03-book03+teaching+your+tongue+&+speech+rhythm.unlocked

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Kev Nair

Teaching your tongue & Speech Rhythm Prof. Kev Nair was born in Kerala, South India, in 1949. He’s an eminent scholar of international repute. He’s a first class LL.B. and a first class LL.M. And he was ranked first in university in both the LL. B. and LL. M. exams. • “Nair was the first person in the world to give shape to the area of study now known as ‘English fluency development’ and to systematize it into a distinct teachable subject... So he is better known as the father of fluency development.” – General Knowledge Today. • “He had been researching since 1971, and the results... led him to new discoveries... ” – THE HINDU. • “Prof. Kev Nair is regarded the world over as the father of fluency lexicography... Fluency lexicography came into existence as a separate branch of dictionary writing with the publication of Prof. Nair’s Dictionary of Active Fluency Combinations in 1986.” – Competition Success Review. • “A renowned English language lexicographer” – The New Sunday Express. • “One of the world’s most respected English language scholars...Perhaps more innovative in method than Roget and more modern in approach than Fowler, Prof. Kev Nair is... one of the foremost Indian scholars who wield great influence on the thinking of the English-educated people around the world.” – General Knowledge Today. • “A towering English language expert” – Competition Success Review. • “Prof. Kev Nair... has... reached out to thousands – judicial officers, professionals, top executives, scholars – who

2 need that comfort and ease in speech with his specialised fluency techniques.” – The New Indian Express. Prof. Nair is a lawyer by profession. He lives with his wife and children in Kochi, Kerala, an enchanting place on the earth.

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Fluent English Dictionaries1 by Kev Nair • A Dictionary of Active Fluency Combinations. • A Dictionary of Fluency Word Clusters. • The Complete Fluency Words. • A Dictionary of Essential Fluency Phrases. • Core Fluency Thesaurus. • Comprehensive Adjectival Fluency Dictionary. • Narrative Fluency Dictionary. • Thesaurus of Phrasal Verbs.

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Note: The Fluent English Dictionaries do not form part of Fluentzy: The English Fluency Encyclopedia. They’re separate publications – meant for those who want to specialize in fluency-oriented vocabulary. For details, visit www. fluencybookz.com.

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Books by Kev Nair making up Fluentzy: The English Fluency Encyclopedia • B1: Idea units & Fluency. • B2: Speech Generation & Flow Production. • B3: Teaching your Tongue & Speech Rhythm. • B4: Key Speech-initiators & Speech-unit Patterns. • S1/B13 & S2/B14: Fluency in Functional English (Vols. 1 & 2). • S3/B15: Fluency in Telephone English & Sectoral English. • B5: How to Deal with Hesitation. • B6: Oral Training in Fluency Vocabulary (Vol.1). • B7: Packing of Information. • B8: Impromptu Speech-flow Techniques. • S4/B16: Fluency Building & Mouth Gymnastics. • S5/B17: Fluency in speaking about people. • B9: Fluency in Asking Questions. • B10: Oral Training in Fluency Vocabulary (Vol.2). • B11: Fluency & Moment-to-Moment Speech-production. • B12: Oral Training in Fluency Vocabulary (Vol.3). • S6/B18 & S7/B19: Fluency in Topicwise English (Vols. 1 & 2). • S8/B20: Fluency & Pronunciation.

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Teaching your Tongue & Speech Rhythm “How speakers can train their speech organs and achieve the characteristic English speech rhythm.” – THE HINDU. Fifth Edition

Prof. Kev Nair

TM

TM

Adult Faculties Council

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For Uma teaching your tongue & speech rhythm. Copyright © Prof. K. E. V. Nair @ KevNair 1982, 1988, 1995, 2000, 2008. First published 1982. 4th edition 2000 (17 impressions). 5th edition 2008. Prof. K. E. V. Nair @ KevNair has asserted his right to be identified as the author of this book in accordance with the Copyright Act, 1957. All rights reserved worldwide. No part of this book shall be copied or reproduced or stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or manner whatever, or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission, in writing, of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations or as expressly permitted by law. All quotations from this book shall credit the author, Prof. KevNair. This book is sold subject to the condition that it shall not, by way of trade or otherwise, be lent, resold, hired out or otherwise circulated in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published, and without a similar condition, including this condition, being imposed on any acquirer or the subsequent purchaser. Any violation of these terms and conditions will invite civil and criminal proceedings and will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. Published in India by Mrs. Uma V. Nair, Adult Faculties Council, DP Lane, Elamakkara PO, Kochi-682 026, Kerala. Printed in India by Ayodhya Printers Ltd., Elamakkara PO, Kochi-682 026, Kerala. Adult Faculties Council’s websites: www.fluentzy.com; www.fluencybookz.com. Phone: (91)(0484) 2538449, 2408361. Fax: (91)(0484) 2408361. E-mail: [email protected]. Price: Rs.175.00

