsy, CLuSter, COffee, COffee-pot, COllar,</p><p>COlleague, COllege, COlony, COlour, COlourful, COlumn,</p><p>COmedy, COMfort, COMfortable, COmment, COmmentary,</p><p>COmmentator, COmmerce, COmmon, COmmonplace,</p><p>COMpany, COMplex, COMplicate, COMplicated,</p><p>73STRESSWISE LIST OF POLySyLLABIC WORDS</p><p>COMpound, COMrade, CONcentrate, CONcept, CONcrete,</p><p>CONduct (n), CONference, CONfidence, CONfident,</p><p>CONflict (n), CONjure, CONquer, CONscience, CONscious,</p><p>CONsciousness, CONsequence, CONsequently, CONstant,</p><p>CONtact, CONtemplate, CONtent (n), CONtest (n),</p><p>CONtext, CONtract (n), CONtrary, CONtrast (n),</p><p>CONvict (n), Copy, CORdial, CORner, COrridor, COSTly,</p><p>COttage, COtton, COuNTer, COuNtry, COuNtryside,</p><p>COuple, COurage, COuSin, COver, COvering, COward,</p><p>COwardice, CRACKer, CRAdle, CRAFTy, CRAZy, CREAtures,</p><p>CREdit, CRIMInal, CRIpple, CRISis, CRItical, CROckery,</p><p>CROSSroads, CRuel, CRuelty, CuLtivate, CuLtural,</p><p>CuLture, Cunning, CuPboard, Curious, Current, CuRtain,</p><p>CuRtsey, Cushion, CuStom, CuStomer, CuTlery, Cycle,</p><p>Cyclist, Cylinder.</p><p>D</p><p>DAddy, DAIly, DAiry, DAmage, DANcer, DANCing, DANger,</p><p>DANgerous, DARKen, DARKness, DARLing, DAuGHter,</p><p>DAylight, DAytime, DAzzle, DEAFen, DEALer, DEcent,</p><p>DEcorate, DEdicate, DEEPer, DEEPly, DEfinite, Definitely,</p><p>DElicate, DEmonstrate, DENtist, DEPuty, DEsert (n),</p><p>DESperate, DEStiny, DEtail, DEtailed, DEvil, DIal, DIAlogue,</p><p>DIamond, DIary, DIffer, DIfference, DIfferent, DIfficult,</p><p>DIfficulty, DIGnity, DInner, DIRTy, DIscipline, DIScount (n),</p><p>DIStance, DIStant, DIStrict, DOCtor, DOCument, DOminate,</p><p>DONkey, DOORstep, DOORway, DOuble, DOuBTful,</p><p>DOuBTless, DOWNward, DOWNwards, DOzen, DRAgon,</p><p>DRAma, DRAWer, DRAWing, DREADful, DRESSmaking,</p><p>DRIVer, DRuNKard, DRyness, DuLLness, DuNgeon,</p><p>DuRing, DuSTy, Duty.</p><p>E</p><p>EAger, EAgerly, EAgle, EARly, EARnest, EARNings,</p><p>74 STRESSWISE LIST OF POLySyLLABIC WORDS</p><p>EARTHquake, EAsily, EASTern, EASTward, EAsy, ECho,</p><p>Edit, Editor, Educate, Effort, EIther, ELbow, Elder, ELdest,</p><p>Element, Elephant, EMphasis, EMphasise, EMpire,</p><p>EMPty, ENDing, ENDless, ENemy, ENergy, ENgine, ENter,</p><p>ENterprise, ENterprising, ENtrance, ENtry, ENvelope, ENvy,</p><p>Equal, Error, Essence, Estimate, Even, Evening, Ever, Every,</p><p>Everybody, Everyday, Everyone, Everything, Everywhere,</p><p>Evidence, Evident, Evil, EXcellent, EXecute, EXercise,</p><p>EXpert, EXport (n), EXtra, EyEbrow, EyElid, EyEsight.</p><p>F</p><p>FAble, FACtory, FAILure, FAIRly, FAITHful, FAMily, FAMous,</p><p>FANcy, FARMer, FARMhouse, FARther, FARthest, FAscinate,</p><p>FAshion, FAshionable, FAsten, FAtal, FAther, FAuLTless,</p><p>FAuLTy, FAvour, FAvourable, FAvourite, FEARful, FEARless,</p><p>FEAther, FEAture, FEEble, FEELing, FEllow, FEmale,</p><p>Ferry, FERtile, FEStival, FEver, FEverish, FICtion, FIGHTer,</p><p>FIgure, FILLing, FILter, FILTHy, FInal, FINEly, FINger,</p><p>Finish, FIRMness, FISHerman, FITness, FLATTen, FLAtter,</p><p>FLAvour, FLEXIble, FLICKer, FLOuRish, FLOWer, FLuent,</p><p>FLuently, FLutter, FOGGy, FOllow, FOllower, FOllowing,</p><p>FOlly, FONDly, FOOlish, FOOTpath, FOOTstep, FOREarm,</p><p>FOREcast, FOREfinger, FOREhead, FOreign, FOreigner,</p><p>Forest, FORMal, FORmer, FORmerly, FORmula, FORTnight,</p><p>FORtunate, FORtunately, FORtune, FORward, FOuDer,</p><p>FOuNtain, FRACTion, FRACture, FRAMEwork, FRANtic,</p><p>FRANtically, FREEdom, FREEly, FREquent, FREquently,</p><p>FRESHen, FRICtion, FRIENDly, FRIENDship, FRIGHTen,</p><p>FRIGHTful, FRIGHTfully, FRONtier, FRuITful, Fugitive,</p><p>FuLLy, FuNCtion, Funeral, FuNNy, Furious, FuRnish,</p><p>FuRniture, FuRther, Fury, Future.</p><p>G</p><p>GAIety, GAIly, GAllant, GAllery, GAMble, GAMbler, GArage,</p><p>75STRESSWISE LIST OF POLySyLLABIC WORDS</p><p>GARbage, GARden, GARDening, GARdner, GARment,</p><p>GATEway, GAther, GENeral, GENerally, GENerate,</p><p>GENerous, GENius, GENtle, GENtleman, GENtleness,</p><p>GENtly, GENuine, GESture, GHASTly, GIggle, GLASSes,</p><p>GLImmer, GLOry, GOddess, GOLDen, GOLDsmith,</p><p>GOODness, GOSpel, GOssip, GOvern, GOvernment,</p><p>GRACEful, GRACEfully, GRAcious, GRAciously, GRADual,</p><p>GRADually, GRADuate, GRAmmar, GRANDchild,</p><p>GRANDdaughter, GRANDfather, GRANDmother,</p><p>GRANDparents, GRANDson, GRATEful, GRAtitude,</p><p>GREATly, GREATness, GREEDy, GREETings, GRIEVance,</p><p>GROcer, GRuMble, GuILTy, GuNpowder, Gutter.</p><p>H</p><p>HAbit, HAIRcut, Hammer, HANDbag, HANDful, HANdicraft,</p><p>HANDkerchief, HANdle, HANDout, HANDsome,</p><p>HANDsomely, HANDy, HAppen, HAppily, HAppiness,</p><p>HAppy, HARbour, HARDen, HARDly, HARDness, HARMful,</p><p>HARMless, HARmony, HARSHly, HARvest, HAsten, HASTy,</p><p>HATEful, HATred, HAuGHty, HAzard, HEADache, HEADing,</p><p>HEADlight, HEADline, HEADlong, HEALTHy, HEARTy,</p><p>HEAven, HEAvily, HEAvy, HEIGHTen, HELPer, HELPful,</p><p>HELPless, HEritage, HEro, HEsitate, HIGHway, HILLside,</p><p>HILLy, HINder, HIStory, HObby, HOLDer, HOliday, HOllow,</p><p>HOly, HOMEsick, HOMEwork, HOnest, HOnestly, HOney,</p><p>HOneymoon, HOnour, HOnourable, HOPEful, HOPEless,</p><p>HOrrible, HOrrified, HOrror, HOspital, HOstage, HOStel,</p><p>HOSTess, HOStile, HOuSEhold, HOuSEwife, Huddle,</p><p>Human, HuMble, Humour, Humourous, HuNger, HuNgry,</p><p>HuNTer, Hurricane, Hurry, HuSband.</p><p>I</p><p>Idle, Idleness, IDly, IGnorant, ILLness, Illustrate, Image,</p><p>Imitate, IMpact (n), Import (n), INcident, INcome, INcrease</p><p>76 STRESSWISE LIST OF POLySyLLABIC WORDS</p><p>(n), INdex, INdicate, INdoor, INdustry, Influence, INjure,</p><p>INjury, Inner, INNocent, INsect, INsight, INsolent, INstance,</p><p>INstant, INstantly, INstitute, INstrument, INtake, INTellect,</p><p>INterest, INterested, INteresting, INterval, INterview,</p><p>INtimate, INto, INward, INwardly, INwards, Iron, Irony,</p><p>Island, Isolate, Issue, Item, Ivory.</p><p>J</p><p>JAcket, JEAlous, JEAlousy, JEOpardize, JEOpardy, JEtty,</p><p>JEWel, JEWellery, JOlly, JOuRNal, JOuRnalist, JOuRney,</p><p>JOyful, JuDGEment, JuNCtion, JuNgle, JuSTice, JuSTify.</p><p>K</p><p>KEttle, KIlo, KIlometre, KINDness, KITCHen, KNOWledge,</p><p>KNuckle.</p><p>L</p><p>LAbel, LAbour, LAdder, LAdy, LAMP-post, LANDlady,</p><p>LANDlord, LANDscape, LANguage, LATEly, LATer, LATest,</p><p>LAtter, LAuGHter, LAuNdry, LAvatory, LAWyer, LAyer,</p><p>LAzy, LEADer, LEADership, LEARNed, LEARNing, LEAther,</p><p>LECture, LEgal, LEgend, LEgendary, LEIsure, LEIsurely,</p><p>LEmon, LENGTHen, LESSen, LEsson, LEtter, LEvel, LEver,</p><p>LIable, LIar, LIberal, LIberate, LIberty, LIbrary, LIcense,</p><p>LIGHTen, LIGHTening, LIKEly, LImit, LINger, LIquid, LIquor,</p><p>LIsten, LIstener, LIterary, LIterature, LIttle, LIVElihood,</p><p>LIVEly, LIVing, LObby, LOcal, LOcally, LONEliness, LONEly,</p><p>LONGing, LOOSen, LOrry, LOuDly, LOVEly, LOVer, LOWer,</p><p>LOyal, LOyalty, LuCKy, Luggage, LuMber, Lunatic, Luxury</p><p>(LuKshery).</p><p>M</p><p>MAdam, MADman, MADness, Magic, Magistrate, MAGnet,</p><p>77STRESSWISE LIST OF POLySyLLABIC WORDS</p><p>MAGnetic, MAINland, MAINly, MAINtenance, MAjesty,</p><p>MAjor, MAlice, MANage, MANagement, MANager, MANly,</p><p>MAnner, MANsion, MANuscript, MAny, MARble, MARgin,</p><p>MARket, MArriage, MArried, MArry, MARvel, MARvellous,</p><p>MASculine, MAson, MASSES, MASter, MASterpiece,</p><p>MAtter, MAttress, MAXimum, MEAgre, MEANing,</p><p>MEANtime, MEANwhile, MEAsure, MEAsurement, MEdal,</p><p>MEddle, MEdia, MEdiate, MEdical, MEdicine, MEditate,</p><p>MEdium, MEETing, MEllow, MEMber, MEMbership,</p><p>MEmory, MENace, MENtal, MENtion, MERchant,</p><p>MERciful, MERciless, MERcy, MEREly, MERit, MErry,</p><p>MEssage, MEssenger, MEtal, MEthod, MEtre, MIddle,</p><p>MIDnight, MIGHTy, MILEage, MILItary, MILKman, MILKy,</p><p>MINgle, MINimum, MINister, MInor, MInute, MIRacle,</p><p>MIrror, MISchief, MISchievous, MISerable, MISery,</p><p>MISSing, MIssion, MISter, MIStress, MIXture, MOdel,</p><p>MODerate, MODerately, MODern, MODest, MODesty,</p><p>MODify, MOment, MOney, MONkey, MONster, MONTHly,</p><p>MONument, MOODy, MOONlight, MOral, MORNing,</p><p>MORtally, MORTgage, MOSTly, MOther, MOtion,</p><p>MOtionless, MOtor, MOuNtain, MOuTHful, MOVEment,</p><p>MOVie, Muddle, MuDDy, MuLtiply, MuLtitude, Mummy,</p><p>MuRder, MuRderer, MuRmur, Muscle, Music, Musical,</p><p>Mutter, Mutual, Mystery.</p><p>N</p><p>NAked, NArrow, NAsty, NAtion, NAtional, NAtionality,</p><p>NAtive, NAtural, NAturally, NAture, NAuGHty, NAvy,</p><p>NEARby, NEARly, NEcessary, NEEdle, NEEDless, NEgative,</p><p>NEGligent, NEGligible, NEIGHbour, NEIGHbourhood,</p><p>NEIGHbouring, NEIther, NEphew, NERvous, NETwork,</p><p>NEver, NEWly, NEWSpaper, NICKname, NIGHTfall,</p><p>NIGHTmare, NOble, NObody, NOISy, NOminate,</p><p>NONsense, NORmal, NORmally, NORTHern, NORTHward,</p><p>78 STRESSWISE LIST OF POLySyLLABIC WORDS</p><p>NORTHwards, NOStril, NOTEworthy, NOthing,</p><p>NOtice,</p><p>NOticeable, NOtify, NOtion, NOuRish, NOWadays,</p><p>NOwhere, Nucleus, NuIsance, NuMber, Numerous.</p><p>O</p><p>OBject (n), OBsolete, OBstacle, OBvious, Occupy, Ocean,</p><p>Odour, Offer, Office, Officer, Often, OMElette, ONly, ONto,</p><p>Open, Opening, Operate, Opposite, Oral, Orange, Orator,</p><p>ORder, ORderly, ORdinarily, ORdinary, ORgan, ORganize,</p><p>ORigin, ORnament, ORphan, Other, Otherwise, OuTbreak,</p><p>OuTburst, OuTcast, OuTcome, OuTcry, OuTdoor, OuTer,</p><p>OuTfit, OuTlaw, OuTlet, OuTline, OuTlook, OuTput,</p><p>OuTrage, OuTskirts, OuTward, OuTwards, Oven, Over,</p><p>Overboard, Overcoat, Overtime, Owing (to), OWNer,</p><p>OWNership.</p><p>P</p><p>PAckage, PAcket, PAINful, PAINTer, PAINTing, PALace,</p><p>PALEness, PANic, Paper, PARachute, PAragraph, PArallel,</p><p>PARcel, PARdon, PArent, PARlour, PARtial, PARticle, PARTly,</p><p>PARTner, PARty, PASSage, PAssenger, Passion, PASSport,</p><p>PAStime, PAtience, PAtient, PAtiently, PAttern, PAVEment,</p><p>PAyment, PEACEful, PEAsant, PEbble, PENalty, PENcil,</p><p>PENetrate, PEnny, PENsion, PEOple, PEpper, PERfect</p><p>(adj), PERfectly, PERfume, Period, PERmanent, PERson,</p><p>PERsonal, PERsonally, PETrol, PEtty, PHOtograph (PHoto),</p><p>PHysical, PICKpocket, PICture, PIllar, PIllow, PIlot, PIteous,</p><p>PItiful, PIty, PLASter, PLAStic, PLATform, PLAyer, PLEAsant,</p><p>PLEAsure, PLENtiful, PLENty, PLuCKy, PLuMBer, PLuNder,</p><p>POcket, POem, POet, POetry, POIson, POIsonous, POlicy,</p><p>POlish, POlitics, POpular, POpularly, POpulated, PORter,</p><p>PORtion, PORtrait, POSitive, POSSible, POSSibly, POSTage,</p><p>POSTal, POSter, POSTman, POttery, POverty, POWder,</p><p>POwer, POwerful, PRACtical, PRACtically, PRACtice (n),</p><p>79STRESSWISE LIST OF POLySyLLABIC WORDS</p><p>PRActise (v), PRAyer, PREcious, PREdecessor, PREface,</p><p>PREferable, PREference, PREGnant, PREjudice, PREjudiced,</p><p>PREsence, PREsent (n), PREsently, PREsident, PREssure,</p><p>PREtext, PREtty, PREvalent, PREvious, PRICKles, PRICKly,</p><p>PRImary, PRINcipal, PRINciple, PRINTer, PRIson, PRIsoner,</p><p>PRIvate, PRIvately, PROBable, PROBably, PROBlem,</p><p>PROcess, PROduce (n), PROduct, PROfit, PROgramme,</p><p>PROgress (n), PROject (n), PROmise, PROper, PROperly,</p><p>PROperty, PROsper, PROsperous, PROtest (n), PROuDly,</p><p>PROverb, PROvince, PuBlic, PuBlish, Pudding, Puddle,</p><p>Pulley, PuNCtual, Punish, Punishment, Pupil, PuRchase,</p><p>PuRpose, Puzzle.</p><p>Q</p><p>QuAlified, QuAlify, QuAlity, QuANtity, QuArrel, QuARter,</p><p>QuARterly, QuAver, QuEStion, QuICKly, QuIetly,</p><p>QuIetness, QuIver.</p><p>R</p><p>RAbbit, RAcial, RAcialism, RAcket, RAdio, RAILing,</p><p>RAILway, RAINbow, RAINcoat, RAINing, RAlly, RApid,</p><p>RApidly, RArely, RAther, RAttle, RAzor, READer, REAdy,</p><p>REalize, REALLy, REAson, REAsonable, REbel (n), REcent,</p><p>REcently, REcipe, RECKless, REcognize, REconcile,</p><p>REcord (n), RECtangle, REDDish, REference, REfuge,</p><p>REgion, REgional, REgister, REgular, REgularly, Relative,</p><p>Relatively, REmedy, RENder, REScue, REsidence, REsident,</p><p>REStaurant, RESTless, RHythm, RIbbon, RIddle,</p><p>RIDer, RIfle, RIgid, RIot, RIpen, RISKy, RIval, RIvalry,</p><p>RIver, ROBBer, ROBBery, ROCKy, ROTTen, ROuGHly,</p><p>ROuNDabout, ROyal, RuBBer, Rubbish, RuDEly, Rugged,</p><p>RuLer, Rumour, RuNNer, RuNway, Rural, Rustle, RuSTy,</p><p>RuTHless.</p><p>80 STRESSWISE LIST OF POLySyLLABIC WORDS</p><p>S</p><p>SAcred, SAcrifice, SAddle, SADly, SADness, SAFEly, SAFEty,</p><p>SAILor, SALary, SALESman, SALTy, SAMple, SANDwich,</p><p>SANDy, SAtire, SAtisfy, SAucer, SAuSage, SAVage,</p><p>SAVings, SCARCEly, SCARCity, SCAREcrow, SCAtter,</p><p>SCENery, SCHEDule, SCHOLarship, SCIence, SCIentist,</p><p>SCIssors, SCORNful, SCuLPtor, SCuLPture, SEAside,</p><p>SEAson, SECond, SECondary, SECret, SECretary, SECtion,</p><p>SELdom, SELfish, SELLer, SENDer, SENSEless, SENsible,</p><p>SENsitive, SENtense, SENtiment, SEParate, SEParately,</p><p>SERial, SERies, SErious, SEriously, SERmon, SERpent,</p><p>SERvant, SERvice, SEssion, SETTing, SEttle, SEttlement,</p><p>SEveral, SEXual, SEXy, SHAbby, SHAdow, SHAdowy,</p><p>SHADy, SHAllow, SHAMEful, SHAMEless, SHAPEless,</p><p>SHARPen, SHARPly, SHAtter, SHELter, SHIMMer, SHINy,</p><p>SHIver, SHOElace, SHOPkeeper, SHOPPing, SHORTage,</p><p>SHORTcoming, SHORTer, SHORTly, SHOuLder, SHOWer,</p><p>SHudder, SICKness, SIDEways, SIDEwork, SIGHTseeing,</p><p>SIGnal, SIGnature, SIGnify, SIlence, SIlent, SIlently,</p><p>SIlly, SIlver, SImilar, SImilarly, SIMple, SIMply, SINGer,</p><p>SINgle, SINgular, SISter, SItuated, SKELeton, SKILful,</p><p>SKILfully, SKILLed, SLACKen, SLAuGHter, SLAvery, SLEEpy,</p><p>SLENder, SLIGHTly, SLIPPer, SLIPPery, SLIPshod, SLOWly,</p><p>SNAPshot, SOber, SOcial, SOFTen, SOFTly, SOFTness,</p><p>SOLdier, SOLemn, SOLid, SOLitary, SOLitude, SOMEbody,</p><p>SOMEhow, SOMEone, SOMEthing, SOMEtime, SOMEtimes,</p><p>SOMEwhere, SOrrow, SOrrowful, SOrry, SOuTHern,</p><p>SOuTHward, SOuTHwards, SOVereign, SPAcious, SPARKle,</p><p>SPEAKer, SPEcial, SPEcialist, SPECtacle, SPECtacles,</p><p>SPECulate, SPEEDy, SPELLing, SPIrit, SPITEful, SPLENdid,</p><p>SPORTSman, SPRINkle, STAble, STAdium, STAgger,</p><p>STAIRcase, STAmmer, STANdard, STANdardise, STARtle,</p><p>STATEment, STAtion, STAtionery, STAtue, STEADfast,</p><p>STEAdy, STICKy, STIFFen, STILLness, STINgy, STOCKing,</p><p>STOMach, STONy, STORage, STORey, STORMy, STORy,</p><p>81STRESSWISE LIST OF POLySyLLABIC WORDS</p><p>STRAIGHTen, STRANGEly, STRANGer, STRENGTHen,</p><p>STRETCHer, STRICTly, STRIKing, STRONGly, STRuCture,</p><p>STRuggle, STubborn, STudent, STudy, STuFFy, STupid,</p><p>STuRdy, STutter, SuBject (n), SuBstance, SuBstitute,</p><p>SuBtle, SuBtract, Suburb, Sudden, Suddenly, Suffer,</p><p>Sugar, SuIcide, SuITable, SuITcase, SuMMary, Summer,</p><p>Summon, Summons, SuNlight, SuNNy, SuNrise, SuNset,</p><p>SuNshine, Supermarket, Supper, SuREly, SuRface,</p><p>SuRgeon, SuRgery, SuRvey (n), SWAllow, SWAMpy,</p><p>SWEATer, SWEETen, SWEETly, SWEETness, SWELLing,</p><p>SWIFTly, SWOllen, SyMbol, SyMpathise, SyMpathy,</p><p>SyStem.</p><p>T</p><p>TAble, TAble-cloth, TABlet, TACKle, TAIlor, TARget,</p><p>TAXpayer, TEACHer, TEAcup, TEENager(s), TELegram,</p><p>TElephone, TElevision, TEMper, TEMperate, TEMperature,</p><p>TEMple, TEMporarily, TEMporary, TENant, TENdency,</p><p>TENder, TENsion, TERminal, TErrible, TErribly, TErrify,</p><p>TErritory, TError, TErrorist, THANKful, THEatre, THEory,</p><p>THEREfore, THICKen, THICKness, THINKer, THIRSTy,</p><p>THOrough, THOroughly, THOuGHTful, THOuGHTless,</p><p>THREAten, THRILLer, THuNder, THuNderstorm, TIcket,</p><p>TIdy, TIGHTen, TIGHTly, TIMber, TIny, TItle, TOilet,</p><p>TOken, TOlerable, TOlerably, TOlerate, TOpic, TORture,</p><p>TOtal, TOuRist, TOWel, TOWer, TRADer, TRAffic,</p><p>TRAItor, TRAMple, TRANSfer(n), TRANsport (n), TRAvel,</p><p>TRAveller, TREAson, TREAsure, TREATment, TREMble,</p><p>TRESpass, TRIangle, TRIfle, TRIgger, TRIumph, TROuble,</p><p>TROublesome, TROusers, TRuMpet, TuMble, Tunnel,</p><p>TuRNing, TyPEwriter, TyPist.</p><p>U</p><p>uGly, uLtimate, uMpire, uNcle, uNder, uNderground,</p><p>82 STRESSWISE LIST OF POLySyLLABIC WORDS</p><p>uNdergrowth, uNderstatement, uNderwear, uniform,</p><p>union, unit, unity, uNIverse, uPkeep, upper, uppermost,</p><p>uPright, uProar, uPward, uPwards, uRban, uRgent,</p><p>uRgently, uSEful, uSEfulness, uSEless, usual, usually,</p><p>uTmost, utter.</p><p>V</p><p>VAcancy, VAcant, VAcuum, VAliant, VAliantly, VAlid,</p><p>VAlley, VAlour, VAluable, VAlueless, VANish, VArious,</p><p>VAry, VEgetable, VEhicle, VENgeance, VENture, VERify,</p><p>VERtical, VEry, VEssel, VIcious, VIciously, VICtim, VICtor,</p><p>VICtory, VIGour, VIllage, VIolate, VIolence, VIolent, VIRtue,</p><p>VIRtuous, VISible, VIsion, VISit, VISitor(s), VItal, VIVid,</p><p>VOLTage, VOLume, VOLuntarily, VOLuntary, VOMit, VOTer,</p><p>VOyage, VuLgar.</p><p>W</p><p>WAgon, WAITor, WAKen, WAllet, WANder, WARdrobe,</p><p>WAREhouse, WARMly, WARNing, WASTEful, WATCHdog,</p><p>WATCHman, WAter, WAterproof, WAtery, WEAKen,</p><p>WEAKness, WEALTHy, WEAPon, WEATHer, WEDDing,</p><p>WEEKday, WEEKend, WEEKly, WELcome, WELfare,</p><p>WESTern, WESTward, WESTwards, WHETHer, WHIMper,</p><p>WHISker, WHISper, WHIStle, WHITEness, WHOLLy,</p><p>WIDEly, WIDEn, WIDEspread, WIDow, WILLing, WINdow,</p><p>WINDy, WINNer, WINter, WISdom, WISEly, WITness,</p><p>WITTy, WOMan, WOMen, WONder, WONderful, WOODen,</p><p>WOOLLen, WORKer, WORKshop, WOrry, WORship,</p><p>WORTHless, WORTHy, WRINkle, WRINKled, WRITer,</p><p>WRITing.</p><p>X,Y,Z</p><p>yEARly, yEllow, yESterday, yOuNGster.