English for Learners
Pronunciation:
How stress changes in nouns and verbs with same spelling.
There are several nouns and verbs in English that have the same spelling.
To differentiate between the noun and the verb, the stress position
changes from the first to the second syllable.
Remember: Noun = stress on first syllable. Verb = stress on
second syllable.
Here are some examples:
| NOUN | VERB | NOUN | VERB | |
| an address | to address | a permit | to permit | |
| an attribute | to attribute | a present | to present | |
| a contest | to contest | a process | to process | |
| a contract | to contract | a produce | to produce | |
| a convert | to convert | a protest | to protest | |
| a decrease | to decrease | a rebel | to rebel | |
| a defect | to defect | refuse | to refuse | |
| a desert | to desert | a record | to record | |
| a discount | to discount | a refill | to refill | |
| an escort | to escort | a refund | to refund | |
| an extract | to extract | a reject | to reject | |
| an import | to import | a subject | to subject | |
| an insult | to insult | a survey | to survey | |
| a mandate | to mandate | a suspect | to suspect | |
| a misprint | to misprint | a torment | to torment | |
| an object | to object | a transfer | to transfer |
See also:
intonation
stress in words and sentences
silent letters in English