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Contents Chapter 1: ‘Teaching’ your ‘tongue’, 11 Important principles of description, 11 Descriptive principle 1, 11 Descriptive principle 2, 13 Descriptive principle 3, 13 The way to teach your tongue, 14 Drill 1, 14 Drill 2, 15 Drill 3, 16 Drill 4, 16 Drill 5, 17 Word List 1: Irregular verbs, 18 Word List 2: Regular verbs, 19 Two exercises, 22

Chapter 2: Rhythm and flow of speech, 23 The syllable, 23 Two groups of words, 24 The way the English language flows, 24 The way non-English languages flow, 26 1) Uniform stress, 26 2) Uniform time distribution, 27 Let English flow the way English should flow, 27 Up and down movement, 28 Syllable stress, 29 1) Polysyllabic words, 29 2) Monosyllabic words, 30

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List A: Weak function words, 31 “Schwa”, 32

List B: Neutral function words, 33 Guidelines, 34 Limited freedom, 37 Shortened forms, 38

Chapter 3: Foot and rhythm, 43

The fundamental principle of English rhythm, 44 Beating the rhythm, 45 Two special cases, 47 1) The silent stress, 47 2) Unstressed syllables at the beginning of ‘words’, 48

Speed of speech, 49

Chapter 4: Frequently-used polysyllabic words, 51 Alphabetical Lists, 52

Chapter 5: Stresswise list of polysyllabic words, 71 Stress-exaggeration Exercise, 94

Chapter 6: Do words stop on the tip of your tongue?, 96 Chapter 7: Questions for Practice, 106 Importance of the drill with word groups, 110 Two Important exercises, 112

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Preface to the 5th edition Here’s the latest edition of this book. I have now added some new material covering the topic “Do words stop on the tip of your tongue?”. Do you have any comments and suggestions? Please do write to me care of the publishers. KEV Nair, Kochi, 2008.

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Abbreviations

fml

formal

infml

informal

sb

somebody

sth

something



sw

somewhere

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chapter 1

‘Teaching’ your ‘tongue’ There are certain principles of the English language that you’ll have to teach your tongue (and other organs of speech). These are principles that’ll help you ‘describe’ your ideas in English. So let’s call them “principles of description”. Of course, these are elementary principles. And you know them all. But does your tongue know them? Mind you, there’s one thing about a language you aren’t fluent in. You may know several words and principles in that language. But not your tongue! That’s why many people can’t speak fluent English —even after years of experience in written English. Of course, even a X-standard student would have learnt the principles we’re going to look at. But experience has shown one thing: When they try to say more than two or three idea units at a stretch, even post-graduates get mixed up about these principles. And, in their confusion, they falter. Of course, when they limit themselves to one or two idea units, these problems may not happen. But when they try to go beyond that and try to speak continuously, then the trouble begins. This is not because they haven’t got the principles straight. This is because their tongues haven’t got the principles straight.

Important Principles of description Descriptive principle 1 There are certain function words in English that always keep company with one another. Here they are, classed into six groups: (a) I/We/You/They/Plural (people or things) + don’t… (NOT “doesn’t”)

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‘Teaching’ your ‘ tongue’

