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What is secondary stress?
A secondary strees (` ), is the kind of stress one
sometimes find in words of several syllables in
addition to the main stress or which one may find
as the only stress in words of diminished
significance.
1. Polysyllabic structural words which, when consisting of one
syllable are normally unstressed will take a secondary stress on
the prominent syllable which carries the main word stress.
Note: Anomalous finites as well as the verbs to be and to have will have a main
stess when used in final position in the sentence , especially in short answers yo
Yes/No question and when the answers are negative.
Examples :
Ths plce snt the sme as it sed to b.
We hvent fnished panting the hose yt.
Ys, we re.
N, you mstnt.
7. From the previous examples we can see that the demonstrative adjectives ( this,
that, these, those) take secondary stress. An exception is made, when they are used
in emphasis or when contrast is required. In this cases, they take primary stress.
Examples :
Ths skrt is mne, but tht skirt is yurs.
Tht mn saved the child from drwning.
8. When adverbial expressions are used in final position, especially those of time and
place, than they take secondary stress.
Examples:
I sw Emma in the disc ysterday. (time)
Wht are they suppsed to be ding hre? (place)
I mt him in the cnema lst nght. (time)
W will expct you to cme agan. (time)
Note: The final adverbial expressions take primary(main) stress when emphasis is
required :
Example :
Wh are you witing hre? (not there)
They knw nthing abut it till nw.
I hd one ysterday.
Thank you for your attention!