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List of Suffixes and their Influence on Word Stress

Contents
Suffixes that will attract the stress on the Last Syllable /-1/ .......................................................................................................................................... 1
Suffixes that will attract the stress to the syllable just before the last one /-10/ ............................................................................................................. 2
Suffixes that will attract the stress to the syllable on the third last /-100/ ...................................................................................................................... 3
Suffixes that do not affect stress patterns ..................................................................................................................................................................... 4

Suffixes that will attract the stress on the Last Syllable /-1/
the last syllable is always stressed (except for the exceptions)

Suffix -ade -aire -ee -eer -ese -ette -oo -que -sce -oon
Examples arcADE astAIRE absentEE mountainEER BurmESE cigarETTE bambOO antIQUE acquiESCE afterNOON
balusTRADE doctrinAIRE addressEE auctionEER ChinESE cassETTE kangarOO arabESQUE convalESCE balLOON
blockADE legionnAIRE adoptEE commandEER JapanESE silhouETTE shampOO burlESQUE reminISCE carTOON
brigADE millionAIRE advisEE enginEER JournalESE gazETTE tattOO opAQUE saLOON
cascADE questionnAIRE referEE marketEER LebanESE etiquETTE grotESQUE laGOON
crusADE solitAIRE refugEE voluntEER PortuguESE brunETTE picturESQUE coCOON
parADE VietnamESE roulETTE romanESQUE monSOON
serenADE kitchnETTE unIQUE tyPHOON

Exceptions Accolade comMIttee REINdeer MANganese Omelette Igloo

DEcade COffee PAlette
MARmalade TOffee
REnegade YANkee
JUbilee
PEdigree

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Suffixes that will attract the stress to the syllable just before the last one /-10/
the syllable before the last one is always stressed (except for the exceptions)
Suffix -ia -ial -ible -ic(s) -ian -ient -ious -ish
Examples MEdia SOcial POSsible characteRIStics poliTIcian PATient VArious ENglish
vicTOria maTErial resPONsible staTISTics muSIcian sufFIcient SErious esTAblish
criTEria SPEcial imPOSsible ecoNOmics phySIcian efFIcient PREvious FInish PUBlish
multiMEdia ofFIcial TERRible CRItics techNIcian ANcient Obvious PArish
deMENtia potENtial VISible GRAphics mathemaTIcian inGREdient reLIgious disTINguish
bacTEria esSENtial SENsible matheMAtics elecTRIcian conVEnient Curious RUBbish
miLItia resiDENtial FLExible PHYsics maGIcian reCIpient CONScious POlish aBOlish
nosTALgia presiDENtial HORrible rePUblic cliNIcian insufFIcient Anxious diMInish
leuKAEmia influENtial acCESsible TOpic statisTIcian GRAdient PREcious VAnish
schizoPHREnia diffeRENtial inVIsible elecTROnics paTRIcian coefFIcient amBItious FLOUrish
pneuMOnia confiDENtial eLIgible meCHAnics opTIcian NUtrient susPIcious PUnish
seQUENtial inCREdible obsteTRIcian Orient unCONScious acCOMplish
prefeRENtial comPAtible theoreTIcian imPAtient Furious FURnish
expoNENtial PLAUsible outPAtient mysTErious
FEAsible inconVEnient
susCEPtible
conVERtible
Exceptions Eligible, POlitics, Arabic,
Egligible, CAtholic,LUnatic
inCOrrigible, RHEtoric,
inTElligible

Suffix -osis -sion -tion

Examples diagNOsis deCIsion informAtion
fiBROsis comMIssion educAtion
tubercuLOsis proVIsion situAtion
progNOsis diVIsion populAtion
hypNOsis teleVIsion applicAtion
osMOsis disCUssion operAtion
VERsion associAtion
ocCAsion organizAtion
conCLUsion legislAtion
SESsion administrAtion
exPRESsion conversAtion
imPRESsion
PENSion

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Suffixes that will attract the stress to the syllable on the third last /-100/
the thirds syllable counting from the end of the word is always stressed (except for the exceptions)
Suffix -ate -cy -eous1 -ical -ify -inal -itive -ity
Examples (for words of 3 or more Policy sponTANeous poLItical iDENtify oRIginal POsitive comMUnity
syllables) Agency ouTRAGeous PHYsical JUSTify CRIminal comPEtitive auTHOrity
INdicate deMOcracy simulTAneous MEdical SPEcify TERminal SENsitive uniVERsity
Operate eMERgency GORGeous PRActical QUAlify MARginal PRImitive QUAlity
SEparate CURrency homoGEneous CHEmical MOdify CARdinal inFInitive acTIvity
apPROpriate efFIciency advanTAgeous TEChnical CLARify NOminal COGnitive seCUrity
CANdidate TENdency couRAgeous CRItical CLASsify inTEStinal deFInitive opporTUnity
EStimate FREquency HIDeous hisTOrical NOTify abDOminal rePEtitive responsiBIlity
asSOciate PREgnancy heteroGEneous RAdical SIGnify gastroinTEStinal inTUitive maJORity
CONcentrate acCUracy COURTeous TYpical SIMPlify meDIcinal FUGitive aBIlity
DEmonstrate reDUNdancy miscelLAneous CLASsical inTENsify longiTUdinal ADditive possiBIlity
inVEStigate buREAUcracy instanTAneous MUsical TESTify VAginal PUnitive reAlity
GEnerate consPIracy RIGHTeous theoREtical VErify aboRIginal inSENsitive capAcity
ILlustrate LEgacy CLInical SEminal inQUIsitive
apPREciate eLECtrical Urinal TRANsitive

Exceptions PREsidency
consTItuency

Suffix -ize -phy -ogy

Examples REalize geOgraphy techNOlogy
REcognize phiLOsophy STRAtegy
ORganize biOgraphy psyCHOlogy
EMphasize phoTOgraphy ideOlogy
CRIticize bibliOgraphy sociOlogy
chaRACterize autobiOgraphy theOlogy
SUMmarize porNOgraphy biOlogy
MInimize toPOgraphy methoDOlogy
aPOlogize ethNOgraphy aNAlogy
AUthorize calLIgraphy aPOlogy
SPEcialize choreOgraphy termiNOlogy
MAximize icoNOgraphy geOlogy
MOdernize chromaTOgraphy anthroPOlogy
PRIvatize tyPOgraphy
Exceptions

1
-eous can be pronounced in 2 syllables [i.s] as in spontaneous or in 1 syllable [s] as in outrageous. The stress always falls on the syllable before -eous.
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Suffixes that do not affect stress patterns
The following suffixes do not influence the placement of the word stress:
-al
-ally
-ess
-ful
-ish
-less
-ly
-hood
-ship

Suffix -al -ally -ess -less -hood

Examples PERson PERsonal ACtual ACtually aWARE aWAREness reGARD reGARDless BROther BROtherhood
fiNANce fiNANcial eVENT eVENTually HAppy HAppiness MEAning MEAningless LIkely LIkelyhood

Similarly, grammatical suffixes (-ed, -s, -es, -ing, -en, -est, ) do not influence the placement of the word stress.

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