That is, you should only say “I don’t…”, “We don’t…”, “You don’t…”, “They don’t…”, “Apples don’t…”, etc., and not “I doesn’t…”, “We doesn’t…”, “You doesn’t…”, “They doesn’t…”, “Apples doesn’t…”, etc. (b) He/She/It/Singulars (A person or thing) + doesn’t… (NOT “don’t”) That is, you should only say “He doesn’t…”, “She doesn’t…”, “It doesn’t…”, “An apple doesn’t…”, etc., and not “He don’t…”, “She don’t…”, “It don’t…”, “An apple don’t…”, etc. (c) All the words at (a) & (b) above: I/We/You/They/Plural (people or things)/He/She/It/Singulars (A person or thing) + didn’t… That is, you can say “I didn’t…”, “We didn’t…”, “You didn’t…”, “They didn’t…”, “Apples didn’t…”, etc., and “He didn’t…”, “She didn’t…”, “It didn’t…”, “An apple didn’t…”, etc. (d) I/We/You/They/Plural (people or things) + have… / haven’t... (NOT ‘has’ or ‘hasn’t’) That is, you should only say “I have/haven’t…”, “We have/ haven’t…”, “You have/haven’t…”, “They have/haven’t…”, “Apples have/haven’t…”, etc., and not “I has/hasn’t…”, “We has/hasn’t…”, “You has/hasn’t…”, “They has/hasn’t…”, “Apples has/hasn’t…”, etc. (e) He/She/It/Singulars (A person or thing) + has... / hasn’t… (NOT ‘have’ or ‘haven’t’) That is, you should only say “He has/hasn’t…”, “She has/ hasn’t…”, “It has/hasn’t…”, “An apple has/hasn’t…”, etc., and not “He have/haven’t…”, “She have/haven’t…”, “It have/haven’t…”, “An apple have/haven’t…”, etc. (f) All the words at (d) & (e) above: I/We/You/They/Plural (people or things)/He/She/It/Singulars (A person or thing) + had... /hadn’t…

‘Teaching’ your ‘ tongue’

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That is, you can say “I had/hadn’t…”, “We had/hadn’t …”, “You had/hadn’t …”, “They had/hadn’t …”, “Apples had/ hadn’t …”, etc., and “He had/hadn’t …”, “She had/hadn’t …”, “It had/hadn’t …”, “An apple had/hadn’t …”, etc.

Descriptive principle 2 After “didn’t”, you should only use the basic form (= infinitive) of verbs, and not past tense forms. That is, you should say — • I didn’t know. • He didn’t like it. • She didn’t speak French. • It didn’t happen often. • We didn’t buy things from them. • They didn’t worry about things like that. • The car didn’t start. You shouldn’t say — • I didn’t knew. • He didn’t liked it. • She didn’t spoke French. • It didn’t happened often. • We didn’t bought things from them. • They didn’t worried about things like that. • The car didn’t started. The same rule applies to “doesn’t” and “don’t” also. That is, you should say— • I don’t know. • He doesn’t like it. • She doesn’t speak French. • It doesn’t happen often. • We don’t buy things from them. • They don’t worry about things like that. • The car doesn’t start. You shouldn’t say— • I don’t knew. • He doesn’t liked it. • She doesn’t spoke French. • It doesn’t happened often. • We don’t bought things from them. • They don’t worried about things like that. • The car doesn’t started.

Descriptive principle 3 After “has”, “hasn’t”, “haven’t”, “had”, and “hadn’t”, you should only use past participles, and not past tense forms or the basic

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‘Teaching’ your ‘ tongue’

forms (infinitive). That is, you should say — • I have/haven’t forgotten it. • I had/hadn’t done it. • He has/hasn’t seen it. • He had/hadn’t stolen it. • She has/ hasn’t written it down. • She had/hadn’t hidden it from them. • We have/haven’t given it to them. • We had/hadn’t eaten it. • They have/haven’t spoken to her. • They had/ hadn’t taken it away. • The show has/hasn’t begun. • The show had/hadn’t begun. You shouldn’t say — • I have/haven’t forgot it. • I had/hadn’t did it. • He has/ hasn’t saw it. • He had/hadn’t stole it. • She has/hasn’t wrote it down. • She had/hadn’t hid it from them. • We have/haven’t gave it to them. • We had/hadn’t ate it. • They have/haven’t spoke to her. • They had/hadn’t took it away. • The show has/hasn’t began. • The show had/ hadn’t began.

The way to teach your tongue Now understand one thing: There is no use in learning to repeat these principles by heart. The thing you must do now is this: You must get your tongue to ‘learn’ them. In other words, you must ‘teach’ your tongue. This can only be done if you give ‘training’ to your tongue. That is, you must get your tongue into the habit of saying “don’t” along with ‘I’, “doesn’t” along with ‘he’, “has” along with ‘she’, etc. This can easily be done through the following kinds of practice:

Drill 1 Look at descriptive principle no. 1. • Say “I don’t …”, “We don’t…”, etc. — ALOUD. • Say “He doesn’t…”, “She doesn’t…”, etc.— ALOUD. • Say “I didn’t…”, “We didn’t…”, etc.— ALOUD. • Say “I have…”, “I haven’t…”, etc.— ALOUD.

