English is a stress timed language. This means that stressed syllables occur at regular intervals when you say a sentence. In stress timed languages, the amount of time it takes you to say a sentence depends on the number of stressed syllables in a sentence, not on the total number of syllables. The combination of… Continue reading #84, Susan Ryan’s Tip: Spoken English is Stress Timed
Tag: Susan Ryan’s Tip
#80, Susan Ryan’s Tip: ‘The Importance of the Schwa Vowel Sound’
In order to improve your English pronunciation it is critical that you learn to use the schwa sound. That is because the combination of stressed syllables with long clear vowels and unstressed syllables with the schwa vowel sound help to create the rhythm of spoken English. Native English speakers listen for this rhythm and it… Continue reading #80, Susan Ryan’s Tip: ‘The Importance of the Schwa Vowel Sound’
#76, Susan Ryan’s Tip: Suffix Based Patterns for Syllable Stress in Spoken English
Suffix Based Patterns for Syllable Stress in Spoken English As I’ve discussed in my last three columns, using the wrong syllable stress patterns when you speak English creates an accent that is very difficult for native speakers to understand. I find that although many people understand this concept, they don’t know always know which syllable… Continue reading #76, Susan Ryan’s Tip: Suffix Based Patterns for Syllable Stress in Spoken English
#75, Susan Ryan’s Tip: Syllable Stress in Compound Words
This week a PhD candidate in linguistics from the University of Malaya wrote and asked me to explain how American English speakers apply syllable stress in compound words. This is an excellent question that comes up frequently. Here is my answer. The syllable stress patterns for compound words vary. Here are some of the common… Continue reading #75, Susan Ryan’s Tip: Syllable Stress in Compound Words