English is a syllable stressed language and you need some knowledge of which syllable is stronger or stressed than other syllables to convey the right meaning.

Mistakes in word stress are a common cause of misunderstandings in oral presentations. 

Word stress is particularly difficult when using new or unfamiliar vocabulary so it is always important to check the correct word stress or pronunciation before using the word in a presentation.

Listening #1 - Syllable Stress
Listen and tick either A or B ... whichever has the correct pronunciation

 

Cartmel's a lovely little village in Cumbria. It's by a river and the buildings are all made of stone. There are lots of gardens with flowers, and the people are really friendly. It's in a valley withforests and you can see the mountains in the distance. It's famous for its old church, the horse races in summer, and the superb fishing.

 

This is a picture of a kitchen. There's a basket with apples, lemons and an orange. There are a few onions and carrots, and there's a cupboard with some sugar and coffee. There are yellow curtains with a flower pattern in the window. Outside, there's a garden and the weather is sunny