‘Teaching’ your ‘ tongue’

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• Say “He has…”, “He hasn’t…”, etc.— ALOUD. • Say “I had…”, “I hadn’t…”, etc.— ALOUD. NOTE: Repeat each several times. Of course, you know these rules. Still you must carry out this drill. Remember this: The purpose of this drill is to get your tongue and other organs of speech to get into the habit of associating certain words together.

Drill 2 Look at descriptive principle no. 2. Now look at Word List 1 given below. This is a list of (3-word sets of) the most useful irregular verbs. In each set, there are 3 words. The first word is the basic form (= infinitive) of a verb, the second word is the past tense form of that verb, and the third word is its past participle. Go through each set, and pick up the basic form (the first word in the 3-word set) in each. Now say like this: didn’t bet, didn’t burst, didn’t cost, didn’t dig, didn’t fling, didn’t begin, didn’t drink, didn’t creep, didn’t keep, didn’t drive, didn’t ride… Go on in this way, till you get to the end of the list (Word List 1). Repeat the practice by replacing “didn’t” with “doesn’t”: doesn’t bet, doesn’t burst, doesn’t cost, doesn’t dig, doesn’t fling, doesn’t begin, doesn’t drink, doesn’t creep, doesn’t keep, doesn’t drive, doesn’t ride… Go on in this way, till you get to the end of the list (Word List 1). Now repeat the practice by replacing “doesn’t” with “don’t”: don’t bet, don’t burst, don’t cost, don’t dig, don’t fling, don’t begin, don’t drink, don’t creep, don’t keep, don’t drive, don’t ride… Go on in this way, till you get to the end of the list (Word List 1).

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‘Teaching’ your ‘ tongue’

Drill 3 Look at descriptive principle no. 2. Now look at Word List 2 given below. This is a list of the most useful regular verbs. As in List 1, here too, each word has a basic form (infinitive), past tense form and past participle form. Go through the list (Word List 2), and pick up the basic form of each verb. Now say like this: didn’t possess, didn’t bless, didn’t produce, didn’t increase, didn’t force, didn’t finish, didn’t escape, didn’t look, didn’t park, didn’t ache, didn’t walk… Go on in this way, till you get to the end of the list (Word List 2). Now repeat the practice by replacing “didn’t” with “doesn’t”: doesn’t possess, doesn’t bless, doesn’t produce, doesn’t increase, doesn’t force, doesn’t finish, doesn’t escape, doesn’t look, doesn’t park, doesn’t ache, doesn’t walk… Go on in this way, till you get to the end of the list (Word List 2). Now repeat the practice by replacing “doesn’t” with “don’t”: don’t possess, don’t bless, don’t produce, don’t increase, don’t force, don’t finish, don’t escape, don’t look, don’t park, don’t ache, don’t walk… Go on in this way, till you get to the end of the list (Word List 2).

Drill 4 Look at descriptive principle no. 3. Now look at Word List 1 given below once again. Go through each of the 3-word sets, and pick up the third word in each set. (The third word is the past participle). Now say like this:

‘Teaching’ your ‘ tongue’

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has bet, hasn’t bet, have bet, haven’t bet, had bet, hadn’t bet. has burst, hasn’t burst, have burst, haven’t burst, had burst, hadn’t burst. has cost, hasn’t cost, have cost, haven’t cost, had cost, hadn’t cost. has dug, hasn’t dug, have dug, haven’t dug, had dug, hadn’t dug. has flung, hasn’t flung, have flung, haven’t flung, had flung, hadn’t flung. has begun, hasn’t begun, have begun, haven’t begun, had begun, hadn’t begun. has drunk, hasn’t drunk, have drunk, haven’t drunk, had drunk, hadn’t drunk. has crept, hasn’t crept, have crept, haven’t crept, had crept, hadn’t crept. has kept, hasn’t kept, have kept, haven’t kept, had kept, hadn’t kept. Go on in this way till you get to the end of the list (Word List 2).