</p><p>83STRESSWISE LIST OF POLySyLLABIC WORDS</p><p>Category 2:</p><p>Here are the core polysyllabic words in which the primary stess</p><p>falls on the second syllable:</p><p>A</p><p>aBILity, aBOuT, aBOVE, aBROAD, abSORB, aBuSE,</p><p>acCELerate, acCEPT, aCCOmmodate,</p><p>aCCOMpany,</p><p>aCCOMplish, aCCORDing, aCCOuNT, aCCOuNTant,</p><p>aCCuSE, aCCuStom, aCHIEVE, aCHIEVEment,</p><p>ackNOWLedge, aCQuAINT, aCQuAINTance, aCQuIRE,</p><p>aCROSS, acTIVity, aDDItion, aDDItional, aDDRESS,</p><p>adJuST, adMIRE, adMIT, aDOPT, adVANCE, adVANCED,</p><p>adVANtage, adVENTure, adVERTisement, adVICE, adVISE,</p><p>aFFAIR, aFFECT, aFFECtion, aFFECtionate, aFFORD,</p><p>aFRAID, aGAIN, aGAINST, aGO, aGREE, aGREEment,</p><p>aHEAD, aLARM, aLIKE, aLIVE, aLLOW, aLLOWance,</p><p>aLONE, aLONG, aLOuD, alREAdy, alTHOuGH, aMAZE,</p><p>amBItion, amBItious, aMONG, aMOuNT, aMuSE,</p><p>aMuSEment, aNAlysis, aNNOuNCE, aNNOy, aNOther,</p><p>anXIEty, aPART, aPOLogize, aPOLogy, aPPARently, aPPEAL,</p><p>aPPEAR, aPPEARance, aPPLAuSE, aPPLy, aPPOINT,</p><p>aPPOINTment, aPPREciate, aPPROACH, aPPROVAL,</p><p>aPPROVE, aPPROXimate, aPPROXimately, aRISE, aROuND,</p><p>aRRANGE, aRRANGEment, aRREST, aRRIVE, aSHAMED,</p><p>aSHORE, aSIDE, aSLEEP, aSSEMble, aSSIST, aSSISTance,</p><p>aSSISTant, aSSOciate, aSSuME, aSSuRE, aSTONish,</p><p>aSTONishment, aTROcious, aTTACH, aTTACK, aTTAIN,</p><p>aTTEMPT, aTTEND, aTTENDance, aTTENtion, aTTRACT,</p><p>aTTRACtion, aTTRACTive, auTHOrity, aVAILable, aVOID,</p><p>aWAKE, aWARD, aWARE, aWAy.</p><p>B</p><p>backyARD, baLLOON, baNAna, beCAuSE, beCOME,</p><p>beFORE, beFOREhand, beGIN, beGINNer, beGINNing,</p><p>84 STRESSWISE LIST OF POLySyLLABIC WORDS</p><p>beHAVE, beHAviour, beHIND, beLIEF, beLIEVE, beLONG,</p><p>beLONGings, beLOVED, beLOW, beSIDE, beSIDES,</p><p>beTWEEN, beyOND.</p><p>C</p><p>camPAIGN, caNAL, canTEEN, caPAcity, caREER, carTOON,</p><p>caSSETTE, ceMENT, cerTIficate, ciGAR, cirCuItious,</p><p>coLLECT, coLLECTION, comBINE, coMMAND, coMMEND,</p><p>coMMERcial, coMMIT, coMMOtion, coMMunicate,</p><p>coMMunity, comPANion, comPARative, comPARatively,</p><p>comPARE, comPARison, comPEL, comPETE, comPETitor,</p><p>comPLAIN, comPLAINT, comPLETE, comPLETELy,</p><p>comPLEXion, comPLy, comPOSE, comPRISE, comPuLsion,</p><p>comPuLsory, comPuTE, comPuter, conCEAL, conCEDE,</p><p>conCEIT, conCEIted, conCEIVE, conCEPtion, conCERN,</p><p>conCERNing, conCEssion, conCISE, conCLuDE,</p><p>conCLusion, conDEMN, conDItion, conDItional,</p><p>conDOLE, conDuCT (v), conDuCtor, conFER, conFESS,</p><p>conFEssion, conFIDE, conFINE, conFIRM, conFLICT (V),</p><p>conFORM, conFuSE, conFuSion, conGESted, conGEStion,</p><p>conGRAtulate, coNNECT, coNNECtion, conSENT,</p><p>conSERvative, conSIder, conSIderable, conSIderably,</p><p>conSIderate, conSIST, conSPIracy, conSPIrator, conSPIRE,</p><p>conSTRuCT, conSTRuCtion, conSuLT, conSuME,</p><p>conSumer, conSuMPtion, conTAIN, conTAINer, conTEMPT,</p><p>conTEMPtible, conTEMPtuously, conTEND, conTENDed,</p><p>conTENT (v), conTEST (v), conTInually, conTInue,</p><p>conTInuous, conTRACT (v), conTRAST(v), conTRIbute,</p><p>contriBution, conTROL, conVENience, conVENient,</p><p>conVENtion, conVENtional, conVEy, conVEyance, conVICT</p><p>(v), conVICtion, conVINCE, co-OPerate, coRRECT,</p><p>coRRECtion, coRRuPT, couRAgeous, creATE.</p><p>D</p><p>deBATE, deCAy, deCEIT, deCEIVE, deCEIVer, deCIDE,</p><p>85STRESSWISE LIST OF POLySyLLABIC WORDS</p><p>deCIdedly, deCIsion, deCLARE, deCLINE, deCREASE,</p><p>deFEAT, deFENCE, deFEND, deFINE, deFy, deGREE,</p><p>deLAy, deLIBerate, deLIcious, deLIGHT, deLIGHTed,</p><p>deLIGHTful, deLIver, deLIvery, deMAND, deMOLish, deNy,</p><p>dePART, dePARTment, dePARture, dePEND, dePENDant,</p><p>dePENDence, dePENDent, dePLORable, dePLORE,</p><p>dePRESS, deRIVE, deSCEND, deSCENDant, deSCENT,</p><p>deSCRIBE, deSCRIPtion, deSERT (v), deSERVE, deSIGN,</p><p>deSIRable, deSIRE, deSPAIR, deSPIcable, deSPISE,</p><p>deSPITE, deSTROy, deSTRuCtion, deTECT, deTECTive,</p><p>deTERmine, deTEST, deTESTable, deVELop, deVELopment,</p><p>deVICE, deVOTE, dicTATE, dicTAtion, dicTAtor, diGEST</p><p>(v), diPLOma, diRECT, diRECtion, diRECTly, diRECTor,</p><p>diSASter, diSAStrous, disCHARGE, disCLOSE, disCOMfort,</p><p>disCOuNT (v), disCOuRage, diSCOver, diSCOvery,</p><p>diSCREET, diSCRIMinate, diSCuSS, diSCuSSion, diSEASE,</p><p>disGRACE, disGuISE, disGuST, disHONest, disLIKE,</p><p>disMISS, disMISSal, disORder, diSPLAy, disPLEASE,</p><p>diSPOSal, diSPOSE, diSPuTE, diSSAtisfy, diSSOLVE,</p><p>diSTINCT, diSTINCtion, diSTINCTly, diSTINguish,</p><p>diSTORT, diSTORtion, diSTRESS, diSTRIbute, diSTuRB,</p><p>diSTuRBance, diVIDE, diVIsion, diVORCE, doMEStic,</p><p>draMAtic.</p><p>E</p><p>eCOnomy, eDItion, eFFECT, eFFECTive, eFFIciency,</p><p>eFFIcient, eLAStic, eLEct, eLECtion, eLECtric, eLECtrical,</p><p>elseWHERE, emBArass, emBOdy, emBRACE, eMERGE,</p><p>eMERgency, eMOtion, eMOtional, emPLOy, emPLOyer,</p><p>emPLOyment, eNAble, enCLOSE, enCOuNter, enCOurage,</p><p>enCOuragement, enDuRance, enDuRE, enGAGE,</p><p>enGAGED, enJOy, enJOyable, enJOyment, enLARGE,</p><p>eNORmous, eNOuGH, enSuRE, enTHusiasm, enTHusiast,</p><p>enTHusiastic, enTIRE, enTIREly, enTItle, enTREAT,</p><p>enVIRonment, eQuAlity, eQuIP, eQuIPment, eRECT,</p><p>86 STRESSWISE LIST OF POLySyLLABIC WORDS</p><p>eSCAPE, eSPEcially, eSSENtial, eSTABlish, eSTATE,</p><p>eTERnal, eTERnity, eVALuate, eVENT, eVENTually,</p><p>exact (igZAKT), exaggerate (igZAggerate), examine</p><p>(igZAMin), example (igZAMple), except (ikSEPT),</p><p>exception (ikSEPtion), excess (ikSES), exCHANGE, excite</p><p>(ikSAIT), excitement (ikSAITment), exciting (ikSAITing),</p><p>exclaim (ikSCLAIM), exclude (ikSCLuDE), exclusive</p><p>(ikSCLusive), excursion (ikSCuRsion), excuse (ikSCuSE),</p><p>exhaust (igZOST), exhaustive (igZOSTive), exhibit</p><p>(igZIbit), exist (igZIST), existence (igZISTance), expand</p><p>(ikSPAND), expansion (ikSPANsion), expect (ikSPECT),</p><p>expenditure (ikSPENDiture), expense (ikSPENS), expensive</p><p>(ikSPENsive), experience (ikSPERience), experienced</p><p>(ikSPErienced), experiment (ikSPERiment), explain</p><p>(ikSPLAIN), explode (ikSPLODE), exploit (ikSPLOIT),</p><p>explore (ikSPLORE), explosion (ikSPLOsion), explosive</p><p>(ikSPLOsive), export (ikSPORT) (v), express (ikSPRESS),</p><p>expression (ikSPREssion), extend (ikSTEND), extension</p><p>(ikSTENsion), extent (ikSTENT), external (ikSTERNal),</p><p>extinguish (ikSTINguish), extract (ikSTRACT) (v),</p><p>extraordinarily (ikSTRORdinarily), extraordinary</p><p>(ikSTRORdinary), extreme (ikSTREME), extremely</p><p>(ikSTREMEly).</p><p>F</p><p>faMIliar, fanTAstic, feROcious, feROcity, ficTItious,</p><p>fiNANcial, forBID, foreSEE, forGET, forGETful, forGIVE,</p><p>fulFILL.</p><p>G</p><p>giGANtic, goodByE, goodNIGHT, graMMAtical.</p><p>H</p><p>haBItual, haLLO, headMASter, headMIStress,</p><p>87STRESSWISE LIST OF POLySyLLABIC WORDS</p><p>headQuARters, heREditary, heROic, herSELF, himSELF,</p><p>hiSTORical, home-MADE, hoRIzon, hoSPITable, hoTEL,</p><p>howEVER, huMANity, huRRAH, huRRAy.</p><p>I</p><p>iDEa, iDEal, iDENtify, igNORE, iLLEgal, iLLEgally,</p><p>iLLIterate, ill-TREAT, iMAGinable, iMAGinary, imagiNAtion,</p><p>iMAginative, iMAgine, iMMEdiate, iMMEdiately, iMMEnse,</p><p>iMMORal, iMMORTal, imPACT (v), imPART, imPAtience,</p><p>imPAtient, imPERfect, imPERsonal, imPLORE, imPLy,</p><p>imPORT (v), imPORTance, imPORTant, imPOSSible,</p><p>imPRESS, imPREssion, imPREssive, imPRIson,</p><p>imPRObable, imPROper, imPROVE, imPROVEment,</p><p>inBORN, inCAPable, inCLINE, inCLuDE, inCLuDing,</p><p>inCOMparable, inCOMpetent, inCREASE (v), inCREDible,</p><p>inDEcent, inDEED, inDIfferent, inDOORS, inDuCE,</p><p>inDuStrial, inDuStrious, inEVitable, inEVItably, inFECT,</p><p>inFECtious, inFERior, inFLAME, inFLAmmable, inFLICT,</p><p>inFORM, inGEnious, inHAbit, inHAbitant, inHERit,</p><p>iNItial, iNItiative, inJECT, inJECtion, inJuSTice, iNNAte,</p><p>iNNumerable, inPARtial, inQuIRE, inQuIRy, inQuIsitive,</p><p>inSENsible, inSENsitive, inSERT, inSIDE, inSIST, inSPECT,</p><p>inSPECtion, inSPECTor, inSPIRE, inSTALL, inSTALment,</p><p>inSTEAD, inSTRuCT, inSTRuCtion, inSuLT, inSuRance,</p><p>inSuRE, inTELLigence, inTELLigent, inTELLigible, inTEND,</p><p>inTENSE, inTENtion, inTENtional, inTENtionally, inTERior,</p><p>inTERnal, inTERpret, inTERpreter, inTImidate, inTOLerant,</p><p>inTRuDE, inVADE, inVALid, inVAsion, inVENT, inVENtion,</p><p>inVENTor, inVEST, inVEStigate, inVESTment, inVISible,</p><p>inVITE, inVOKE, inVOLVE, itSELF.</p><p>J,K</p><p>kind-HEARTed.</p><p>88 STRESSWISE LIST OF POLySyLLABIC WORDS</p><p>L</p><p>laMENT, loCATE, lukeWARM.</p><p>M</p><p>maCHInary, maCHINE, maGIcian, magNIficent,</p><p>mainTAIN, maJOrity, manKIND, maTErial, maTuRE,</p><p>maTurity, meCHAnic, meCHAnical, meMOrial, miNOrity,</p><p>misFORtune, misLEAD, miSTAKE, moLEST, moNOtonous,</p><p>moRAlity, mosQuIto, mouSTACHE, muSEuM, muSIcian,</p><p>mySELF, mySTErious.</p><p>N</p><p>naRRATE, neCEssity, neGLECT, neGOtiate, noBIlity,</p><p>noTOrious.</p><p>O</p><p>o’CLOCK, oBEdience, oBEdient, oBEdiently, oBEy, obJECT</p><p>(v), obJECtion, obJECtive, oBLIgatory, oBLIGE, obSCuRE,</p><p>obSERVE, obSTRuCT, obSTRuCtion, obTAIN, oCCAsion,</p><p>oCCAsional, oCCAsionally,</p><p>oCCuR, oCCuRRence, oFFENce,</p><p>oFFEND, oFFENsive, oFFIcial, oKAy, oMIT, oneSELF,</p><p>oPINion, oPPOnent, opporTuNity, oPPOSE, oPPRESS,</p><p>oRIginal, oRIginally, ourSELVES, outDATed, outDO,</p><p>outDOORS, outLIVE, outNuMber, outRAGEous, outSIDE,</p><p>outSIDer, outSPOken, outSTANDing.</p><p>P</p><p>paRADE, parTIcipate, parTIcular, parTIcularly, parTIculars,</p><p>part-TIME, peCuliar, peDEStrian, perCEIVE, perFECtion,</p><p>perFORM, perFORMance, perHAPS, perMIssion, perMIT,</p><p>perPETual, perSIST, perSuADE, perSuAsion, phiLOsophy,</p><p>phoTOgrapher, phoTOgraphy, phySIcian, poETic, poLICE,</p><p>poLICEman, poLITE, poLITEly, poLITEness, poLItical,</p><p>89STRESSWISE LIST OF POLySyLLABIC WORDS</p><p>poLLution, porTRAy, poSItion, poSSESS, poSSEssion</p><p>(v), poSSESSive, poSTPONE, poTAto, preCEDE, preCISE,</p><p>preFER, prePARE, preSCRIBE, preSCRIPtion, preSENT</p><p>(v), preSERVE, preSIDE, preSTIGE, preSuME, preTEND,</p><p>preVAIL, preVENT, preVENtion, proCEdure, proCEED,</p><p>proCLAIM, proDuCE (v), proDuCer, proDuCtion, proFESS,</p><p>proFEssion, proFEssional, proFEssor, proFIciency, proGRESS</p><p>(v), proGRESSive, proGRESSively, proJECT (v), proMOTE,</p><p>proMOtion, proNOuNCE, proPORtion, proPOSal, proPOSE,</p><p>proPRIEtor, proSPERity, proTECT, proTECtion, proTEST(v),</p><p>proVIDE, proVIDed, proVIsion, proVOKE, purSuE, purSuIT.</p><p>Q</p><p>quoTAtion.</p><p>R</p><p>reACT, reACtion, reALity, reBEL (v), reBEllion, reCALL,</p><p>reCEIPT, reCEIVE, reCEPtion, reCOIL, reCORD (v), reCOver,</p><p>reCOvery, reCRuIT, reDuCE, reDuCtion, reFER, reFINE,</p><p>reFLECT, reFLECtion, reFORM, reFRESH, reFRESHment (s),</p><p>refuGEE, reFusal, reFuSE, reGARD, reGARDless, reGRET,</p><p>reHEARsal, reHEARSE, reJECT (v), reJOICE, reLATE,</p><p>reLAtion, reLAtionship, reLAX, reLEASE, reLIable, reLIEF,</p><p>reLIEVE, reLIgion, reLIgious, reLINquish, reLuCtance,</p><p>reLuCtant, reLy, reMAIN, reMAINS, reMARK, reMARKable,</p><p>reMARKably, reMEMber, reMIND, reMOTE, reMOVal,</p><p>reMOVE, reNEW, reNOWN, reNOWNed, rePAIR, rePEAT,</p><p>rePENT, rePLACE, rePLy, rePORT, rePORTer, rePROACH,</p><p>rePuBlic, reQuEST, reQuIRE, reSEARCH, reSEMblance,</p><p>reSENT, reSERVE, reSIDE, reSIGN, reSIST, reSISTance,</p><p>reSOLVE, reSORT, reSOuRCE (s), reSPECT, reSPECTful,</p><p>reSPOND, reSPONSE, reSPONsible, reSTORE, reSTRAIN,</p><p>reSTRICT, reSuLT, reSuME, reTAIN, reTIRE, reTIREment,</p><p>reTREAT, reTuRN, reVEAL, reVENGE, reVERSE, reVIEW,</p><p>90 STRESSWISE LIST OF POLySyLLABIC WORDS</p><p>reVISE, reVOKE, reVOLT, reVOLVE, reWARD, riDIculous,</p><p>rouTINE.</p><p>S</p><p>saLuTE, seCuRE, seCuRity, seDuCE, seLECT, seLECtion,</p><p>self-CONfident, self-CONScious, self-INTerest, self-MADE,</p><p>self-SERvice, senSAtion, seVERE, sigNIficant, simPLIcity,</p><p>sinCERE, sinCERity, so-CALLED, soCIEty, soLution,</p><p>specTAtor, starVAtion, stuPIdity, subDuE, subMIT, succeed</p><p>(sukSEED), success (sukSESS), sucCESSful, suFFIcient,</p><p>suGGEST, suGGEStion, suPERior, suPPLy, suPPORT,</p><p>suPPOSE, suPPRESS, suPREME, surPRISE, suRRENder,</p><p>suRROuND, suRROuNDings, surVEy (v), surVIVE,</p><p>suSPECT, suSPIcion, suSPIcious, suSTAIN.</p><p>T</p><p>teRRIfic, themSELVES, therMOmeter, throughOuT, toDAy,</p><p>toGEther, toMAto, toMOrrow, toNIGHT, toWARD(S),</p><p>traDItion, traDItional, transFER (v), transFORM, tranSIStor,</p><p>transLATE, tranSLAtion, transMIT, transPARent, tranSPORT</p><p>(v), treMENdous.</p><p>U</p><p>umBRElla, unAble, unARMED, unButton, unCERtain,</p><p>unCERtainty, unCOMfortable, unCOmmon, unCONscious,</p><p>unDO, unDRESS, unEAsy, unFAIR, unFORtunately,</p><p>unHAppy, uNIQuE, uNITE, unJuST, unKIND, unKNOWN,</p><p>unLAWful, unLESS, unLIKE, unLIKEly, unLOAD, unLOCK,</p><p>unLuCKy, unNECessary, unPLEASant, unTIdy, unTIE, unTIL,</p><p>unusual, unWILLing, upHILL, upHOLD, uPON, upROOT,</p><p>upSET, upSTAIRS.</p><p>V</p><p>vaCAtion, vaRIEty, veRANdah, vicTOrious, voCABulary.</p><p>91STRESSWISE LIST OF POLySyLLABIC WORDS</p><p>W</p><p>well-KNOWN, well-MADE, whatEVer, whenEVer, wherEVer,</p><p>whichEVer, whoEVer, withDRAW, wiTHIN, wiTHOuT, world-</p><p>WIDE, worthWHILE.</p><p>X,Y,Z</p><p>yourSELF, yourSELVES.</p><p>Category 3:</p><p>Here are the core polysyllabic words in which the primary stess</p><p>falls on the third syllable:</p><p>A</p><p>admiRAtion, afterNOON, altoGEther, anniVERsary,</p><p>appliCAtion, artiFIcial, autoMAtic.</p><p>B,C</p><p>cigaRETTE, combiNAtion, commonSENSE, compeTItion,</p><p>compreHEND, compreHENsion, compreHENsive,</p><p>concenTRAtion, confiDENtial, confiDENtially, contraDICT,</p><p>converSAtion, correSPOND, correSPONdence, curiOSity.</p><p>D</p><p>declaRAtion, defiNItion, demoCRATic, demonSTRAtion,</p><p>destiNAtion, disadVANtage, disaGREE, disaGREEment,</p><p>disaPPEar, disaPPEarance, disaPPOINT, disaPPOINTment,</p><p>disaPPROVal, disaPPROVE, disconTENDed, disoBEdient,</p><p>disoBEy, downSTAIRS.</p><p>E</p><p>ecoNOmic, ecoNOmical, eduCAtion, eduCAtional,</p><p>elecTRIcity, eleMENTary, employEE, enerGEtic, engiNEER,</p><p>92 STRESSWISE LIST OF POLySyLLABIC WORDS</p><p>engiNEERing, enterTAIN, enterTAINment, everLASTing,</p><p>exclaMAtion, exhiBItion, explaNAtion, exploRAtion.</p><p>F</p><p>founDAtion.</p><p>G</p><p>guaranTEE.</p><p>H</p><p>hesiTAtion.</p><p>I</p><p>illuSTRAtion, imiTAtion, immaTuRE, impoLITE,</p><p>inciDENTal, inciDENTally, incliNAtion, incomPATible,</p><p>incomPLETE, inconCEIVable, incoRRECT, indePENDence,</p><p>indePENDent, indiCAtion, indiRECT, indiVIdually,</p><p>ineFFECtive, ineFFIcient, inflaMMAtion, influENtial,</p><p>inforMAtion, ingeNuity, insigNIficant, insinCERE,</p><p>inspiRAtion, instiTution, instruMENtal, inteLLECtual,</p><p>interFERE, interFERence, interMEdiate, interNAtional,</p><p>inteRRuPT, inteRRuption, interVENE, introDuCE,</p><p>introDuCtion, inviTAtion.</p><p>J,K,L</p><p>lemoNADE, libeRAtion.</p><p>M</p><p>magaZINE, manuFACture, middle-Aged,.</p><p>N,O</p><p>obliGAtion, obserVAtion, occuPAtion, opeRAtion,</p><p>93STRESSWISE LIST OF POLySyLLABIC WORDS</p><p>ornaMENTal, overALL, overCOME, overFLOW, overHANG,</p><p>overHAuL, overHEAR, overLOOK, overNIGHT, overTAKE,</p><p>overTHROW, overTuRN, oveRuN, overWHELM.</p><p>P</p><p>passer-By, periODical, persoNALity, photoGRAPHic,</p><p>pictuRESQuE, poliTIcian, popuLARity, popuLAtion,</p><p>possiBIlity, prepaRAtions, probaBIlity, provoCAtion,</p><p>psychoLOgical, publiCAtion, punctuAlity.</p><p>Q,R</p><p>realiZAtion, recogNItion, recoLLECT, recoLLECtion,</p><p>recoMMEND, recreAtion, refeREE, reguLAtion, reinFORCE,</p><p>repeTItion, repreSENT, repreSENtative, reproDuCE,</p><p>reproDuCtion, repuTAtion, reserVAtion, resigNAtion,</p><p>resoLution, revoLution.</p><p>S</p><p>satisFACtion, satisFACtory, scienTIfic, second-HAND, self-</p><p>conTROL, self-reSPECT, sepaRAtion, simiLArity, situAtion,</p><p>souveNIR, speeDOmeter, superSTItion, superSTItious,</p><p>systeMAtic.</p><p>T,V</p><p>underLINE, underSTAND, underSTANDing, underTAKE,</p><p>unemPLOyment, uniVERsal, uniVERsity, variAtion,</p><p>volunTEER.</p><p>W,X,Y,Z</p><p>Category 4:</p><p>Here are the core polysyllabic words in which the primary stess</p><p>94 STRESSWISE LIST OF POLySyLLABIC WORDS</p><p>falls on the fourth syllable:</p><p>accommoDAtion, adminiSTRAtion, associAtion.</p><p>civiliZAtion, classifiCAtion, communiCAtion, consideRAtion,</p><p>co-opeRAtion.</p><p>determiNAtion, discrimiNAtion, dissatisFACtion</p><p>exaggeRAtion, experiMENTal,</p><p>incompreHENSible, interpreTAtion, investiGAtion.</p><p>misunderSTAND, multipliCAtion.</p><p>negotiAtion, nevertheLESS.</p><p>organiZAtion.</p><p>pronunciAtion.</p><p>qualifiCAtion.</p><p>responsiBILity.</p><p>unsatisFACtory.</p><p>Stress exaggeration exercise</p><p>Go through both the alphabetical and the stresswise lists of words</p><p>carefully.</p><p>Then, take up the alphabetical list — for intensive practice.</p><p>Pick up each word in the order in which it occurs in the list. E.g.</p><p>aBILity, Able, aBOuT, aBOVE, aBROAD, ABsence, etc. you’ll find</p><p>that the position of the stressed syllable keeps varying, often from</p><p>word to word. For example, if the stressed syllable in ‘aBILity’</p><p>is the second syllable, the stressed syllable in ‘Able’ is the first</p><p>syllable, and the stressed syllable in ‘aBOuT’ is the second one.</p><p>utter each word aloud — by placing an exaggerated stress on</p><p>the stressed syllable. For example, utter aBILity, Able, aBOuT in</p><p>this way:</p><p>aBILity, Able, aBOUT</p><p>95STRESSWISE LIST OF POLySyLLABIC WORDS</p><p>The vowel and the consonant before it (that is, if there’s a</p><p>consonant before it) must get most of this exaggerated stress.</p><p>For example, in the syllable BIL in ‘aBILity’, B and</p><p>I must get the maximum exaggeration, and L need only to get</p><p>near-maximum exaggeration. In Able, there’s no consonant</p><p>before the stressed-syllable A (vowel), and so, A must get all</p><p>the exaggeration.</p><p>utter each words few times — say five times. In this way</p><p>complete the alphabetical list.</p><p>Then</p><p>take up the stresswise list. Go through all the words</p><p>in which the stress falls on the first syllable. E.g. Able, Absence,</p><p>etc. Practise uttering each word in the same way as before. Then</p><p>go through all the words in which the stress falls on the second</p><p>syllable. Eg. aBILity, aBout, etc. Do the same kind of practice.</p><p>Then go through all the words in which the stress falls on the</p><p>third syllable. E.g. admiRAtion, altoGEther, etc. Do the same kind</p><p>of practice. In this way, complete the stresswise list, too.