Theoretical background. English rhythm practice

Key words

STRESS

Unit 8

More bad luck

English rhythm practice

Self-check questions

1. Match these questions on the left with the answers on the right. Underline consonant clusters and analyze them. Say the short conversations together with your partner.

What did Sue have for Christmas?	Just bread and crisps.
How can I speak English better?	A blue blouse.
What do we need from the supermarket?	Quite cloudy.
What should I take on my holiday to Iceland?	Practise your pronunciation
What’s the weather like?	Plenty of warm clothes

2. Underline consonant clusters, analyze them. Practise this message to the doctor.

Hello, my name is Gillian Treekn. Please tell Dr Phillips that my daughter Nicola is ill. She’s got little red spots, which itch terribly. And she’s got a high temperature. If she drinks anything, she’s sick. I think she needs a home visit. Our address is 56 Black Gate.

Listen to this poem. Practise reading it.

The bread was stale,

it four days old.

The milk was sour.

The coffee was cold.

The butter was rancid.

The steak was tough.

The service was dreadful.

The waiter was rough.

My bill was huge.

His tip was small.

I’m sorry I went to that place at all.

Lesson	Topic	Hours	References
	Stress
	Word stress.		O’Connor – p.90-92, Headway El.Pron. – p.2, 31, 44, Headway Pr.Pron. – p.5, 8, 17, 35, 39, 46, Lab works 9, 10, 11 “Good name”
	Utterance stress.		Headway El.Pron. – p.6, Headway Pr.Pron. – p.26
	Weak forms.		O’Connor – p.92-95, Headway El.Pron. – p.10, 12, 27 Headway Pr.Pron. – p.6, 9, 29 Lab work 12 “The arrow and the song”
	Strong forms.		O’Connor – p.95, Headway Int.Pron. – p.8, 13 Lab work 13
	Usage of weak and strong forms.		Headway El.Pron. – p.38, 46 Headway Int.Pron. – p.35, 36, 54, 55 “Nurse’s song”

syllable

primary and secondary stress

word and utterance stress

stress shift

content and function words

utterance

pitch

tone

static stress (high, low, full, partial)

reduction (weakening)

weak and strong form

Every English word consists of one or more syllables. A syllable is a group of sounds that are pronounced together. Each syllable contains one vowel, and only one (diphthongs are treated as one vowel, triphthongs – as two). This vowel may be preceded or followed by one or more consonants. The vowel itself may be a short vowel, a long vowel or a diphthong, or if it is /q/ it may be combined with a nasal or lateral consonant to give a syllabic consonant.

The sequence of syllables in the word is not pronounced identically. The syllable or syllables which are said with more prominence, with greater effort than the other syllables of the word are called stressed. A stressed syllable is marked by a) greater loudness than unstressed syllables and often by b) greater length, c) pitch movement and d) more clearly pronounced vowel quality.

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