Drill 5 Look at descriptive principle no. 3. Now look at Word List 2 given below. As I’ve already told you, this is a list of the most useful ‘regular’ verbs. As in List 1, here too, each word has a basic form (infinitive), past tense form and past participle form. Go through the list (Word List 2), and pick up each word. Now say like this: • has produced, hasn’t produced, have produced, haven’t produced, had produced, hadn’t produced. • has burst, hasn’t burst, have burst, haven’t burst, had burst, hadn’t burst. • has increased, hasn’t increased, have increased, haven’t increased, had increased, hadn’t increased. • has finished, hasn’t finished, have finished, haven’t finished,

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‘Teaching’ your ‘ tongue’

had finished, hadn’t finished. • has escaped, hasn’t escaped, have escaped, haven’t escaped, had escaped, hadn’t escaped. • has looked, hasn’t looked, have looked, haven’t looked, had looked, hadn’t looked. • has parked, hasn’t parked, have parked, haven’t parked, had parked, hadn’t parked. • has marked, hasn’t marked, have marked, haven’t marked, had marked, hadn’t marked. • has stopped, hasn’t stopped, have stopped, haven’t stopped, had stopped, hadn’t stopped. Go on in this way till you get to the end of the list (Word List 2).

Word Lists

Word List 1: Irregular verbs Here’s a list containing the Basic form, Past Tense and Past Participle of the most-frequently-used ‘irregular’ action words. • bet, bet, bet. • burst, burst, burst. • cost, cost, cost. • cut, cut, cut. • hit, hit, hit. • hurt, hurt, hurt. • let, let, let. • put, put, put. • set, set, set. • shut, shut, shut. • spread, spread, spread. • split, split, split. • upset, upset, upset. • dig, dug, dug. • fling, flung, flung • spin, spun, spun. • stick, stuck, stuck. • sting, stung, stung. • swing, swung, swung. • win, won, won. • wring, wrung, wrung. • bleed, bled, bled. • breed, bred, bred. • feed, fed, fed. • lead, led, led. • meet, met, met. • read, read, read. • speed, sped, sped. • bind, bound, bound. • find, found, found. • grind, ground, ground. • wind, wound, wound. • sit, sat, sat. • spit, spat, spat. • fight, fought, fought. • strike, struck, struck. • get, got, got. • hang, hung, hung. • hang, hanged, hanged. • hold, held, held. • light, lit, lit. • slide, slid, slid. • shoot, shot, shot. • shine, shone, shone. • stand, stood, stood. • understand, understood, understood. • teach, taught, taught. • catch, caught, caught. • make, made,

‘Teaching’ your ‘ tongue’

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made. • bring, brought, brought. • think, thought, thought • creep, crept, crept. • keep, kept, kept. • leap, leapt, leapt. • sweep, swept, swept. • sleep, slept, slept. • weep, wept, wept. • flee, fled, fled. • hear, heard, heard. • say, said, said. • sell, sold, sold. • tell, told, told. • lean, leant, leant. • mean, meant, meant. • buy, bought, bought. • leave, left, left. • lose, lost, lost. • deal, dealt, dealt. • dream, dreamt, dreamt. • feel, felt, felt. • kneel, knelt, knelt. • begin, began, begun. • drink, drank, drunk. • ring, rang, rung. • shrink, shrank, shrunk. • sing, sang, sung. • sink, sank, sunk. • spring, sprang, sprung. • stink, stank, stunk. • swim, swam, swum. • drive, drove, driven. • ride, rode, ridden. • rise, rose, risen. • write, wrote, written. • fly, flew, flown. • blow, blew, blown. • grow, grew, grown. • know, knew, known. • throw, threw, thrown. • draw, drew, drawn. • fall, fell, fallen. • shake, shook, shaken. • take, took, taken. • see, saw, seen. • eat, ate, eaten. • forbid, forbade, forbidden. • forgive, forgave, forgiven. • give, gave, given. • swell, swelled, swollen. • freeze, froze, frozen. • speak, spoke, spoken. • steal, stole, stolen. • weave, wove, woven. • forget, forgot, forgotten. • break, broke, broken. • wake, woke, woken. • swear, swore, sworn. • tear, tore, torn. • lie, lay, lain. • choose, chose, chosen. • bite, bit, bitten. • hide, hid, hidden.

Word List 2: Regular verbs Here are a few 3-word sets of ‘regular’ action words. In each set, there are 3 words. The first word is the basic form (= infinitive) of a verb, the second word is the past tense form of that verb, and the third word is its past participle: • Possess, possessed, possessed. • bless, blessed, blessed. • produce, produced, produced. • increase, increased, increased. • force, forced, forced. • finish, finished,

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‘Teaching’ your ‘ tongue’

finished. Below, you’ll find a list containing other most useful verbs (= action words) in this category. In this list, I’ve only given the basic form of the words. You can easily form the past tense and past participle forms of these verbs by adding ‘d’ or ‘ed’ at the ends. E.g. • escape, escaped, escaped. • look, looked, looked. • park, parked, parked. • ache, ached, ached. • walk, walked, walked.