</p><p>Let me repeat: It’s very important that you should exaggerate</p><p>the stressed-syllable during all the practice sessions. Without</p><p>doing that, it would be almost impossible to get into the habit of</p><p>stressing the right syllable when you actually speak.</p><p>This kind of exercise will help you in two ways: First, it’ll help</p><p>you learn faster where to stress the words. Second, it’ll sharpen</p><p>your feel for these words — so that they begin to occur to you</p><p>readily in speech.</p><p>So take up both lists and do the exercise once immediately.</p><p>Then come back to these lists again and again.</p><p>NOTE: We’ll take up the rhythm-drill in the next Book.</p><p>* * *</p><p>96 DO WORDS STOP ON THE TIP OF yOuR TONGuE?</p><p>CHAPTER 6</p><p>Do words stop</p><p>on the tip of your tongue?</p><p>A major problem that prevents most people from being fluent is</p><p>this: When they speak, some (or many) of the words they need</p><p>remain on the tip of their tongue and don’t flow out readily —</p><p>even though they know these words. Later in the day, these words</p><p>might occur to them, but at the moment that they need them</p><p>most, they stay away.</p><p>Actually, this problem confronts not only non-fluent speakers</p><p>but also fluent speakers — including extremely articulate native</p><p>speakers of English. yes, even them. But there’s a difference: They</p><p>don’t have this problem as frequently as non-fluent speakers.</p><p>They have this problem only now and then — thanks to their</p><p>mastery of ready-built word clusters. (And even when they do</p><p>have this problem, it does not really affect the flow of their speech,</p><p>because they know how to deal with this problem while they’re</p><p>on their feet and speaking – that is, they’re good at hesitation</p><p>management. See Book 5: How to Deal with Hesitation).</p><p>A chief reason why non-fluent speakers are dogged by this</p><p>problem is this: Though they know the meaning, grammar and</p><p>usage of a very large number of individual words, they have not</p><p>mastered these individual words along with the other words that</p><p>conventionally tend to occur immediately before or after them.</p><p>That is, non-fluent speakers have no real mastery over clusters of</p><p>words.</p><p>So if you want your words to flow out readily and not to stop</p><p>on the tip of your tongue, here’s an important drill you should</p><p>concentrate on doing: Get a lot of oral practice saying ready-built</p><p>word clusters ALOuD. yes, ready-built word clusters. (I’ve already</p><p>introduced you to them, remember? See Books 1 & 2). Once</p><p>97DO WORDS STOP ON THE TIP OF yOuR TONGuE?</p><p>ready-built word clusters start tripping off the tongue when you</p><p>speak, the problem of words stopping on the tip of your tongue</p><p>will stop being a hurdle for you.</p><p>Here’s a carefully selected collection of ready-built word</p><p>clusters that can give you the kind of oral practice you need. Now</p><p>remember this: These are not the only word clusters that can give</p><p>you this practice. And the amount of practice you get from the</p><p>collection you get below will not be enough for you to get over the</p><p>words-stop-on-the-tongue-tip problem, either. So pay attention</p><p>to this: The collections of word clusters given in all the books in</p><p>the Fluentzy series would give you this practice. And once you’ve</p><p>completed doing practice with the clusters given in most of these</p><p>books, this problem would begin to stop tormenting you. In fact,</p><p>even a single collection of ready-built word clusters – like the</p><p>collection you get in this chapter – produces a noticeable effect.</p><p>So pick up each word group and say it aloud several times.</p><p>Here we go:</p><p>Group 1</p><p>stand the test of time. • pass the note back to sb. • play a different</p><p>game. • suffer/sustain an injury. • suffer an asthma attack. • wash</p><p>the floor. • receive an offer. • spread the workload between… •</p><p>take the trouble to help sb • tell a lie. • see an improvement.</p><p>• repeat an experiment. • run a hotel. • turn the chair to face</p><p>sb. • prevent the spread of infection. • set the course for sth. •</p><p>suffer the consequences. • open a new store. • submit a plan. •</p><p>show a collection. • teach a course. • top a bill. • return a call.</p><p>• watch the weather (on the TV). • smile a grim smile. • win</p><p>a fight. • reflect a change. • touch the case. • support a view.</p><p>• maintain the status quo. • smile a knowing smile. • prefer</p><p>a direct approach. • spread a cloth on the table. • schedule a</p><p>meeting. • support a conclusion. • support a claim. • speak a</p><p>strange language. • welcome a decision. • survive an accident. •</p><p>see the remains of sth. • show a talent. • send a package.</p><p>98 DO WORDS STOP ON THE TIP OF yOuR TONGuE?</p><p>• win a battle. • remove a worry. • report an error. • savour</p><p>the taste. • spend the money on sth. • run a business. • trust an</p><p>instinct. • suspect a gas leak. • treat a disease. • know the area</p><p>inside out. • ride a bicycle. • share a common interest in sth. •</p><p>try a new coffee. • pay a call on sb. • register a birth. • study</p><p>the report. • spend the night with sb. • meet the needs of sb/</p><p>sth. • take a (wait-and-see) attitude. • secure an agreement. •</p><p>state an/your opinion. • recommend the plan to sb. • receive a</p><p>call from sb. • release the clutch. • survive an operation. • tell</p><p>the difference (between two things). • raise the age of sth. •</p><p>knock a nail into a wall. • survive a war. • present a convincing</p><p>case. • solve a crime. • wake the baby up. • slash the price (of</p><p>sth). • receive an increase. • stop the bleeding. • smash a record.</p><p>• reserve a table. • spread a load. • secure a deal. • tackle an</p><p>issue. • miss a chance to do sth. • seal a border. • reject an offer.</p><p>• teach a skill. • state an opinion. • release an album. • record</p><p>an album. • secure a place. • reject a theory. • support a family.</p><p>• water the garden. • treat a patient. • run a test. • relieve the</p><p>guard. • pin the blame on sb. • see the importance of sth. • know</p><p>the terms of the agreement. • wash the car. • stretch a rule. • win</p><p>the toss. • take a journey. • serve a purpose. • support a theory.</p><p>• see a great future for sb. • use a computer. • lose the ability to</p><p>do sth. • write a computer program. • sound a note of caution.</p><p>• reject a request. • play a trick on sb. • reject a proposal. • top</p><p>a list. • recognize an old friend. • touch the wet paint. • spend</p><p>the evening doing sth. • wave a magic wand. • return a service.</p><p>• waste a chance. • watch the race. • show an interest (in sth).</p><p>• win a promise (from sb). • want the best. • post a card to sb. •</p><p>lose the taste for sth. • send a warning. • top the bill. • send the</p><p>order. • write a new play. • watch a programme. • play the role</p><p>of sb. • relax a rule. • want a drink. • sound a warning. • stop the</p><p>tape. • solve a murder. • win a contest. • report the news. • wear</p><p>a ring. • raise the subject of sth. • pull a car to the right. • score a</p><p>point. • run a store. • like the taste of sth. • see a change. • win</p><p>a competition. • wear a black dress. • support an idea. • win a</p><p>99DO WORDS STOP ON THE TIP OF yOuR TONGuE?</p><p>match. • sign a document. • swing a punch (in sb’s direction). •</p><p>turn a tap off/on. • split the cost. • rent an apartment. • support</p><p>a hypothesis. • play the part of sb • stress the importance of sth.</p><p>• sign a cheque. • join the cookery class. • turn the conversation.</p><p>• wait an hour. • skip a beat. • use the telephone. • start a car.</p><p>• sell the car. • watch a football game. • spend the day in bed.</p><p>• write a story. • waste an opportunity. • roll the string (into a</p><p>ball). • wear a suit. • ignore the fact that... • welcome a guest. •</p><p>leak the information to the</p><p>write to</p><p>me care of the publishers.</p><p>KEV Nair,</p><p>Kochi, 2008.</p><p>10</p><p>Abbreviations</p><p>fml formal</p><p>infml informal</p><p>sb somebody</p><p>sth something</p><p>sw somewhere</p><p>11</p><p>CHAPTER 1</p><p>‘Teaching’ your ‘tongue’</p><p>There are certain principles of the English language that you’ll</p><p>have to teach your tongue (and other organs of speech). These</p><p>are principles that’ll help you ‘describe’ your ideas in English. So</p><p>let’s call them “principles of description”. Of course, these are</p><p>elementary principles. And you know them all. But does your</p><p>tongue know them?</p><p>Mind you, there’s one thing about a language you aren’t</p><p>fluent in. you may know several words and principles in that</p><p>language. But not your tongue! That’s why many people can’t</p><p>speak fluent English —even after years of experience in written</p><p>English. Of course, even a X-standard student would have learnt</p><p>the principles we’re going to look at. But experience has shown</p><p>one thing: When they try to say more than two or three idea</p><p>units at a stretch, even post-graduates get mixed up about these</p><p>principles. And, in their confusion, they falter.</p><p>Of course, when they limit themselves to one or two idea</p><p>units, these problems may not happen. But when they try to go</p><p>beyond that and try to speak continuously, then the trouble begins.</p><p>This is not because they haven’t got the principles straight. This is</p><p>because their tongues haven’t got the principles straight.</p><p>Important Principles of description</p><p>Descriptive principle 1</p><p>There are certain function words in English that always keep</p><p>company with one another. Here they are, classed into six</p><p>groups:</p><p>(a) I/We/you/They/Plural (people or things) + don’t…</p><p>(NOT “doesn’t”)</p><p>12 ‘TEACHING’ yOuR ‘TONGuE’</p><p>That is, you should only say “I don’t…”, “We don’t…”,</p><p>“you don’t…”, “They don’t…”, “Apples don’t…”, etc., and</p><p>not “I doesn’t…”, “We doesn’t…”, “you doesn’t…”, “They</p><p>doesn’t…”, “Apples doesn’t…”, etc.</p><p>(b) He/She/It/Singulars (A person or thing) + doesn’t…</p><p>(NOT “don’t”)</p><p>That is, you should only say “He doesn’t…”, “She</p><p>doesn’t…”, “It doesn’t…”, “An apple doesn’t…”, etc., and</p><p>not “He don’t…”, “She don’t…”, “It don’t…”, “An apple</p><p>don’t…”, etc.</p><p>(c) All the words at (a) & (b) above: I/We/you/They/Plural</p><p>(people or things)/He/She/It/Singulars (A person or thing) +</p><p>didn’t…</p><p>That is, you can say “I didn’t…”, “We didn’t…”, “you</p><p>didn’t…”, “They didn’t…”, “Apples didn’t…”, etc., and “He</p><p>didn’t…”, “She didn’t…”, “It didn’t…”, “An apple didn’t…”,</p><p>etc.</p><p>(d) I/We/you/They/Plural (people or things) + have… /</p><p>haven’t... (NOT ‘has’ or ‘hasn’t’)</p><p>That is, you should only say “I have/haven’t…”, “We have/</p><p>haven’t…”, “you have/haven’t…”, “They have/haven’t…”,</p><p>“Apples have/haven’t…”, etc., and not “I has/hasn’t…”, “We</p><p>has/hasn’t…”, “you has/hasn’t…”, “They has/hasn’t…”,</p><p>“Apples has/hasn’t…”, etc.</p><p>(e) He/She/It/Singulars (A person or thing) + has... /</p><p>hasn’t… (NOT ‘have’ or ‘haven’t’)</p><p>That is, you should only say “He has/hasn’t…”, “She has/</p><p>hasn’t…”, “It has/hasn’t…”, “An apple has/hasn’t…”, etc.,</p><p>and not “He have/haven’t…”, “She have/haven’t…”, “It</p><p>have/haven’t…”, “An apple have/haven’t…”, etc.</p><p>(f) All the words at (d) & (e) above: I/We/you/They/Plural</p><p>(people or things)/He/She/It/Singulars (A person or thing) +</p><p>had... /hadn’t…</p><p>13‘TEACHING’ yOuR ‘TONGuE’</p><p>That is, you can say “I had/hadn’t…”, “We had/hadn’t …”,</p><p>“you had/hadn’t …”, “They had/hadn’t …”, “Apples had/</p><p>hadn’t …”, etc., and “He had/hadn’t …”, “She had/hadn’t</p><p>…”, “It had/hadn’t …”, “An apple had/hadn’t …”, etc.</p><p>Descriptive principle 2</p><p>After “didn’t”, you should only use the basic form (= infinitive)</p><p>of verbs, and not past tense forms. That is, you should say —</p><p>• I didn’t know. • He didn’t like it. • She didn’t speak</p><p>French. • It didn’t happen often. • We didn’t buy things</p><p>from them. • They didn’t worry about things like that. •</p><p>The car didn’t start.</p><p>you shouldn’t say —</p><p>• I didn’t knew. • He didn’t liked it. • She didn’t spoke</p><p>French. • It didn’t happened often. • We didn’t bought</p><p>things from them. • They didn’t worried about things like</p><p>that. • The car didn’t started.</p><p>The same rule applies to “doesn’t” and “don’t” also. That is,</p><p>you should say—</p><p>• I don’t know. • He doesn’t like it. • She doesn’t speak</p><p>French. • It doesn’t happen often. • We don’t buy things</p><p>from them. • They don’t worry about things like that. • The</p><p>car doesn’t start.</p><p>you shouldn’t say—</p><p>• I don’t knew. • He doesn’t liked it. • She doesn’t spoke</p><p>French. • It doesn’t happened often. • We don’t bought</p><p>things from them. • They don’t worried about things like</p><p>that. • The car doesn’t started.</p><p>Descriptive principle 3</p><p>After “has”, “hasn’t”, “haven’t”, “had”, and “hadn’t”, you should</p><p>only use past participles, and not past tense forms or the basic</p><p>14 ‘TEACHING’ yOuR ‘TONGuE’</p><p>forms (infinitive). That is, you should say —</p><p>• I have/haven’t forgotten it. • I had/hadn’t done it. • He</p><p>has/hasn’t seen it. • He had/hadn’t stolen it. • She has/</p><p>hasn’t written it down. • She had/hadn’t hidden it from</p><p>them. • We have/haven’t given it to them. • We had/hadn’t</p><p>eaten it. • They have/haven’t spoken to her. • They had/</p><p>hadn’t taken it away. • The show has/hasn’t begun. • The</p><p>show had/hadn’t begun.</p><p>you shouldn’t say —</p><p>• I have/haven’t forgot it. • I had/hadn’t did it. • He has/</p><p>hasn’t saw it. • He had/hadn’t stole it. • She has/hasn’t</p><p>wrote it down. • She had/hadn’t hid it from them. • We</p><p>have/haven’t gave it to them. • We had/hadn’t ate it. •</p><p>They have/haven’t spoke to her. • They had/hadn’t took</p><p>it away. • The show has/hasn’t began. • The show had/</p><p>hadn’t began.</p><p>The way to teach your tongue</p><p>Now understand one thing: There is no use in learning to repeat</p><p>these principles by heart. The thing you must do now is this: you</p><p>must get your tongue to ‘learn’ them. In other words, you must</p><p>‘teach’ your tongue.</p><p>This can only be done if you give ‘training’ to your tongue.</p><p>That is, you must get your tongue into the habit of saying “don’t”</p><p>along with ‘I’, “doesn’t” along with ‘he’, “has” along with ‘she’, etc.</p><p>This can easily be done through the following kinds of practice:</p><p>Drill 1</p><p>Look at descriptive principle no. 1.</p><p>• Say “I don’t …”, “We don’t…”, etc. — ALOuD.</p><p>• Say “He doesn’t…”, “She doesn’t…”, etc.— ALOuD.</p><p>• Say “I didn’t…”, “We didn’t…”, etc.— ALOuD.</p><p>• Say “I have…”, “I haven’t…”, etc.— ALOuD.</p><p>15‘TEACHING’ yOuR ‘TONGuE’</p><p>• Say “He has…”, “He hasn’t…”, etc.— ALOuD.</p><p>• Say “I had…”, “I hadn’t…”, etc.— ALOuD.</p><p>NOTE: Repeat each several times. Of course, you know these rules.</p><p>Still you must carry out this drill. Remember this: The purpose of</p><p>this drill is to get your tongue and other organs of speech to get</p><p>into the habit of associating certain words together.</p><p>Drill 2</p><p>Look at descriptive principle no. 2. Now look at Word List 1 given</p><p>below. This is a list of (3-word sets of) the most useful irregular</p><p>verbs. In each set, there are 3 words. The first word is the basic</p><p>form (= infinitive) of a verb, the second word is the past tense</p><p>form of that verb, and the third word is its past participle.</p><p>Go through each set, and pick up the basic form (the first</p><p>word in the 3-word set) in each. Now say like this:</p><p>didn’t bet, didn’t burst, didn’t cost, didn’t dig, didn’t fling,</p><p>didn’t begin, didn’t drink, didn’t creep, didn’t keep, didn’t</p><p>drive, didn’t ride…</p><p>Go on in this way, till you get to the end of the list (Word</p><p>List 1).</p><p>Repeat the practice by replacing “didn’t” with “doesn’t”:</p><p>doesn’t bet, doesn’t burst, doesn’t cost, doesn’t dig, doesn’t</p><p>fling, doesn’t begin, doesn’t drink, doesn’t creep, doesn’t</p><p>keep, doesn’t drive, doesn’t ride…</p><p>Go on in this way, till you get to the end of the list (Word</p><p>List 1).</p><p>Now repeat the practice by replacing “doesn’t” with “don’t”:</p><p>don’t bet, don’t burst, don’t cost, don’t dig, don’t fling, don’t</p><p>begin, don’t drink, don’t creep, don’t keep, don’t drive,</p><p>don’t ride…</p><p>Go on in this way, till you get to the end of the list (Word</p><p>List 1).</p><p>16 ‘TEACHING’ yOuR ‘TONGuE’</p><p>Drill 3</p><p>Look at descriptive principle no. 2. Now look at</p><p>press. • take some/a lot of trouble to</p><p>do sth. • relate a story. • win a place. • support a ban. • shoot an</p><p>arrow (from your bow). • suffer a shock. • reduce a load. • share</p><p>a needle. • support a large family. • use a car. • stretch a wing.</p><p>• spread a rumour. • win a trophy. • take a look at the weather.</p><p>• tie a parcel. • put a plan into action. • score a run. • spoil the</p><p>taste. • reject a decision. • understand a language. • secure a</p><p>place (for yourself). • win a medal. • stand a hope of doing sth. •</p><p>watch the video. • watch the game. • want a car (of your own). •</p><p>throw the question back at sb. • ride a horse. • stretch the fabric</p><p>tightly (over sth). • turn the light(s) on/off. • tie a scarf. • use</p><p>your judgment. • withstand a challenge. • repeat an exercise. •</p><p>sense a presence. • settle the matter. • load the new software. •</p><p>require an investigation. • score a double. • see the advantages</p><p>of sth. • put the blame for sth (on sb).</p><p>Group 2</p><p>• win an election. • lift a heavy case. • win a scholarship. •</p><p>take trouble doing sth. • pinpoint the cause of sth. • secure</p><p>a majority. • repeat an allegation. • spring a leak. • offer an</p><p>important post. • lay a basis for sth. • wear a long dress. • strike</p><p>the hour. • reduce the effect(s) of sth. • sound a confident note.</p><p>• identify the dead body. • see the stars. • run a marathon. •</p><p>win a point. • miss the start of the film. • release the switch. •</p><p>wear a string of pearls. • lay the blame for sth on sb. • lack the</p><p>confidence to do sth. • write a song. • rent a room. • pay a loan</p><p>off. • study a language. • sense an unease. • speak the truth. •</p><p>100 DO WORDS STOP ON THE TIP OF yOuR TONGuE?</p><p>prevent the movement of sb/sth. • rent a house. • understand</p><p>an issue. • turn a key in the lock. • sing a song to sb. • reach the</p><p>required standard. • sound the death knell of/for sth. • suffer a</p><p>consequence. • lift the sleeping child. • pass the ball to sb. • run</p><p>the risk (of failing etc.) • win a majority.</p><p>• start a war. • stretch a point. • stick a stamp on sth. • win a</p><p>championship. • recognize the benefit(s) of sth. • take a decision</p><p>(to do sth). • taste the mixture. • play a leading part. • use a</p><p>ladder. • set a mood. • wear a badge. • play the leading role. •</p><p>show a picture. • reflect a belief. • set a precedent. • support a</p><p>plan. • register a company. • lift an embargo on sth. • use a new/</p><p>simple method. • save the environment. • know the codes inside</p><p>out. • notice a big change in sb. • take a (more responsible)</p><p>attitude. • lift a suitcase down. • register a trademark. • sign</p><p>the hotel register. • suit a requirement. • strike a heroic pose. •</p><p>remove the stain (from a cloth). • shut the door. • lead a happy</p><p>life. • wear a beard. • reduce the gap. • sign a pact to do sth.</p><p>• park the car sw. • write a list. • lead a busy life. • state the</p><p>obvious. • see a doctor. • watch a video. • resist a change. • send</p><p>a card to sb. • start a motor. • search the area. • return a high</p><p>rate of interest. • sound a note of warning. • secure 40% of the</p><p>vote. • turn the pages. • join a tour group. • win a victory. • spot</p><p>an empty table. • remain the same.</p><p>• notice the change in sb’s appearance. • mix the flour and</p><p>eggs. • organize a protest march. • spend the weekend sw. • treat</p><p>a virus. • record an event. • own a house sw. • treat a symptom.</p><p>• show a pattern. • win a war. • record a verdict. • resist the cake</p><p>(couldn’t). • resist the temptation to do sth. • start the engines.</p><p>• suggest an improvement. • sign an autograph. • make a claim</p><p>for sth (on your insurance). • sound a positive note. • provide</p><p>a variety of sth. • transfer the files onto sth. • owe a debt of</p><p>gratitude to sb. • satisfy a want. • send a letter to sb. • share an</p><p>apartment with sb. • see the news. • lead a miserable existence.</p><p>• win a concession. • lead a quiet life. • rent an office. • undergo</p><p>a change. • spread a message. • share a belief (that). • write a</p><p>101DO WORDS STOP ON THE TIP OF yOuR TONGuE?</p><p>novel. • win a cap. • stop the generator. • sign a petition. • solve</p><p>a case. • receive a telephone call. • release a hostage. • roll the</p><p>clothes. • win a contract. • read the first chapter. • settle a bill.</p><p>• support a belief. • pass the written paper. • register a death. •</p><p>open the door to sth. • record a conversation. • secure a victory.</p><p>• paint the outside of your house. • solve a problem. • tie a</p><p>bow. • present a rosy picture of sth. • repeat a step. • restore a</p><p>garden. • want an explanation. • pay a debt off. • recognize the</p><p>missing girl. • voice a worry. • turn the volume up/down. • read</p><p>the exam results. • stand the heat (couldn’t). • miss the security</p><p>of sth. • score a try. • support an argument. • see the benefit(s)</p><p>of sth. • receive an award for sth. • work the land. • reduce the</p><p>rent. • stand the strain. • reject a possibility. • miss the last bus</p><p>(home). • press a handkerchief to your nose.</p><p>• repeat a test. • play a joke on sb. • want an experienced</p><p>teacher. • redecorate the house. • switch the light(s) on/off. •</p><p>welcome a change. • strike a balance. • lead an interesting life.</p><p>• stage a show. • tell the truth. • set a new record. • remain a</p><p>secret. • play a vital role (in sth). • smile a welcome. • teach a</p><p>language. • thwart an attempt. • report an improvement. • see</p><p>a lawyer. • see the advantage. • leave the management to sb. •</p><p>win a prize. • lead a full life. • smile a slow smile. • settle an</p><p>argument. • review the previous week. • score a victory. • talk</p><p>the same language (as sb). • relax a regulation. • share a house</p><p>with sb. • tell the time. • secure a property. • recommend a book</p><p>to sb. • return the compliment. • lay a hand on sb’s arm. • wear</p><p>a hat. • write a letter. • win a race. • share the blame (for sth).</p><p>• question the wisdom of sth. • write a play. • study a report.</p><p>• rent your house to sb. • split the difference. • tie a boat up. •</p><p>receive an education. • train the team. • strike a dramatic pose.</p><p>• return a shot. • push the limit of sth. • raise a storm of protest.</p><p>• score a success. • seek a challenge. • lay the blame on sb. •</p><p>replace the book on the shelf. • travel the country. • roll the baby</p><p>over. • sell the farm. • start a journey. • use your managerial/</p><p>writing talents. • reduce the risk of infection. • repeat the grade.</p><p>102 DO WORDS STOP ON THE TIP OF yOuR TONGuE?</p><p>• suffer the effect. • wear a watch.</p><p>• reject an argument. • sign a deal (with sb). • reject an</p><p>application. • paint a bleak picture. • replace the handset. •</p><p>throw the blame on someone. • search the building. • replace</p><p>the old windows. • tell a story. • prevent the spread of disease.</p><p>• tell the truth/a lie. • swing a leg. • take the news (calmly). •</p><p>roll a trolley (across the yard etc). • pay a visit to your doctor. •</p><p>support a cause. • try an avenue. • turn a profit. • kill a couple</p><p>of hours. • pass a witty comment. • satisfy a wish. • reserve a</p><p>judgment. • pass the message on to sb. • reject a claim. • owe a</p><p>great deal to sb. • release a movie. • start the day (with a good</p><p>breakfast). • reflect sb’s attitude. • suffer a reaction. • place the</p><p>blame on sb. • repeat a mistake. • use the best ingredients. • share</p><p>a view. • serve the community. • learn a musical instrument. •</p><p>understand the situation. • report an increase. • start an engine.</p><p>• receive an income. • start the fight. • stop the rot. • strike a</p><p>match. • show a profit. • treat a disorder. • unveil a plan. • strike</p><p>a balance between two things. • sound a hopeful note. • start</p><p>a conversation. • review the evidence. • throw a glance (at). •</p><p>start a rumour. • win a case. • taste the soup. • reach a good</p><p>level. • paint a rosy picture of sth. • love the idea of sth. • wear a</p><p>casual dress. • play an essential part in sth. • present a challenge</p><p>to sth. • shelve a plan. • set a limit (on sth).</p><p>• stop the night. • play the part of sb. • undergo an</p><p>experience. • shoot a scene. • reach the age of 80 etc. • wear</p><p>a formal dress. • sign a contract (with</p><p>sb). • lead an exciting</p><p>life. • welcome a suggestion. • travel a good distance. • sign</p><p>a register. • start a business. • keep a clear head. • return the</p><p>favour. • strike a bargain. • use an axe. • shake a habit. • reveal</p><p>the truth. • run the engine. • win the championship. • make an</p><p>issue of sth. • write a will. • reinforce a belief. • read a file into</p><p>a computer. • support a contention. • start a group. • state an</p><p>intention. • take the news (badly/well). • receive a phone call</p><p>(from sb). • pay a steep price. • wear a coat. • return a verdict.</p><p>• tear a hole in sth. • register a marriage. • use sth as a means</p><p>103DO WORDS STOP ON THE TIP OF yOuR TONGuE?</p><p>to do sth. • tie a ribbon. • level an accusation at sb. • write the</p><p>wrong address. • strike the first blow. • like the idea of sth. • pay</p><p>a mortgage off. • wear a pin.</p><p>Group 3</p><p>• pay a set amount each month. • speak the same language.</p><p>• receive a visit from. • satisfy a condition. • resolve an issue.</p><p>• reach the light switch. • roll a barrel (across the yard etc). •</p><p>teach a class. • return a greeting. • start a fire. • solve a crisis.</p><p>• spend the weekend doing sth. • use an alternative/innovative</p><p>approach. • sign a treaty. • start a family. • repeat a performance.</p><p>• send a message (to sb). • spend the early part of your life sw.</p><p>• start a fight (with sb). • reduce the price (of sth). • require a</p><p>change. • spot the difference. • turn a page. • reveal a pattern.</p><p>• satisfy a need. • remain a problem. • smile a small smile. •</p><p>refuse an offer. • throw a party (for sb/sth). • repeat a process. •</p><p>review the previous month. • tie a knot in a rope. • lead a normal</p><p>life. • see the bill. • join a political party. • register the baby’s</p><p>birth. • see an increase. • secure a payment. • throw a tantrum.</p><p>• repeat an instruction. • solve a dispute. • top a chart. • sense a</p><p>mood. • win a bet. • start a riot. • pay an extra amount. • steal</p><p>the show. • relive an experience. • see the finish (of a race).</p><p>• release a prisoner. • stock a good range (of sth). • visit the</p><p>library. • tie a package. • use a room. • satisfy the demand for</p><p>sth. • sound an alarm.</p><p>• know a new instrument. • put an idea into action.</p><p>• understand a meaning. • seal the deal. • mark the start of</p><p>sth. • spread the towel (over sth). • see a difference. • wear a</p><p>moustache. • take a risk. • return a stare. • serve a function.</p><p>• understand a difference. • stretch a leg. • want a new coat.</p><p>• serve a sentence. • report a theft. • state a fact. • realize the</p><p>full meaning of sth. • strike a deal (with sb). • record a TV</p><p>programme. • identify the cause of sth. • tie a tie. • start a new</p><p>life. • visit the Taj Mahal. • share a load. • prepare a surprise</p><p>party. • welcome the opportunity. • receive an injury. • show an</p><p>104 DO WORDS STOP ON THE TIP OF yOuR TONGuE?</p><p>improvement. • wear a jacket. • stay the same. • put a match</p><p>to sth. • play an essential role in sth. • take the blame for sth. •</p><p>start a new job. • study the results. • manage a soccer team. •</p><p>turn the switch (to the ‘on’/’off’ position). • stop the rumours. •</p><p>sign an agreement. • stand the pressure. • receive a number of</p><p>complaints (about sb/sth). • satisfy a test. • secure a contract.</p><p>• type a letter. • put the blame on sb. • stand a good chance</p><p>of winning. • take the news (in your stride). • recognize the</p><p>need to do sth. • transport the goods. • reduce the size of sth.</p><p>• throw a punch. • score a win. • watch the news. • provoke a</p><p>storm of protest. • mix the ingredients together. • order a double</p><p>brandy. • mark the end of sth. • spot an error. • register an</p><p>objection. • take an interest (in sth). • win the contest. • serve</p><p>a (useful) purpose. • slip a few jokes (into a speech). • visit a</p><p>lot of countries. • understand the meaning (of sth). • take a job.</p><p>• sign the letter. • travel a distance. • stretch the limit of sth.</p><p>• save a penalty. • keep the noise down. • want a new bike. •</p><p>settle a conflict. • reduce the risk (of sth). • move a step further</p><p>(can’t). • settle a debt. • receive the best treatment. • release a</p><p>bird (from its cage). • update the schedule. • question the merit</p><p>of sth. • state an objection. • run a course. • master the art of</p><p>(doing) sth. • report a profit. • reject a plan. • study a map. •</p><p>suffer a fit. • take an offer.</p><p>• split the vote. • reveal a secret. • work an eight-hour shift.</p><p>• study the menu. • write a note. • lead a life of luxury. • smoke</p><p>a cigarette. • sense a fear. • travel the world. • number the pages</p><p>(of a report etc). • repeat a question. • realize the benefit(s) of</p><p>sth. • stop a fight. • sell the business. • satisfy a requirement. •</p><p>reject a suggestion. • take the opportunity. • wash the dishes. •</p><p>realize the seriousness of sth. • lay a responsibility on sb. • spend</p><p>the night sw. • play a leading role. • return a favour. • suffer</p><p>a migraine attack. • strike the table with your fist. • turn the</p><p>heating on/off. • satisfy a desire. • lower the age of sth. • take a</p><p>(positive) attitude. • use a language. • join the air force. • win a</p><p>franchise. • see a pattern. • stay the night. • reduce the noise. •</p><p>105DO WORDS STOP ON THE TIP OF yOuR TONGuE?</p><p>lead a good life. • stop a cheque. • repeat the class. • pull a car to</p><p>the left. • take a course on fashion-designing etc. • show a lack of</p><p>sth. • reject an idea. • test the limit of sth. • lose the use of both</p><p>legs. • see an/the opportunity. • sing a song. • score a goal. •</p><p>write a piece on/about sth. • register a complaint. • test a theory.</p><p>• repeat a warning. • sense a danger. • question the logic of sth.</p><p>• start the session. • recommend a hotel. • release a statement.</p><p>• publish a review of sth. • understand the importance (of sth).</p><p>• treat an ailment. • win a game. • notice a numb feeling. • see</p><p>a movie. • roll a dice/die.</p><p>• set the table. • stress a significance. • rule a country.</p><p>• launch a/your etc career. • make a pact to do sth. • share</p><p>a taste for sth. • run a language school. • suffer an injury. •</p><p>wear an expression. • stand the sight of sth (can’t). • run the</p><p>marathon. • tidy the house. • repeat a request. • investigate the</p><p>links between… • mention the idea to sb. • start an argument.</p><p>• offer a variety of sth. • support a proposal. • resist an/the</p><p>opportunity. • solve a conflict. • share a room with sb. • preserve</p><p>a 11th-century house. • tape a conversation. • know the exact</p><p>figure. • throw the ball to sb. • love the taste of sth. • repeat</p><p>the year. • win a moral victory. • put the light(s) on/off. • turn</p><p>the gun on yourself. • survive a crisis. • put a question to sb. •</p><p>share an interest in poetry. • win an award (for sth). • see the</p><p>manager. • miss the warm weather. • settle an account. • survive</p><p>a crash. • win an argument. • rent a building. • sense a tension.</p><p>• show a cheerful/nervous disposition. • settle a dispute. • run</p><p>the hot tap. • restore a relation. • pay the electricity bill. • speak</p><p>a language. • support a weight. • treat an illness. • refuse a</p><p>request. • satisfy a demand. • satisfy an expectation. • turn the</p><p>corner. • make a habit of doing sth. • start a business of your</p><p>own. • open a bank account. • turn the heat up/down. • join the</p><p>department as a secretary etc.</p><p>* * *</p><p>106 QuESTIONS FOR PRACTICE</p><p>CHAPTER 7</p><p>Questions for Practice</p><p>Let’s now briefly look at one of the chief reasons why even well-</p><p>educated people find it difficult to have conversations in fluent</p><p>English. It’s this: They find it difficult to frame questions off-</p><p>hand. yes, questions. They have no confidence that they can ask</p><p>questions on the spur of the moment. So they keep mum and</p><p>pretend that they have nothing to ask. The truth may be that</p><p>they’re itching to ask questions, to exchange ideas and to take</p><p>part in conversations. But one thing stands in their way: The</p><p>inability to ask questions without faltering.</p><p>Here you must note an important point: In schools and</p><p>colleges, you’re trained only to answer questions — not to ask</p><p>questions. As a result, everyone</p><p>has very little training in framing</p><p>questions. This is particularly true about framing questions</p><p>orally.</p><p>Mind you, there are only two things that you’d be able to</p><p>produce orally, without hesitations. They are: (i) Things that</p><p>your organs of speech are accustomed to producing orally; and</p><p>(ii) Things that are similar (in structure or shape) to those things.</p><p>So you’ll not be able to ask questions with ease, if your organs of</p><p>speech don’t get special training. Without this special training,</p><p>questions in English will remain “strange” things for your organs</p><p>of speech.</p><p>So let’s begin our special training with questions now. The</p><p>first thing we’re going to do is to build up a “background” or</p><p>“atmosphere” of questions around you. This background or</p><p>atmosphere will help your tongue and other organs of speech</p><p>to stop feeling shy of questions in English. The way in which</p><p>questions are asked in English will then become familiar and</p><p>natural to your ears and organs of speech. Soon your organs of</p><p>speech would begin to yield to questions in English.</p><p>107QuESTIONS FOR PRACTICE</p><p>The first thing that you have to do is to utter certain specially-</p><p>selected questions ALOuD several times. you’ll get a collection of</p><p>these questions on the following pages. These questions are all</p><p>simple ones — to your eyes. But to your organs of speech, they</p><p>may not be as simple. They’re questions that are indispensable</p><p>in day-to-day conversations, but even well-educated people</p><p>find it difficult to produce them orally — while they’re having a</p><p>conversation. Though these questions look simple to your eyes,</p><p>they’ll be of no use to you until your tongue yields to them and</p><p>until they start sounding familiar and natural to your ears.</p><p>Remember this: The aim is not to reproduce each of the</p><p>questions later in specific situations. The aim is to get your organs</p><p>of speech and hearing to become familiar with the way questions</p><p>are framed.</p><p>Here we go for the questions:</p><p>Group 1</p><p>• Can I trouble you for a minute? • How did his explanation</p><p>strike you? • What can have happened to them? • Who knows</p><p>about this? • Have you been here long? • What’s the name of</p><p>that girl with a hat? • What’s worrying you? • What’s the house</p><p>worth? • What does he do (for a living)? • Who’s to blame?</p><p>• What do you need from the shop? • How soon will you be</p><p>finished? • Is it OK to sign here? • Can you let us know soon?</p><p>• What do you dislike most about it? • Was that your scooter I</p><p>saw? • Can I speak to Ann please? • Did they have any luck? •</p><p>Would you mind closing that door? • Where’ll they be this time</p><p>next week? • Is there any chance of his getting a promotion this</p><p>time? • Will you be coming round tomorrow? • What if we don’t</p><p>do it? • What do you enjoy most in your work? • What shall we</p><p>do about that matter? • Is the shirt dry yet? • How can they eat</p><p>such stuff? • Do you mean to tell me he doesn’t know it? • Where</p><p>shall I put this book? • Is he awake yet? • Who can I ask about</p><p>this? (Note: In contexts like these, use ‘Who’ and not ‘Whom’.</p><p>‘Whom’ is considered outdated in contexts like these). • Who is</p><p>108 QuESTIONS FOR PRACTICE</p><p>this present for? • Who does this box belong to? • Who did you</p><p>give it to? • Any chance of some coffee? • Do you know who that</p><p>girl is? • Whose fault was it?</p><p>• How many times did she come here? • Did you win? • Is</p><p>he afraid of the dark? • What’s the news? • What food do you</p><p>like best? • Does this style suit me? • Is it all right to send it by</p><p>post? • Can I have another try? • Shall I pass them to Tom or</p><p>Ajith? • Did you have to tell everything to him? • Do you realize</p><p>that you have done a grave mistake? • When’ll you make up your</p><p>mind? • Who’s that man over there? • What’s on your mind? •</p><p>Do you mind if I smoke? • Are you coming or not? • Have you</p><p>read anything interesting lately? • What do you advise me to</p><p>do? • How long has she been waiting? • Have you got any idea</p><p>why he refused to reply? • Anybody for more tea? • Is he back</p><p>yet? • What suggestions would you like to make? • How did she</p><p>come to lose it? • Can I talk to you for sometime? • How did your</p><p>weekend go? • Is she the girl you told me about? • What do you</p><p>think he is doing? • Have you got a light? • Could I ask a few</p><p>questions? • Were you surprised to see him? • Do you recognize</p><p>the man under the tree? • Was John to blame for it? • Why not</p><p>discuss it with her? • Which chair should I sit in — this or that?</p><p>• How good a worker is he?</p><p>• Shall we have another game? • If I take a bus, what</p><p>time will I be in Bangalore? • Have you got any suggestions to</p><p>make? • What do you think of that furniture? • What if I did</p><p>it tomorrow instead of today? • What qualities do you think a</p><p>salesman should have? • How big did she say it was? • Did he</p><p>buy the car on hire-purchase? • What did you think of it? • Are</p><p>they here yet? • Could you let me know where that is available?</p><p>• What’s that you say? • Is that Ann? • Who’s responsible for all</p><p>this? • When will it be finished? • Why hasn’t he had a bath? •</p><p>Is he any better? • Is there going to be a meeting? • Does the</p><p>noise bother you? • Don’t you understand? • Could you let me</p><p>know if he turned up? • Why not ask her? • Is that you, Anil? •</p><p>Aren’t you responsible for this mix-up? • What’s that thing you</p><p>109QuESTIONS FOR PRACTICE</p><p>are eating? • Has the match been postponed? • Was the play any</p><p>good? • How old are you? • Will you be going there tomorrow?</p><p>• Can you suggest what we should do? • Isn’t she ready yet? •</p><p>What if he failed? • Would you agree that the quality of this thing</p><p>is very high? • What can I say to thank you? • What’s upsetting</p><p>you? • What’s your new teacher like?</p><p>Group 2</p><p>• Who can say that? • Where is he from? • Have you really</p><p>got to go? • Couldn’t you meet me tomorrow? • What’s all the</p><p>fuss about? • What’s this supposed to be? • What excuse shall we</p><p>give? • Is he making good progress? • How much did you buy</p><p>it for? • Where’s that book of mine? • Haven’t you booked your</p><p>ticket yet? • What happens first when you start the machine? •</p><p>What if she mentions the matter? • Isn’t that Sheela? • Was it</p><p>Asha’s fault? • When’ll we get the payment? • How about giving</p><p>me a ring tomorrow? • What’s this I hear about you? • Did you</p><p>pay for yourself? • What would you recommend if they asked</p><p>you? • Do you ever go for a walk? • Is that a reason? • How did</p><p>you like the book? • Who’s that standing over there? • Whose</p><p>is this pen? • How are things? • What does this machine do?</p><p>• Have they arrived? • Surely you’re not going to eat it raw? •</p><p>What’s someone who collects stamps called? • How did the party</p><p>go? • What delayed you? • What date is it? • How did they get</p><p>on with her?</p><p>• How many passengers does this bus take? • Why do you</p><p>want more time? • How’s everything? • How does this machine</p><p>work? • Doesn’t music interest you? • Surely that’s a bear over</p><p>there? • What word do you use for someone who works with</p><p>wood? • Which would you like —tea or coffee? • What went</p><p>wrong? • Will it help, do you think? • Will you help? • Who’s</p><p>paying? • Would you advise me to meet him again? • What reason</p><p>did she give for her behaviour? • What did you open it with? •</p><p>Could you tell me how far you’ve progressed? • Is everything all</p><p>right? • Is he pleased with the report? • Do you want to know</p><p>110 QuESTIONS FOR PRACTICE</p><p>why he said that? • Are you going to do as I tell you? • What</p><p>else was there? • Is anything the matter? • Do you know that he</p><p>came looking for you? • Are these any good?</p><p>• Is this the best you can do? • What’s up? • What does a</p><p>video-phone look like? • Is the report nearly ready? • How much</p><p>do you know? • Are the rooms comfortable? • What is in that</p><p>bag? • Could you explain how to do that? • Would it be all right</p><p>if I came a bit late tomorrow? • What will you make the box of?</p><p>• Does she really mean it? • What are your feelings about it?</p><p>• Who gave you permission? • What would you like to drink?</p><p>• What was her reaction? • What’s the monthly rent?</p><p>• What</p><p>colour is his shirt? • Excuse me, could I get past? • Will you be</p><p>able to book a seat for me? • Any other jobs to be done? • What’s</p><p>the reason for your decision? • Could you be more specific about</p><p>that? • What time would suit you? • Which is the strongest? •</p><p>Why’s she so miserable? • Is it as late as all that? • Will you lend</p><p>me that book?</p><p>• Have you been staying here long? • What caused all this</p><p>confusion? • What more do you expect? • Why didn’t he apply</p><p>the brake? • What’s the matter with you? • What shall I tell</p><p>them? • How far do you agree with them? • What difference</p><p>does it make? • What about having something to eat? • When</p><p>am I to expect him? • Is it likely to rain? • How do you account</p><p>for the missing letter? • What’s worrying you? • Would you mind</p><p>bringing it here? • Haven’t you always dreamt of becoming a</p><p>doctor? • What sort of picnic did you have? • Is it true that he is</p><p>promoted? • Do you think that he was right? • Was he surprised?</p><p>• Who told you he was short of money? • Would you prefer to</p><p>sit here or inside? • How do you find it? • What’s in the paper</p><p>today? • What’s so special about that?</p><p>Importance of the drill with word groups</p><p>you’ve been doing oral practice with question word groups. As</p><p>I’ve already told you, this sort of training gets you to become</p><p>111QuESTIONS FOR PRACTICE</p><p>good at asking questions spontaneously.</p><p>Now let’s look at another benefit you’ll get from this kind of</p><p>drill.</p><p>you know, spoken language is nothing but a combination of</p><p>sounds. But remember one thing: The way sounds are combined</p><p>in one language is different from the way sounds are combined</p><p>in another language. For example, the way sounds are combined</p><p>in English is different from the way sounds are combined in non-</p><p>English languages (= languages other than English).</p><p>you have long experience in speaking in your mother-</p><p>tongue, and so you have long experience in combining sounds</p><p>in your mother-tongue. Because of your long experience in</p><p>combining sounds in your mother-tongue, your organs of speech</p><p>have developed the ability to combine sounds in one way only</p><p>— the way they’re combined to produce speech in your mother</p><p>tongue.</p><p>And what are your organs of speech? your lips, tongue, nose,</p><p>palate, lungs, pharynx, larynx and vocal cords. These are your</p><p>organs of speech. These organs are accustomed to working only</p><p>in the ways your mother-tongue wants them to work. They’re not</p><p>accustomed to working in the way English-language demands</p><p>them to. So this is what happens: The moment you start speaking</p><p>in English, the tendency of your organs of speech is to work in</p><p>your native-language-way. you then artificially try to force them</p><p>to work in the English-language-way. They try to work in the</p><p>way you force them to, but they can’t, and so they fail. The vocal-</p><p>cords in your larynx will vibrate only in your native-language</p><p>way. your tongue, lips and soft-palate will take up positions only</p><p>in your native-language way. The muscles of your organs of</p><p>speech work well together only in your native-language-way. The</p><p>amount of breath you use will be right only according to your</p><p>native-language needs. On the whole, your organs of speech will</p><p>fail to co-operate with you to continue with your English speech,</p><p>and you start faltering with hesitations. you again try to make</p><p>112 QuESTIONS FOR PRACTICE</p><p>your organs of speech to come round and work in the English-</p><p>language way. But they won’t, because they can’t. Result? your</p><p>speech breaks up.</p><p>This is what happens to everybody, no matter how good</p><p>their knowledge of English is. Control over the functioning of</p><p>your organs of speech — that is what you need. Do the drills</p><p>in the various Books in this series the way you are told to, and</p><p>you’ll get this control. The practice materials have been carefully</p><p>selected, so they’ll train each and all your organs of speech to</p><p>produce each and all combinations of sounds in English-speech.</p><p>Remember this: The drills and exercises will train not one or two,</p><p>but each and all your organs of speech. The drills and exercises</p><p>will train your organs of speech to produce not just a few sound-</p><p>combinations, but all sound-combinations in English-speech.</p><p>Two important exercises</p><p>Here are two important exercises you should pay attention to</p><p>now:</p><p>1) Select about 50 questions each day. Look for contexts or</p><p>situations for using them. Make it a point to ask those questions</p><p>in real-life-situations. Complete all the questions in this way.</p><p>2) At the end of each day, run through all the questions.</p><p>What are the questions that you could have asked in real-life-</p><p>situations on that day, but which you didn’t ask? Tick-mark those</p><p>questions. Make it a point to find suitable situations on the next</p><p>day and to ask those questions in those situations.</p><p>That’s it. Bye for now.</p><p>* * *</p><p>Word List 2 given</p><p>below. This is a list of the most useful regular verbs. As in List 1,</p><p>here too, each word has a basic form (infinitive), past tense form</p><p>and past participle form.</p><p>Go through the list (Word List 2), and pick up the basic form</p><p>of each verb. Now say like this:</p><p>didn’t possess, didn’t bless, didn’t produce, didn’t increase,</p><p>didn’t force, didn’t finish, didn’t escape, didn’t look, didn’t</p><p>park, didn’t ache, didn’t walk…</p><p>Go on in this way, till you get to the end of the list (Word</p><p>List 2).</p><p>Now repeat the practice by replacing “didn’t” with</p><p>“doesn’t”:</p><p>doesn’t possess, doesn’t bless, doesn’t produce, doesn’t</p><p>increase, doesn’t force, doesn’t finish, doesn’t escape,</p><p>doesn’t look, doesn’t park, doesn’t ache, doesn’t walk…</p><p>Go on in this way, till you get to the end of the list (Word</p><p>List 2).</p><p>Now repeat the practice by replacing “doesn’t” with “don’t”:</p><p>don’t possess, don’t bless, don’t produce, don’t increase,</p><p>don’t force, don’t finish, don’t escape, don’t look, don’t</p><p>park, don’t ache, don’t walk…</p><p>Go on in this way, till you get to the end of the list (Word</p><p>List 2).</p><p>Drill 4</p><p>Look at descriptive principle no. 3. Now look at Word List 1 given</p><p>below once again.</p><p>Go through each of the 3-word sets, and pick up the third</p><p>word in each set. (The third word is the past participle). Now</p><p>say like this:</p><p>17‘TEACHING’ yOuR ‘TONGuE’</p><p>has bet, hasn’t bet, have bet, haven’t bet, had bet, hadn’t</p><p>bet.</p><p>has burst, hasn’t burst, have burst, haven’t burst, had burst,</p><p>hadn’t burst.</p><p>has cost, hasn’t cost, have cost, haven’t cost, had cost,</p><p>hadn’t cost.</p><p>has dug, hasn’t dug, have dug, haven’t dug, had dug, hadn’t</p><p>dug.</p><p>has flung, hasn’t flung, have flung, haven’t flung, had flung,</p><p>hadn’t flung.</p><p>has begun, hasn’t begun, have begun, haven’t begun, had</p><p>begun, hadn’t begun.</p><p>has drunk, hasn’t drunk, have drunk, haven’t drunk, had</p><p>drunk, hadn’t drunk.</p><p>has crept, hasn’t crept, have crept, haven’t crept, had crept,</p><p>hadn’t crept.</p><p>has kept, hasn’t kept, have kept, haven’t kept, had kept,</p><p>hadn’t kept.</p><p>Go on in this way till you get to the end of the list (Word</p><p>List 2).</p><p>Drill 5</p><p>Look at descriptive principle no. 3. Now look at Word List 2 given</p><p>below. As I’ve already told you, this is a list of the most useful</p><p>‘regular’ verbs. As in List 1, here too, each word has a basic form</p><p>(infinitive), past tense form and past participle form.</p><p>Go through the list (Word List 2), and pick up each word.</p><p>Now say like this:</p><p>• has produced, hasn’t produced, have produced, haven’t</p><p>produced, had produced, hadn’t produced. • has burst,</p><p>hasn’t burst, have burst, haven’t burst, had burst, hadn’t</p><p>burst. • has increased, hasn’t increased, have increased,</p><p>haven’t increased, had increased, hadn’t increased. • has</p><p>finished, hasn’t finished, have finished, haven’t finished,</p><p>18 ‘TEACHING’ yOuR ‘TONGuE’</p><p>had finished, hadn’t finished. • has escaped, hasn’t escaped,</p><p>have escaped, haven’t escaped, had escaped, hadn’t</p><p>escaped. • has looked, hasn’t looked, have looked, haven’t</p><p>looked, had looked, hadn’t looked. • has parked, hasn’t</p><p>parked, have parked, haven’t parked, had parked, hadn’t</p><p>parked. • has marked, hasn’t marked, have marked, haven’t</p><p>marked, had marked, hadn’t marked. • has stopped, hasn’t</p><p>stopped, have stopped, haven’t stopped, had stopped,</p><p>hadn’t stopped.</p><p>Go on in this way till you get to the end of the list (Word</p><p>List 2).</p><p>Word Lists</p><p>Word List 1: Irregular verbs</p><p>Here’s a list containing the Basic form, Past Tense and Past</p><p>Participle of the most-frequently-used ‘irregular’ action words.</p><p>• bet, bet, bet. • burst, burst, burst. • cost, cost, cost. •</p><p>cut, cut, cut. • hit, hit, hit. • hurt, hurt, hurt. • let, let, let.</p><p>• put, put, put. • set, set, set. • shut, shut, shut. • spread,</p><p>spread, spread. • split, split, split. • upset, upset, upset.</p><p>• dig, dug, dug. • fling, flung, flung • spin, spun, spun. •</p><p>stick, stuck, stuck. • sting, stung, stung. • swing, swung,</p><p>swung. • win, won, won. • wring, wrung, wrung. • bleed,</p><p>bled, bled. • breed, bred, bred. • feed, fed, fed. • lead, led,</p><p>led. • meet, met, met. • read, read, read. • speed, sped,</p><p>sped. • bind, bound, bound. • find, found, found. • grind,</p><p>ground, ground. • wind, wound, wound. • sit, sat, sat.</p><p>• spit, spat, spat. • fight, fought, fought. • strike, struck,</p><p>struck. • get, got, got. • hang, hung, hung. • hang, hanged,</p><p>hanged. • hold, held, held. • light, lit, lit. • slide, slid, slid.</p><p>• shoot, shot, shot. • shine, shone, shone. • stand, stood,</p><p>stood. • understand, understood, understood. • teach,</p><p>taught, taught. • catch, caught, caught. • make, made,</p><p>19‘TEACHING’ yOuR ‘TONGuE’</p><p>made. • bring, brought, brought. • think, thought, thought</p><p>• creep, crept, crept. • keep, kept, kept. • leap, leapt, leapt.</p><p>• sweep, swept, swept. • sleep, slept, slept. • weep, wept,</p><p>wept. • flee, fled, fled. • hear, heard, heard. • say, said,</p><p>said. • sell, sold, sold. • tell, told, told. • lean, leant, leant.</p><p>• mean, meant, meant. • buy, bought, bought. • leave, left,</p><p>left. • lose, lost, lost. • deal, dealt, dealt. • dream, dreamt,</p><p>dreamt. • feel, felt, felt. • kneel, knelt, knelt.</p><p>• begin, began, begun. • drink, drank, drunk. • ring, rang,</p><p>rung. • shrink, shrank, shrunk. • sing, sang, sung. • sink,</p><p>sank, sunk. • spring, sprang, sprung. • stink, stank, stunk.</p><p>• swim, swam, swum.</p><p>• drive, drove, driven. • ride, rode, ridden. • rise, rose,</p><p>risen. • write, wrote, written. • fly, flew, flown. • blow,</p><p>blew, blown. • grow, grew, grown. • know, knew, known.</p><p>• throw, threw, thrown. • draw, drew, drawn. • fall, fell,</p><p>fallen. • shake, shook, shaken. • take, took, taken. • see,</p><p>saw, seen. • eat, ate, eaten. • forbid, forbade, forbidden.</p><p>• forgive, forgave, forgiven. • give, gave, given. • swell,</p><p>swelled, swollen. • freeze, froze, frozen. • speak, spoke,</p><p>spoken. • steal, stole, stolen. • weave, wove, woven. •</p><p>forget, forgot, forgotten. • break, broke, broken. • wake,</p><p>woke, woken. • swear, swore, sworn. • tear, tore, torn. •</p><p>lie, lay, lain. • choose, chose, chosen. • bite, bit, bitten. •</p><p>hide, hid, hidden.</p><p>Word List 2: Regular verbs</p><p>Here are a few 3-word sets of ‘regular’ action words. In each set,</p><p>there are 3 words. The first word is the basic form (= infinitive)</p><p>of a verb, the second word is the past tense form of that verb, and</p><p>the third word is its past participle:</p><p>• Possess, possessed, possessed. • bless, blessed, blessed.</p><p>• produce, produced, produced. • increase, increased,</p><p>increased. • force, forced, forced. • finish, finished,</p><p>20 ‘TEACHING’ yOuR ‘TONGuE’</p><p>finished.</p><p>Below, you’ll find a list containing other most useful verbs</p><p>(= action words) in this category. In this list, I’ve only given the</p><p>basic form of the words. you can easily form the past tense and</p><p>past participle forms of these verbs by adding ‘d’ or ‘ed’ at the</p><p>ends.</p><p>E.g. • escape, escaped, escaped. • look, looked, looked. • park,</p><p>parked, parked. • ache, ached, ached. • walk, walked, walked.</p><p>Here we go for the words:</p><p>escape, look, park, ache, walk, cough, laugh, mark, stop,</p><p>help, pick, develop, talk, ask, work, hope, attack, jump,</p><p>slip, drop, furnish, notice, press, wash, fix, reduce, express,</p><p>address, cross, touch, wish, miss, polish, base, dress, pass,</p><p>introduce, place, advance, stretch, promise, rush, practise,</p><p>watch, push, reach, heap, milk, guess, rejoice, search,</p><p>thank, whip, dip, hook, mix, risk, such, rap, worship,</p><p>influence, bake, photograph, shock, tax, crack, joke, block,</p><p>shop, trick, kick, branch, step, decrease, flash, lack, brush,</p><p>punish, wrap, excuse, dance, like, camp, pump, slope,</p><p>stamp, pack, curse, lock, chase, prick, race, smoke, stick,</p><p>crash, march, cease, pronounce, wreck, nurse, establish,</p><p>fish, match.</p><p>mend, defend, hand, surround, afford, demand, regard,</p><p>provide, depend, crowd, wound, descend, remind, intend,</p><p>need, yield, record, divide, sound, add, avoid, succeed,</p><p>attend, land, decide, command, include, load, mind, flood,</p><p>guide, shade, reward, pretend, scold, persuade, offend,</p><p>fade, fold, end, explode,</p><p>shield.</p><p>surprise, use, cause, confuse, enclose, pause, praise,</p><p>manage, arrange, advise, please, raise, suppose, close,</p><p>changed, amuse, oppose, seize, charge, urge, advertise,</p><p>exercise, recognize, encourage, civilize, toss, judge, refuse.</p><p>operate, point, suspect, doubt, suggest, note, test, admit,</p><p>paint, elect, act, knot, invite, hate, hunt, invent, heat,</p><p>21‘TEACHING’ yOuR ‘TONGuE’</p><p>interest, interrupt, instruct, infect, greet, float, comfort,</p><p>feast, consist, delight, educate, desert, disappoint, excite,</p><p>cheat, plant, pilot, ornament, respect, rent, fit, visit,</p><p>appoint, separate, repeat, defeat, present, vote, exist,</p><p>account, report, permit, treat, support, expect, shout, print,</p><p>relate, prevent, attempt, direct, want, represent, post,</p><p>complete, connect, accept, rest, request, part, collect, lift,</p><p>count, result, attract, start, seat, taste, trust, suit, twist,</p><p>unite, waste, last, state, protect, wait, limit.</p><p>breathe, annoy, bury, rub, share, combine, seem, deliver,</p><p>govern, accustom, sign, scatter, tire, return, admire, smile,</p><p>colour, cry, love, roll, declare, cloth, stay, beg, aim, struggle,</p><p>concern, settle, agree, study, carry, describe, complain,</p><p>boil, suffer, serve, train, deserve, approve, supply, cheer,</p><p>control, destroy, clean, claim, save, cover, tie, belong, travel,</p><p>believe, answer, gather, determine, borrow, try, explain,</p><p>sail, compare, turn, behave, allow, order, die, own, climb,</p><p>follow, weigh, arm, fill, discover, gain, welcome, arrive,</p><p>care, argue, contain, enter, mention, blame, wonder, play,</p><p>consider, join, bill, curve, film, free, mail, conquer, poison,</p><p>rain, question, chain, row, wave, pile, grieve, harm, obey,</p><p>decay, drag, reason, hire, repair, prepare, murder, delay,</p><p>exchange, fasten, owe, enjoy, fail, live, flow, wander, call,</p><p>continue, earn, clear, warn, form, employ, fear, handle,</p><p>preserve, listen, remember, name, receive, happen, retire,</p><p>imagine, open, improve, perform, move, pour, remain,</p><p>inform, plan, measure, prove, nail, pull, screw, overflow,</p><p>steam, vary, worry, kill, hasten, matter, dry, deceive, button,</p><p>fancy, appear, border, comb, warm, bridge, quarrel, remove,</p><p>signal, curl, dare, hurry, favour, fulfill, copy, discourage,</p><p>drown, cure, fire, enquire, marry, lodge, flame, offer, satisfy,</p><p>whistle, inquire, slow, pin, rob, form, hammer, examine,</p><p>tidy, bar, damage, lower, oil, pity, shelter, tower, tow,</p><p>tremble, store, whisper, reply, telephone, charm, desire,</p><p>obtain, trouble, swallow.</p><p>22 ‘TEACHING’ yOuR ‘TONGuE’</p><p>Two exercises</p><p>1). I’ve listed the words in a mixed-up way, and not in their</p><p>alphabetical order. Pick up a pencil, and a few sheets of</p><p>paper. Arrange the words in the alphabetical order. Don’t</p><p>think that this is a boring task. you’ll find this work really</p><p>challenging and interesting. Once you get started, you’ll</p><p>really enjoy doing this. And once you’ve finished this</p><p>exercise, you’ll find that all the words in the lists have really</p><p>got into your mind. you’ll find that the words have left a</p><p>sort of ‘photographic’ impression in your mind. This is an</p><p>excellent exercise for getting words to come to the tip of</p><p>your tongue instantly.</p><p>2). Whether you know the meaning of these words or not,</p><p>you MuST do one other thing. Look up their meanings in</p><p>your dictionary. Look up the meanings of ALL these words.</p><p>you needn’t complete this work all at once. Take up a few</p><p>words everyday. And you needn’t learn to say the meanings</p><p>by heart. No. That’s not at all necessary.</p><p>* * *</p><p>23RHyTHM AND FLOW OF SPEECH</p><p>CHAPTER 2</p><p>Rhythm and flow of speech</p><p>We’re now going to take up an important topic. The technique</p><p>that you’re now going to learn — it’s going to bring about a</p><p>revolutionary change in the nature of your speech-flow. yes, a</p><p>revolutionary change.</p><p>I’ll first explain certain basic principles, and then show you</p><p>how you can employ those principles to get your speech to flow</p><p>steadily. In the later Books in this series, I’ll give you collections</p><p>of selected word groups, so you can get intensive practice in</p><p>these principles.</p><p>Read through the explanations carefully. It’s important that</p><p>you must have a firm theoretical knowledge of this topic. And the</p><p>practice material would give you the training you need.</p><p>The syllable</p><p>The English language is a semi-musical language. This is</p><p>because when native speakers of English speak, the syllables in</p><p>the words they use come out with a semi-musical rhythm, and</p><p>not at a flat pitch. (you know, pitch is the degree to which a sound</p><p>is high or low). If you want to speak English with native-speaker-</p><p>like fluency, you’ll have to master the mechanics of this English</p><p>rhythm. And the first step towards achieving this aim is to learn</p><p>about syllable stress.</p><p>you know, a syllable is a unit of sound that contains a vowel.</p><p>For example, the word ‘father’ contains two syllables ‘fa’ and ‘ther’.</p><p>The word ‘necessary’ contains four syllables ‘ne’, ‘ces’, ‘sa’, and</p><p>‘ry’. On the other hand, the word ‘cut’ contains only one syllable</p><p>‘cut’. The word ‘then’ contains only one syllable ‘then’. So we can</p><p>say that a syllable is a whole word or part of a word that contains</p><p>a vowel. It is the vowel that is the ‘nucleus’ of a syllable.</p><p>24 RHyTHM AND FLOW OF SPEECH</p><p>Two groups of words</p><p>In general, words in English can be classed into two groups:</p><p>• Words that only have a single syllable. They’re called</p><p>monosyllabic words.</p><p>E.g. bus, his, how, give, grow, bring, etc.</p><p>• Words that have more than one syllable. They’re called</p><p>polysyllabic words.</p><p>E.g. below, answer, however, greater, biggest, etc.</p><p>The way the English language flows</p><p>When a native speaker of English speaks, the degree of the</p><p>sounds of the syllables keeps varying between high and low.</p><p>And so when native speakers of English speaks, certain syllables</p><p>alone stand out from the rest and they can be heard more clearly.</p><p>They pronounce these key syllables alone distinctly. And they</p><p>pronounce the rest of the syllables comparatively quickly (and</p><p>at a lower pitch and in a less clear way) in between these key</p><p>syllables.</p><p>you can always notice five things when they speak:</p><p>1) Not all syllables in a word group are stressed. Only one</p><p>or two are. The rest are left unstressed. So the syllables</p><p>that are stressed come out more loudly and clearly than</p><p>the other syllables in that word group.</p><p>2) The syllables that are stressed are normally: (i) A syllable</p><p>that is conventionally labelled as a ‘stressed’ syllable in a</p><p>polysyllabic word (polysyllabic content word as well as</p><p>polysyllabic function word); and (ii) The sole syllable in</p><p>a monosyllabic content word.</p><p>3) The syllables that are stressed are pronounced more</p><p>slowly than syllables that are not stressed. And so they</p><p>get the full amount of time they need. But the syllables</p><p>25RHyTHM AND FLOW OF SPEECH</p><p>that are not stressed are said very quickly. And so they</p><p>don’t get the full amount of time they need. So sometimes</p><p>hearers even get the impression that some syllables are</p><p>drawn out, while the remaining syllables are slurred.</p><p>(Now bear this in mind: This is not a defect, but a</p><p>distinctive feature of English speech. And this is how you</p><p>should speak English if you want to speak it with native-</p><p>speaker-like fluency).</p><p>4) The time spent in pronouncing a stressed syllable</p><p>in a word is often not the same as the time spent in</p><p>pronouncing a stressed syllable in another word (in the</p><p>same word group). And the time spent in pronouncing an</p><p>unstressed syllable in a word is often not the same as</p><p>the time spent in pronouncing an unstressed syllable</p><p>in another word (in the same word group). That is, the</p><p>syllables in some words in a word group are pronounced</p><p>more quickly than the syllables in the other words in the</p><p>same word group.</p><p>5) The way in which the syllables in some words are</p><p>pronounced more quickly than the syllables in other</p><p>words — this is remarkable. The syllables are pronounced</p><p>in such a way that something interesting happens: The</p><p>syllables that are uttered with greater force or</p><p>effort come</p><p>out more loudly and clearly (than the other syllables) at</p><p>approximately equal intervals of time. This quasi-regular</p><p>succession of the loudly-heard syllables — this regular</p><p>succession gives a unique rhythm to English speech.</p><p>So when a native speaker of English speaks, the syllable</p><p>sounds don’t flow at a flat level. And so English speech flows</p><p>somewhat like a wave. The height of the speech-sound goes up</p><p>() at a stressed syllable, and then it comes down () over a</p><p>group of unstressed syllables. The height of the sound again goes</p><p>up () at the next stressed syllable, and then it comes down ()</p><p>over the next group of unstressed syllables. The loudness of the</p><p>26 RHyTHM AND FLOW OF SPEECH</p><p>syllable-sounds keeps going up and coming down in this way</p><p>every second (or in less time than that) — rhythmically. This</p><p>type of rhythm is called the stress-timed rhythm, because this</p><p>type of rhythm depends on the occurrence of primary stresses at</p><p>roughly equal intervals of time (no matter how many unstressed</p><p>syllables there may be in between).</p><p>The way ‘non-English’ languages flow</p><p>Most other languages don’t flow with this stress-syllable</p><p>based rhythm. For example, French doesn’t flow in this way.</p><p>No language in India flows in this way. This is because the</p><p>syllables in the words in these languages are not divided into</p><p>stressed syllables and unstressed syllables. In these non-English</p><p>languages, all syllables are neutral syllables. So all syllables occur</p><p>at equal intervals of time. And so all these non-English languages</p><p>flow with a sort of ‘flat’ rhythm. They flow with a flat rhythm,</p><p>because their rhythm depends on the occurrence of all syllables</p><p>at roughly equal intervals of time (and not of certain specified</p><p>syllables alone, as in English). This type of rhythm based on all</p><p>syllables is called the syllable-timed rhythm. We’ll use the term</p><p>flat rhythm to avoid confusion.</p><p>So in essence, this is the difference: In English, only stressed</p><p>syllables occur at roughly equal intervals of time. But in most</p><p>other languages, all syllables occur at roughly equal intervals of</p><p>time, and all syllables generally get an equal amount of stress.</p><p>Here you should note the following two points:</p><p>1). Uniform stress</p><p>In flat rhythm languages, all the syllables in a word or word</p><p>group are normally uttered with the same amount of stress. In</p><p>English, that is not so.</p><p>In English, only those syllables that are conventionally</p><p>known as stressed syllables get stress.</p><p>27RHyTHM AND FLOW OF SPEECH</p><p>2). Uniform time distribution</p><p>you see, when you pronounce a syllable separately and clearly (in</p><p>isolation), it needs a certain amount of time to come out clearly.</p><p>In a flat rhythm language, while you’re speaking fluently,</p><p>each of the syllables in a word group is pronounced by giving</p><p>it the same amount of time as it needs when it’s pronounced</p><p>separately and clearly. And that’s not all. The amount of time</p><p>that each syllable takes up is almost equal. That is, the time</p><p>spent in pronouncing a syllable in one word is the same as the</p><p>time spent in pronouncing each other syllable in that word. And</p><p>the time spent in pronouncing a syllable in one word in a word</p><p>group is the same as the time spent in pronouncing each of the</p><p>syllables in the other words (in that word group). That is not so</p><p>in English. In English, only a stressed syllable is pronounced by</p><p>giving it the time it takes up when it’s pronounced separately and</p><p>clearly. In English, all unstressed syllables are pronounced more</p><p>quickly (than are stressed syllables). That is, when an unstressed</p><p>syllable is uttered, a fluent speaker doesn’t give it the normal</p><p>amount of time it’ll take up if it’s uttered separately and clearly</p><p>(in isolation). That’s why when you listen to a native speaker</p><p>of English, you’ll only be able to hear the stressed syllables very</p><p>clearly. As far as unstressed syllables are concerned, you’ll only</p><p>be able to hear them less clearly. That’s why it’s very important</p><p>that you should have a clear idea of which syllable is the ‘stressed</p><p>syllable’ in each of the frequently-used words. (Don’t worry. The</p><p>Books in this series will help you).</p><p>Let English flow the way English should flow</p><p>So here we come to an important reason why many non-native</p><p>speakers of English find it difficult to speak fluent English. They</p><p>find this difficult, because they try to let their English speech flow</p><p>in the same way as their mother-tongue flows — that is, with a</p><p>‘flat’ rhythm, rather than with a stress-timed rhythm. They place</p><p>the same amount of stress on all syllables in a word and on all</p><p>28 RHyTHM AND FLOW OF SPEECH</p><p>syllables in a word group. They don’t project any syllable as a</p><p>stressed one or downplay any syllable as an unstressed one. And</p><p>they don’t stress any syllable (with extra breath force or effort)</p><p>at roughly equal intervals of time.</p><p>An important factor that makes English speech to flow</p><p>steadily without any break is its stress-timed rhythm. And so</p><p>you’ll have to master it. you break that rhythm, and you’ll falter</p><p>and your speech will lose its ‘balance’ and break up. So never</p><p>speak English in a ‘flat way’. Never. From now on, remember</p><p>this thing: you must speak English by stressing stressed syllables</p><p>alone. (We’ll look at the exceptions later). This is a technique</p><p>that is very easy to master. And that’s what we’re going to start</p><p>doing now.</p><p>Up and down movement</p><p>Now at what points do the English-speech sounds go up in</p><p>loudness (and also become clearer)? And at what points do the</p><p>English-speech sounds come down in loudness (and also become</p><p>less clear)? Do they go up or come down whenever the speaker</p><p>wants them to go up or come down? Or do they go up or come</p><p>down only at certain fixed points?</p><p>Here are the answers:</p><p>1) There are certain fixed points where the loudness of</p><p>speech has to go up and come down, whether the speaker</p><p>wants it to go up or come down at those points.</p><p>2) Here are these fixed points: The loudness necessarily</p><p>goes up () (and the syllable is heard clearly) in two</p><p>cases: (i) It goes up when you utter the strong syllable in</p><p>a polysyllabic word by stressing that strong syllable. (ii)</p><p>It goes up when you utter a monosyllabic content word</p><p>by stressing its sole syllable. (Now how do you stress a</p><p>syllable? you stress a syllable when you utter it with greater</p><p>breath-force or effort than the neighbouring syllables.</p><p>29RHyTHM AND FLOW OF SPEECH</p><p>When you stress a syllable, you put emphasis on it as you</p><p>pronounce it, and so it sounds louder and clearer than the</p><p>neighbouring syllables).</p><p>3) The loudness necessarily comes down () (and the</p><p>syllable is heard less clearly) in two cases: (i) It comes</p><p>down when you utter the weak syllables in a polysyllabic</p><p>word by not stressing them. (ii) It comes down when you</p><p>utter a monosyllabic function word by not stressing its sole</p><p>syllable.</p><p>4) In addition, the speaker has the freedom to emphasize</p><p>or play down any ‘function word’ if he wants, and to make</p><p>the speech sounds to go up in pitch at that point. He’s</p><p>normally free to do this either for drawing the attention of</p><p>the hearers to the meaning conveyed by that function word</p><p>or merely for keeping up the rhythm of speech.</p><p>Syllable stress</p><p>Now what are the syllables that are normally stressed, and what</p><p>are those that are not normally stressed? What’s a strong syllable</p><p>and what’s a weak syllable?</p><p>1). Polysyllabic words</p><p>In every polysyllabic word, there will be two or more syllables.</p><p>And one particular syllable in it is more important than all the</p><p>other syllables (in that word). This is something that has been</p><p>conventionally fixed. We can call this most important syllable in</p><p>the word the strong syllable and all the other syllables in the word,</p><p>weak syllables. Whenever you use a polysyllabic word, you must</p><p>stress this most important syllable. you should stress the strong</p><p>syllable in a polysyllabic word — whether it’s a content word (=</p><p>verbs, nouns, adjectives, adverbs, demonstrative pronouns)</p><p>or a</p><p>function word (= any other word).</p><p>30 RHyTHM AND FLOW OF SPEECH</p><p>Now in a two-syllable word, is it the first syllable or the second</p><p>syllable that is more important (strong)? In a three-syllable word,</p><p>is it the first syllable or the second syllable or the third syllable</p><p>that is the most important (strong)? Here guidelines will not be of</p><p>any help. No. you see, the position of the strong syllable in every</p><p>polysyllabic word is fixed — by convention. Nobody can change</p><p>that position. I’ll give you a list of all the essential frequently-</p><p>used polysyllabic words a few pages later. That list will show you</p><p>the position of the strong syllable in each of those words.</p><p>Remember this: In a polysyllabic word, it is only the strong</p><p>syllable that you must stress. If you stress any other syllable (that</p><p>is, a weak syllable), the word will get twisted out of shape, and</p><p>your speech will sound un-English.</p><p>2). Monosyllabic words</p><p>In a monosyllabic word, there will only be a single syllable.</p><p>If the monosyllabic word is a content word (= verbs, nouns,</p><p>adjectives, adverbs, demonstrative pronouns), its sole syllable is</p><p>treated as a strong syllable. you should stress it. That is, you</p><p>should use more breath force or effort than you use when you</p><p>pronounce an unstressed syllable.</p><p>But if the monosyllabic word is a function word, its sole</p><p>syllable is treated as a weak syllable, and not stressed. No, you</p><p>shouldn’t stress it. you should leave it unstressed. That is, when</p><p>you pronounce a monosyllabic function word, you shouldn’t use</p><p>as much breath force or effort as you use when you pronounce a</p><p>stressed syllable.</p><p>Now as far as monosyllabic function words are concerned,</p><p>they fall under two categories:</p><p>Some function words have conventional weak forms for use</p><p>in normal speech. you should only use their weak forms when</p><p>you use them in normal connected speech (that is, when you</p><p>leave them unstressed in connected speech). This is so whether</p><p>31RHyTHM AND FLOW OF SPEECH</p><p>you’re speaking slow or fast. We’ll call these function words</p><p>weak function words.</p><p>A weak form of pronunciation is one in which the vowel is</p><p>weaker (= shorter) than in its full-length pronunciation. (The</p><p>full-length pronunciation is one in which the vowel is given its</p><p>full length. This is the pronunciation shown in dictionaries. This is</p><p>the form of pronunciation that a word gets when it’s pronounced</p><p>alone, in isolation).</p><p>But the remaining function words don’t have conventional</p><p>weak forms. So even when you leave them unstressed, the vowels</p><p>in them don’t normally get reduced, and they’re pronounced in</p><p>their full-length form (though they’re not stressed — that is,</p><p>though more breath force or effort is not used in pronouncing</p><p>them). This is so, provided you’re not speaking casually and fast.</p><p>But if you’re speaking casually and fast, many of these function</p><p>words would show reduction. We’ll call these function words</p><p>neutral function words.</p><p>Let’s now find out more about the two categories of function</p><p>words. We must do this before we start looking at the mechanics</p><p>of the English rhythm.</p><p>List A: Weak function words</p><p>These words have two forms of pronunciations. There’s a ‘full-</p><p>length form’ and there’s a ‘weak form’.</p><p>The full-length form is the form in which you pronounce</p><p>them when they’re pronounced alone, in isolation. In this full-</p><p>length form of pronunciation, you give full sound value to the</p><p>vowel in the sole syllable in these words. The ‘weak form’ is</p><p>the form in which fluent speakers normally pronounce them in</p><p>connected speech. In this full-length form of pronunciation, you</p><p>don’t give full sound value to the vowel in the sole syllable in</p><p>these words.</p><p>Remember this: The weak form is the regular form of</p><p>32 RHyTHM AND FLOW OF SPEECH</p><p>pronunciation of these words. So if you stress them in connected</p><p>speech (except as a special case to draw the hearers’ attention to</p><p>them), your English would sound artificial.</p><p>“Schwa”</p><p>If you want to produce reduced forms of words in speech, you</p><p>have to have a clear idea about a very common unstressed vowel</p><p>called ‘schwa’ (pronounced as ‘shwa’). In the pronunciation-</p><p>description given below, you’ll come across the inverted ‘e’ (“ə”)</p><p>at several places. ‘ə’ is a semi-vowel-sound. It is found only in</p><p>syllables that are not stressed. yet it is the most frequent vowel-</p><p>sound in English.</p><p>you know, ‘ə’ is —</p><p>• the sound between ‘s’ and ‘p’ in ‘supply’. • the sound</p><p>between ‘p’ and ‘n’ in ‘company’. • the sound between</p><p>‘m’ and ‘s’ in ‘famous’. • the sound between ‘p’ and ‘h’ in</p><p>‘perhaps’. • the sound of ‘a’ in ‘about’. • the sound of ‘i’ in</p><p>‘capacity’. • the sound of ‘e’ in ‘item’. • the sound of ‘o’ in</p><p>‘obey’.</p><p>‘ə’ sounds like a semi ‘e’ or a semi ‘a’ or a semi ‘o’. Let me</p><p>give you an idea of how ‘ə’ sounds like: Clench your teeth. Say</p><p>‘a’ — not the letter ‘a’, but the sound ‘a’, that is, the sound of the</p><p>letter ‘u’ in ‘up’. (This sound is represented by the international</p><p>phonetic alphabet ‘Λ’). Say it from the throat. That’s the ‘ə’ sound.</p><p>Again clench your teeth. Say ‘o’. Let the sounds come from the</p><p>throat. That’s the ‘ə’ sound. Again clench your teeth. Say ‘e’ (not</p><p>letter ‘e’, but sound ‘e’ – the sound of the letter ‘e’ in ‘end’). That’s</p><p>the ‘ə’ sound. Let the sound come from the throat. Again, the</p><p>sound you produce is the ‘ə’ sound.</p><p>Note this: ‘ə’ is a very short vowel. It’s length is very short</p><p>compared to the length of other short vowel sounds. Mind you,</p><p>I’m not asking you to clench your teeth whenever you make the ‘ə’</p><p>sound in connected speech. I’m only trying to make you feel how</p><p>33RHyTHM AND FLOW OF SPEECH</p><p>the sound ‘ə’ sounds like. But there are two things you should</p><p>never do: Whenever you make the ‘ə’ sound, never round your</p><p>lips, and never open your mouth wide.</p><p>Now let’s take a detailed look at the function words that have</p><p>‘weak forms’ for normal use. Here’s their list. you’ll find the ‘weak</p><p>forms’ on the right hand side of the arrows.</p><p>• a  ə. • am  m , əm. • an  ən. • and  ənd, nd, ən, n.</p><p>• are  ə (before consonants), ər (before vowels). • as  əs. • at</p><p> ət. • be  bi. • been  bin. • but  bət. • can  kən. • could</p><p> kəd. • do  də (before consonants), du (before vowels). •</p><p>does  dəz. • for  fə (before consonants), fər (before vowels).</p><p>• from  frəm, frm. • had  həd, əd, d. • has  həz, əz, z, s.</p><p>• have  həv, əv, v. • he  i:. • her  hər, з:, ə. • him  im. •</p><p>his  iz. • is  s, z. • me  mi. • must  məs. • not  nt, n.</p><p>• of  əv, v. • Saint  sənt, snt, sən, sn. • shall  shəl, shl. •</p><p>she  shi. • should  shəd. • sir  sə (before consonants), sər</p><p>(before vowels). • so  sə. • some  səm – only when used as</p><p>an adjective (and not when used as a pronoun). • than  thən. •</p><p>that  thət. • the  thə (before consonants), thi (before vowels).</p><p>• them  thəm. • there  thə. • to  tə (before consonants), tu</p><p>(before vowels). • us  əs, s. • was  wəs. • we  wi. • were</p><p> wə (before consonants), wər (before vowels). • who  hu, u:,</p><p>u. • will  əl, l. • would  wəd, wd, d. • you  yu, yə.</p><p>List B: Neutral function words</p><p>There are certain function words in English that are normally</p><p>given their full-length pronunciation. That is, as far as these</p><p>function words are concerned, it’s normal to use their full-length</p><p>pronunciation, even when they’re not stressed. But in fast speech,</p><p>even these function words get weakened. This is especially so if</p><p>the fast speech happens in a casual situation.</p><p>Here’s a list of these function words (followed by their</p><p>reduced forms):</p><p>34 RHyTHM AND FLOW OF SPEECH</p><p>• any  ni. • by  bə. • did  d. • how  həw. • I  ə. • if</p><p> (ə)f. • in  (ə)n. • it  ət. • its  əts. • many  mni. • may</p><p> mə. • might  mət. • more  mə. • my  mə. • nor  nə.</p><p>• or  ər. • on  (ə)n. • our  aə, a: • so  sə. • their  thə.</p><p>• then  thən. • they  thə. • though  thə. • through  thrə.</p><p>• till  təl. • used (to)  yu:stə. • what  wət. • when  wən.</p><p>• where  wə(r). • which  wəch. • while  wəl.</p><p>• whose </p><p>həs. • why  wΛ, wə. • with  wəth. • your  yə.</p><p>Guidelines</p><p>Here are a few guidelines, and you’ll find them helpful:</p><p>Guideline 1</p><p>am, are, can, could, did, do, does, had, has, have, is, must,</p><p>shall, should, was, were, will, would. Suppose that you use</p><p>any of these verb forms as the first word in a ‘question</p><p>word group’. Then, you must use their full-length forms (as</p><p>given on the left hand side of the arrows), and not their</p><p>weak forms.</p><p>E.g. • Am I at|fault? • Are you a |doctor? • Can I |help</p><p>you?</p><p>In medial positions, use their weak forms.</p><p>Guideline 2</p><p>am, are, be, can, could, did, do, does, had, has, have, is,</p><p>must, shall, should, was, were, will, would. Suppose that you</p><p>use any of these verb forms as the last word in a clausal</p><p>idea unit (whole or fragmentary) or a ‘foot’ (We’ll soon see</p><p>what a ‘foot’ is). Then, you must use their full-length forms,</p><p>and not their weak forms.</p><p>E.g. • yes, I am. • yes, we are. • yes, he can. • yes, they</p><p>could.</p><p>35RHyTHM AND FLOW OF SPEECH</p><p>Guideline 3</p><p>at, by, for, from, of, on, till, to, with. Suppose that you use</p><p>any of these prepositions as the last word in a clausal idea</p><p>unit (whole or fragmentary) or a ‘foot’ (We’ll soon see what</p><p>a ‘foot’ is). Then, you must use their full-length forms, and</p><p>not their weak forms.</p><p>E.g. • What are you looking at? • This is what he earns his</p><p>living by.</p><p>Guideline 4</p><p>he, her, him, his, them, us. Even when they occur finally in</p><p>an idea unit (or in a foot within an idea unit), you should</p><p>not use the full-length forms of these words. you should</p><p>only use their weak forms. (you should use their full-</p><p>length forms only when you stress them as special cases for</p><p>reasons of meaning).</p><p>E.g. • Who’s i: (= he)? • Ask з: (= her). • Tell im (= him).</p><p>Guideline 5</p><p>how, what, when, where, which, who, whose, why. Suppose</p><p>that you use any of these words as the first word in a</p><p>‘question word group’. Then you must use the full-length</p><p>forms of these words.</p><p>E.g. • How did he|go? • What |time is it? • When will</p><p>you be |ready?</p><p>But if these words occur medially, and if you’re speaking at</p><p>a fast rate, you don’t normally have to use the full-length</p><p>forms of these words.</p><p>Guideline 6</p><p>more. you need not use the full-length form of this word,</p><p>and you can weaken it, when you use it for comparison.</p><p>36 RHyTHM AND FLOW OF SPEECH</p><p>E.g. John|draws mə (=more)|beautifully than|Mary.</p><p>But suppose that you use this word to indicate the quantity</p><p>or number of something. Then you must normally use its</p><p>full-length form.</p><p>E.g. more |people, more |money, etc.</p><p>Guideline 7</p><p>some. Suppose that you’re using ‘some’ as an adjective.</p><p>Then you should normally weaken this word, and should</p><p>not use its full-length form.</p><p>E.g. • səm (=some) people. • səm (= some) powder.</p><p>But you must not weaken it, but use its full-length form, if</p><p>you’re using it as a pronoun.</p><p>E.g. • some are good. • He gave me some.</p><p>Guideline 8</p><p>that. Suppose that you’re using ‘that’ as a conjunction</p><p>to introduce a clause. Then you can weaken this word.</p><p>(Actually, you can leave out the word ‘that’ in contexts like</p><p>these).</p><p>E.g. • Anil|told me (thət)|Mina was|there. • Gita|thought</p><p>(thət)|Anil had| gone.</p><p>Again, suppose that you use ‘that’ as a relative pronoun.</p><p>Then again, you can weaken this word.</p><p>E.g. the book (thət) you gave me.</p><p>In other contexts, you must not weaken it, but use its full-</p><p>length form.</p><p>E.g. • Give me that. • Who’s that? • Where’s that?</p><p>Guideline 9</p><p>there. Suppose that you use ‘there’ as the second word in a</p><p>‘question word group’ or as the introductory (first) word in</p><p>37RHyTHM AND FLOW OF SPEECH</p><p>other word groups. Then you need not use the full-length</p><p>form of this word. (In these cases, you’re using ‘there’ as an</p><p>indefinite adverb).</p><p>E.g. • Is there (= thər)|any|doubt? • There’s (= Thəz)</p><p>a|boy at the|gate.</p><p>But suppose that you use ‘there’ to mean ‘to that place’ or</p><p>‘at that place’ or ‘in that place’. Then, you must normally</p><p>use its full-length form. (Here you’re using ‘there’ as a</p><p>demonstrative adverb).</p><p>E.g. • Anil|told me |Mina was there. • He’s gone there.</p><p>Limited freedom</p><p>Let me now sum up a few points:</p><p>1) As far as monosyllabic content words are concerned,</p><p>the general principle is that you must stress them. But, if</p><p>the meaning they convey is understood from the context,</p><p>you may sometimes have to leave them unstressed in fast</p><p>casual speech — for keeping up the rhythm of speech.</p><p>2) As far as monosyllabic function words are concerned,</p><p>you must not normally stress them. you mustn’t. However,</p><p>in two circumstances, you may have to stress them: (i) you</p><p>may have to stress them, if you want to draw the hearers’</p><p>particular attention to the meaning conveyed by those</p><p>words. (ii) you may also have to stress them for keeping up</p><p>the rhythm of speech.</p><p>3) As far as polysyllabic content words are concerned, you</p><p>must always stress them.</p><p>4) As far as polysyllabic function words are concerned,</p><p>you must normally stress them, too. But sometimes in fast</p><p>casual speech, you may have to leave them unstressed —</p><p>for keeping up the rhythm of speech. For example, ‘any’</p><p>and ‘many’ are two polysyllabic words that often show</p><p>reduction in length of sounds:</p><p>38 RHyTHM AND FLOW OF SPEECH</p><p>• any  ni. • many  mni.</p><p>Note that these circumstances make things easier for you.</p><p>Why? Because you’re free (to a limited extent) to decide what</p><p>to do to keep up the rhythm of speech. On the one hand, you</p><p>can leave out to stress relatively unimportant words that are</p><p>normally stressed — if you find it necessary to do so to keep up</p><p>the rhythm. On the other hand, you can stress words (syllables)</p><p>that are normally left unstressed — if you find that also necessary</p><p>to keep up the rhythm.</p><p>But it won’t be necessary for you to exercise this kind of</p><p>choice often. If you do four things, the rhythm of your English</p><p>speech will normally take care of itself:</p><p>• Stress the strong syllable in every polysyllabic word</p><p>(content word as well as function word).</p><p>• Don’t stress monosyllabic function words.</p><p>• As a rule, when you use a ‘weak function word’, use its</p><p>weak (= reduced) form of pronunciation (List A above).</p><p>• Stress all monosyllabic content words.</p><p>Shortened forms</p><p>The shortened forms of certain very common word combinations</p><p>are given below: These combinations happen when certain</p><p>common words come together in speech. When these common</p><p>words come together in speech, you should only use their</p><p>shortened forms, and not their long forms. (As far as their long</p><p>forms are concerned, you should only use them in exceptional</p><p>cases — when you want to give special importance to them, and</p><p>not otherwise).</p><p>In the list below, you’ll find the long form on the left hand</p><p>side of each ‘=’, the shortened form on the right hand side of each</p><p>‘=’, and the pronunciation of the shortened form on the right</p><p>hand side of each arrow.</p><p>39RHyTHM AND FLOW OF SPEECH</p><p>• I am = I’m  Λim, Λəm. • I can  Λikən. • I could </p><p>Λikəd. • I had = I’d  Λiəd, Λid. • I have = I’ve  Λihəv, Λiəv,</p><p>Λiv. • I must  Λiməs. • I will = I’ll  Λil. • I would = I’d </p><p>Λiəd, Λid.</p><p>NOTE: When ‘I’ occurs medially, it’s often reduced to ‘ə’ in fast speech.</p><p>E.g. • When I was…  Whenəwəs… • Then I said…  Thenə said…</p><p>• you are = you’re  yə (before consonants), yər (before</p><p>vowels). • you can  yukən, yəkən. • you could  yukəd, yəkəd.</p><p>• you had = you’d  yud or yəd. • you have = you’ve  yuhəv,</p><p>yəv. • you must  yuməs, yəməs. • you will = you’ll  yul or yəl.</p><p>• you would = you’d  yud or yəd.</p><p>• he can  hikən. • he could  hikəd. • he has = he’s </p><p>hiz. • he is = he’s  hiz. • he must  himəs. • he will = he’ll </p><p>hil. • he would = he’d  hid.</p><p>• she can  shikən. • she could  shikəd. • she had = she’d</p><p> shihəd, shiəd, shid. • she has = she’s  shihəz, shiəz, shiz. •</p><p>she is = she’s  shiz. • she must  shiməs. • she will = she’ll </p><p>shil. • she would =she’d  shiwəd, shiəd, shid.</p><p>• it can  itkən (often, ikkcn). • it could  itkəd (often,</p><p>ikkəd). • it had = it’d  it’həd, itəd, itd. • it has = it’s </p><p>it’həz,</p><p>itəz, its. • it is = it’s  its. • it must  itməs (often, ipməs). • it</p><p>will = it’ll  itl. • it would = it’d  itwəd, itəd, itd.</p><p>• we are = we’re  wiə (before consonants), wiər (before</p><p>vowels). • we can  wikən. • we could  wikəd. • we had =</p><p>we’d  wihəd, wiəd, wid. • we have = we’ve  wihəv, wiəv, wiv.</p><p>• we must  wiməs. • we will = we’ll  wil. • we would = we’d</p><p> wiwəd, wiəd, wid.</p><p>• they are = they’re  theiə (before consonants), theiər</p><p>(before vowels). • they can  theikən. • they could  theikəd.</p><p>• they had = they’d  theihəd, theiəd, theid. • they have =</p><p>they’ve  theihəv, theiəv, theiv. • they must  theiməs. • they</p><p>will = they’ll  theil. • they would = they’d  theiwəd, theiəd,</p><p>theid.</p><p>40 RHyTHM AND FLOW OF SPEECH</p><p>• who are = who’re  huə (before consonants), huər(before</p><p>vowels). • who can  hukən. • who could  hukəd. • who had</p><p>= who’d  huhəd, huəd, hud. • who has = who’s  huhəz,</p><p>huəz, huz. • who have = who’ve  huhəv, huəv, huv. • who is =</p><p>who’s  huz. • who must  huməs. • who will = who’ll  hul.</p><p>• who would = who’d  huwəd, huəd, hud.</p><p>• that are = that’re  thətə (before consonants), thatər</p><p>(before vowels). • that can  thətkən (often, thəkkən). • that</p><p>could  thətkəd (often, thəkkəd). • that had = that’d  thət’həd,</p><p>thətəd, thətd. • that has = that’s  thət’həz, thətəz, thəts. • that</p><p>have = that’ve  thət’həv, thətəv, thətv. • that is = that’s  thəts.</p><p>• that must  thətməs (often, thəpməs). • that will = that’ll </p><p>thətl. • that would = that’d  thətwəd, thətəd, thətd.</p><p>• can have = can’ve  kənəv. • could have = could’ve </p><p>kədəv. • may have = may’ve  meiv. • might have = might’ve </p><p>mightəv. • must have = must’ve  məsv. • ought to have  otəv.</p><p>• shall have = shall’ve  shələv. • should have = should’ve </p><p>shədəv. • will have = will’ve  wiləv. • would have = would’ve</p><p> wədəv.</p><p>• here is = here’s  hiəz. • there are  thərə (before</p><p>consonants), thərər (before vowels). • there can  thəkən. •</p><p>there could  thəkəd. • there had = there’d  thəhəd, thəd. •</p><p>there has = there’s  thəz. • there have = there’ve  thəv. •</p><p>there is = there’s  thəz. • there must  thəməs. • there will =</p><p>there’ll  thəl. • there would = there’d  thəwəd, thəd.</p><p>• how are = how’re  howə (before consonants), howər</p><p>(before vowels). • how can  howkən. • how could  howkəd.</p><p>• how had = how’d  howəd, howd. • how has = how’s </p><p>howz. • how have = how’ve  howəv. • how is = how’s </p><p>howz. • how must  howməs. • how will = how’ll  how’l. •</p><p>how would = how’d  howəd, howd.</p><p>• what are = what’re  watə (before consonants), whatər</p><p>(before vowels). • what can  watkən (usually, wakkcn ). •</p><p>what could  watkəd (usually, wakkəd). • what had = what’d</p><p>41RHyTHM AND FLOW OF SPEECH</p><p> wat’həd, watəd. • what has = what’s  wats. • what have =</p><p>what’ve  watəv. • what is = what’s  wats. • what must </p><p>watməs. • what will = what’ll  watl. • what would = what’d</p><p> watwəd, watəd.</p><p>• when are = when’re  wenə (before consonants), whenər</p><p>(before vowels). • when can  wenkən. • when could </p><p>wenkəd. • when had = when’d wenhəd, wenəd. • when has =</p><p>when’s  wenz. • when have = when’ve  wenəv. • when is =</p><p>when’s  wenz (‘e’ pronounced as the ‘e’ in ‘edit’). • when must</p><p> wenməs (usually, wemməs). • when will = when’ll  wenl. •</p><p>when would = when’d  wenwəd, wenəd.</p><p>NOTE: When ‘when’ occurs medially, it’s often reduced to ‘whən’ in</p><p>rapid speech. E.g. • That’s when I said…  That’s wənə said…</p><p>• where are  weərə (before consonants), weərər(before</p><p>vowels). • where can  weəkən. • where could  weəkəd. •</p><p>where had = where’d  weəhəd, weərəd. • where has = where’s</p><p> weəz. • where have = where’ve  weərəv. • where is =</p><p>where’s  weəz (‘e’ pronounced as the ‘e’ in ‘edit’). • where must</p><p> weəməs. • where will = where’ll  weərl. • where would =</p><p>where’d  weəwəd, weərəd.</p><p>NOTE: When ‘where’ occurs medially, it’s often reduced to ‘whə(r)’ in</p><p>fast speech.</p><p>E.g. That’s where I met…  That’s wərə met…</p><p>• are not = aren’t  a:nt. • cannot = can’t  ka:nt. • could</p><p>not = couldn’t  kədn. • did not = didn’t  didn, din. • did you</p><p> dyou, ju (‘j’ pronounced as the ‘j’ in ‘just’). • do not = don’t</p><p> doun. • do you = d’you  dyu, ju (‘j’ pronounced as the ‘j’</p><p>in ‘just’). • does not = doesn’t  dəzn. • had not = hadn’t </p><p>hədn, ədn, dn. • has not = həsn’t  həzn, əzn, zn, sn. • have not</p><p>= haven’t  həvn, əvn, vn. • is not = isn’t  zn. • might not =</p><p>mightn’t  mightn. • must not = mustn’t  məsn. • need not</p><p>= needn’t  needn. • ought not = oughtn’t  oughtn. • shall</p><p>not = shan’t  sha:nt. • should not = shouldn’t  shədn. • was</p><p>not = wasn’t  wəzn. • were not = weren’t  wз:nt. (‘з:’ can</p><p>42 RHyTHM AND FLOW OF SPEECH</p><p>be taken as the long form of ‘ə’). • will not = won’t  woun. •</p><p>would not = wouldn’t  wədn, ədn, dn.</p><p>* * *</p><p>43FOOT AND RHyTHM</p><p>CHAPTER 3</p><p>Foot and rhythm</p><p>Between two stressed syllables in a word group, there may or may</p><p>not be a few unstressed syllables. In the following word group,</p><p>the only stressed syllables are ‘Ka’, ‘go’, ‘mar’, ‘get’ and ‘ve’.</p><p>Kamal was |going to the |market to |get some |vegetables.</p><p>(Foot 1) (Foot 2) (Foot 3) (Foot 4) (Foot 5)</p><p>Now here’s an important point you’ll have to pay all your</p><p>attention to: The time in which you utter one stressed syllable</p><p>plus the unstressed syllables that may follow it upto the next</p><p>stressed syllable must be approximately the same as the time</p><p>in which you utter that 2nd stressed syllable plus the unstressed</p><p>syllables that may follow it (upto the next – 3rd – stressed</p><p>syllable). That is:</p><p>• The time in which you utter the 1st stressed syllable</p><p>plus the unstressed syllables that may follow it (upto the</p><p>2nd stressed syllable) must be approximately the same as</p><p>the time in which you utter the 2nd stressed syllable plus</p><p>the unstressed syllables that may follow it (upto the 3rd</p><p>stressed syllable).</p><p>• The time in which you utter the 2nd stressed syllable</p><p>plus the unstressed syllables that may follow it (upto the</p><p>3rd stressed syllable) must be approximately the same as</p><p>the time in which you utter the 3rd stressed syllable plus</p><p>the unstressed syllables that may follow it (upto the 4th</p><p>stressed syllable).</p><p>• The time in which you utter the 3rd stressed syllable</p><p>plus the unstressed syllables that may follow it (upto the</p><p>4th stressed syllable) must be approximately the same as</p><p>the time in which you utter the 4th stressed syllable plus</p><p>the unstressed syllables that may follow it (upto the 5th</p><p>stressed syllable).</p><p>44 FOOT AND RHyTHM</p><p>The fundamental principle of English</p><p>rhythm</p><p>A unit made up of a stressed syllable plus the unstressed syllables</p><p>that may follow it (upto the next stressed syllable) is known as</p><p>a foot. For example, ‘Kamal was’, ‘going to the’, ‘market to’, ‘get</p><p>some’ and ‘vegetables’ are the feet in the word group we’ve just</p><p>now seen.</p><p>So the time in which you utter a foot in a word group must</p><p>be approximately the same as the time in which you utter any</p><p>other foot within that word group — no matter how many</p><p>unstressed syllables there are in a foot. That is, no matter how</p><p>many unstressed syllables there are in a foot, each foot within a</p><p>word group is to be said in the same amount of time. This is the</p><p>fundamental principle of English rhythm. This principle makes</p><p>sure that stressed syllables are heard prominently at regular</p><p>intervals of time — like the beat of a drum or the tick of a clock.</p><p>Let me now illustrate the principle:</p><p>Sl. No. Foot 1 Foot 2 Foot 3</p><p>1) |One |two |three.</p><p>2) |Ten |twenty |twentieth.</p><p>3) |Ahmed and his |friends have |come.</p><p>4) |John |thanked me for the |present.</p><p>• Word group 1: In the first word group, there are three feet:</p><p>‘one’, ‘two’, and ‘three’. Each foot has only a single syllable. The</p><p>sole syllable in each foot is, therefore, a stressed syllable. There</p><p>are no unstressed syllables in any of the three feet. The time taken</p><p>to say ‘one’ must approximately</p><p>be the same as the time taken to</p><p>say ‘two’. And the time taken to say ‘two’ must approximately be</p><p>the same as the time taken to say ‘three’.</p><p>• Word group 2: In the second word group, there are three</p><p>feet. The stressed syllable in the first foot is ‘Ten’. The stressed</p><p>45FOOT AND RHyTHM</p><p>syllable in the second foot is ‘twen’. The stressed syllable in</p><p>the third foot is also ‘twen’. The first foot has only one stressed</p><p>syllable in it. There are no unstressed syllables in that foot. The</p><p>second foot has one unstressed syllable in it (‘ty’). The third foot</p><p>has two unstressed syllables in it (‘ti’ and ‘eth’). The time taken to</p><p>say ‘Ten’ must approximately be the same as the time taken to say</p><p>‘twenty’. And the time taken to say ‘twenty’ must approximately</p><p>be the same as time taken to say ‘twentieth’. So the amount of the</p><p>time taken to say the sole syllable in the first foot (‘Ten’) is double</p><p>the time taken to say each of the two syllables in the second foot</p><p>(‘twen’ & ‘ty’) — and three times the time taken to say each of</p><p>the three syllables in the third foot (‘twen’, ‘ti’ & ‘eth’). In short,</p><p>you have to say ‘Ten’ very slowly, ‘twenty’ quickly, and ‘twentieth’</p><p>more quickly.</p><p>• Word group 3: In the third word group, the first foot has</p><p>one stressed syllable and three unstressed syllables following it.</p><p>The second foot has one stressed syllable and one unstressed</p><p>syllable following it. The third foot has only a stressed syllable</p><p>(and no unstressed syllables). Still you must utter the first foot</p><p>(4 syllables), second foot (2 syllables) and the third foot (one</p><p>syllable) in approximately equal amounts of time.</p><p>• Word group 4: In the fourth word group, you must say</p><p>‘John’ (one syllable) in approximately the same amount of</p><p>time as ‘thanked me for the’ (4 syllables). you must only take</p><p>up approximately the same amount of time to say ‘present’ (2</p><p>syllables), too.</p><p>Beating the rhythm</p><p>Let the explanations not frighten you. In actual practice, the</p><p>whole thing is very easy. It is not difficult at all to utter each foot</p><p>in approximately the same amount of time.</p><p>Try doing like this: When you utter the stressed syllable in</p><p>a foot, tap somewhere with your index finger or with a pencil.</p><p>Keep on tapping at the rate of one tap for each stressed syllable.</p><p>46 FOOT AND RHyTHM</p><p>Keep on tapping at a uniform speed, that is, at regular intervals</p><p>of time. At each tap, you must utter a stressed syllable. The</p><p>stressed syllable plus the unstressed syllables that may follow it</p><p>will automatically get squeezed in between every two taps. Say</p><p>the following word groups by beating the rhythm in this way</p><p>with your index finger or with a pencil.</p><p>|Abu is |getting |better.</p><p>|Nobody |seemed |anxious to |go.</p><p>|Ahmed hasn’t |made up his |mind yet.</p><p>|This |box will |do.</p><p>|Tom can |easily |mend it.</p><p>|Priya didn’t |mind him |taking it.</p><p>|Ask her to |play the |violin.</p><p>|That’s the |best they’ve |got.</p><p>|That |child has |fallen |over.</p><p>|Let me |show you |how.</p><p>|Father has been |gone an |hour or |more.</p><p>|This |pen’s |useless.</p><p>|Don’t |make such a |fuss.</p><p>|Everyone |said he was |bright.</p><p>|Pass me the |book.</p><p>|None of them was any |good.</p><p>Don’t pause at the end of a foot at this stage. We’ll come to</p><p>the question of pausing later. utter each word group foot by foot,</p><p>from beginning till end, without pausing anywhere. There are</p><p>two important points that you must keep in mind:</p><p>• A foot always begins with a stressed syllable. No foot</p><p>begins with an unstressed syllable. If a foot has only one</p><p>syllable, it’ll be a stressed syllable. If a foot has more than</p><p>one syllable, that foot will end only in an unstressed</p><p>syllable (and not in a stressed syllable).</p><p>• English speech is louder at the beginning of a foot —</p><p>because a foot always begins with a stressed syllable.</p><p>From there, the loudness falls gradually towards the end</p><p>47FOOT AND RHyTHM</p><p>of the foot. From there, the loudness jumps up steeply at</p><p>the beginning of the second foot. From there, the loudness</p><p>falls gradually towards the end of that foot. From there,</p><p>the loudness jumps up steeply at the beginning of the</p><p>next foot. In that way, the loudness keeps jumping up</p><p>steeply and coming down gradually in a rhythmic way.</p><p>Two special cases</p><p>1). The silent stress</p><p>From what we’ve seen so far, one thing must be clear to you:</p><p>An idea unit is nothing but a chain of feet. Now you must note</p><p>one thing: Though a foot must always begin with a stressed</p><p>syllable, an idea unit may begin either with a stressed syllable or</p><p>an unstressed syllable. Take the idea unit ‘|John is a |fool’. Here</p><p>the idea-unit starts with the stressed syllable ‘John’. Therefore,</p><p>the first foot can also start with ‘John’. But now take another</p><p>idea-unit.</p><p>He wanted to go.</p><p>This idea-unit starts with the word ‘He’. ‘He’ is a monosyllabic</p><p>function word, and so it’s not generally stressed. So a foot cannot</p><p>normally begin with ‘He’. Then how do we divide ‘He wanted to</p><p>go’ into feet? We can do it like this:</p><p>|º He |wanted to |go.</p><p>Here all that we’ve done is this: We’ve assumed that there’s a</p><p>stressed syllable before the unstressed ‘He’, and that this ‘assumed</p><p>stressed syllable’ is a silent one. We also assume that this silent</p><p>stressed syllable plus the unstressed syllable ‘He’ form the first</p><p>foot. The degree sign ‘º’ stands for the silent stress.</p><p>In this case, you can beat the rhythm by starting the tapping</p><p>before uttering ‘He’. In the examples given below, ‘º’ stands for</p><p>the silent stress ‘º’. Do the tapping once, and then say ‘He’ —</p><p>without stressing it. The next tap will fall on ‘wan’, and the next</p><p>48 FOOT AND RHyTHM</p><p>on ‘go’.</p><p>A few more examples are given below:</p><p>|º It’s |raining |harder |now.</p><p>|º The |painting is |finished.</p><p>|º They |won’t |know the |difference.</p><p>|º It would be |better to |write to him.</p><p>|º He has been |made |Chairman.</p><p>|º There are a |few more |left.</p><p>|º There is |still no |word from him.</p><p>NOTE: There must be no pause after the initial unstressed syllables</p><p>and before the first stressed syllable. So there must be no pause</p><p>between “It’s” and “raining”, between “The” and “painting”, etc.</p><p>Connect the initial unstressed syllables to the first stressed syllable</p><p>quickly.</p><p>2). Unstressed syllables at the beginning of</p><p>‘words’</p><p>Take the idea-unit ‘John expects me’. In the word ‘expects’, the</p><p>stressed syllable is ‘pects’, and so the stress falls on that syllable.</p><p>The first syllable ‘ex’ in that word is an unstressed one. In such a</p><p>case, this is how we divide the word group into feet:</p><p>|John ex|pects me.</p><p>In other words, the unstressed syllable ‘ex’ at the beginning</p><p>of the word ‘expects’ is treated as part of the preceding foot. So</p><p>‘John ex’ is one foot, and ‘pects me’ is another foot.</p><p>A few more examples are given below:</p><p>you are |very un|kind: (unkind)</p><p>I |didn’t en|joy it: (enjoy)</p><p>|Don’t under|take it: (undertake)</p><p>|Nobody can under|stand him: (understand)</p><p>|Please |try a|gain: (again)</p><p>He ex|plained it to me: (explained)</p><p>She re|fused the |offer: (refused)</p><p>49FOOT AND RHyTHM</p><p>He has been pro|moted: (promoted)</p><p>NOTE: We’ll be doing intensive rhythm drills in the later Books in this series.</p><p>Speed of speech</p><p>A question that usually worries people is this: “How fast should</p><p>I speak?” The answer to the question is this. you must be fast</p><p>enough, so that you do not appear to be hesitating between every</p><p>two words — and your speech does not sound artificial. At the</p><p>same time, you must also be slow enough, so that your listeners</p><p>can make out what you’re saying — and the “speed of speech”</p><p>does not break up the flow of your speech.</p><p>How to speak fast enough as well as slow enough in this</p><p>way? The answer is this: utter each foot in less than 3/4th of a</p><p>second. yes, in less than 3/4th of a second. Of course, nobody</p><p>speaks by keeping track of the time they take to utter each foot.</p><p>But it’s quite easy to achieve this rate of speed — and to keep</p><p>it up. yes, this is quite easy to do. Learn to tap with your finger</p><p>at equal intervals of time. The interval must be less than 3/4th</p><p>of a second.</p>