Here we go for the words: escape, look, park, ache, walk, cough, laugh, mark, stop, help, pick, develop, talk, ask, work, hope, attack, jump, slip, drop, furnish, notice, press, wash, fix, reduce, express, address, cross, touch, wish, miss, polish, base, dress, pass, introduce, place, advance, stretch, promise, rush, practise, watch, push, reach, heap, milk, guess, rejoice, search, thank, whip, dip, hook, mix, risk, such, rap, worship, influence, bake, photograph, shock, tax, crack, joke, block, shop, trick, kick, branch, step, decrease, flash, lack, brush, punish, wrap, excuse, dance, like, camp, pump, slope, stamp, pack, curse, lock, chase, prick, race, smoke, stick, crash, march, cease, pronounce, wreck, nurse, establish, fish, match. mend, defend, hand, surround, afford, demand, regard, provide, depend, crowd, wound, descend, remind, intend, need, yield, record, divide, sound, add, avoid, succeed, attend, land, decide, command, include, load, mind, flood, guide, shade, reward, pretend, scold, persuade, offend, fade, fold, end, explode, shield. surprise, use, cause, confuse, enclose, pause, praise, manage, arrange, advise, please, raise, suppose, close, changed, amuse, oppose, seize, charge, urge, advertise, exercise, recognize, encourage, civilize, toss, judge, refuse. operate, point, suspect, doubt, suggest, note, test, admit, paint, elect, act, knot, invite, hate, hunt, invent, heat,

‘Teaching’ your ‘ tongue’

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interest, interrupt, instruct, infect, greet, float, comfort, feast, consist, delight, educate, desert, disappoint, excite, cheat, plant, pilot, ornament, respect, rent, fit, visit, appoint, separate, repeat, defeat, present, vote, exist, account, report, permit, treat, support, expect, shout, print, relate, prevent, attempt, direct, want, represent, post, complete, connect, accept, rest, request, part, collect, lift, count, result, attract, start, seat, taste, trust, suit, twist, unite, waste, last, state, protect, wait, limit. breathe, annoy, bury, rub, share, combine, seem, deliver, govern, accustom, sign, scatter, tire, return, admire, smile, colour, cry, love, roll, declare, cloth, stay, beg, aim, struggle, concern, settle, agree, study, carry, describe, complain, boil, suffer, serve, train, deserve, approve, supply, cheer, control, destroy, clean, claim, save, cover, tie, belong, travel, believe, answer, gather, determine, borrow, try, explain, sail, compare, turn, behave, allow, order, die, own, climb, follow, weigh, arm, fill, discover, gain, welcome, arrive, care, argue, contain, enter, mention, blame, wonder, play, consider, join, bill, curve, film, free, mail, conquer, poison, rain, question, chain, row, wave, pile, grieve, harm, obey, decay, drag, reason, hire, repair, prepare, murder, delay, exchange, fasten, owe, enjoy, fail, live, flow, wander, call, continue, earn, clear, warn, form, employ, fear, handle, preserve, listen, remember, name, receive, happen, retire, imagine, open, improve, perform, move, pour, remain, inform, plan, measure, prove, nail, pull, screw, overflow, steam, vary, worry, kill, hasten, matter, dry, deceive, button, fancy, appear, border, comb, warm, bridge, quarrel, remove, signal, curl, dare, hurry, favour, fulfill, copy, discourage, drown, cure, fire, enquire, marry, lodge, flame, offer, satisfy, whistle, inquire, slow, pin, rob, form, hammer, examine, tidy, bar, damage, lower, oil, pity, shelter, tower, tow, tremble, store, whisper, reply, telephone, charm, desire, obtain, trouble, swallow.

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‘Teaching’ your ‘ tongue’

Two exercises 1). I’ve listed the words in a mixed-up way, and not in their alphabetical order. Pick up a pencil, and a few sheets of paper. Arrange the words in the alphabetical order. Don’t think that this is a boring task. You’ll find this work really challenging and interesting. Once you get started, you’ll really enjoy doing this. And once you’ve finished this exercise, you’ll find that all the words in the lists have really got into your mind. You’ll find that the words have left a sort of ‘photographic’ impression in your mind. This is an excellent exercise for getting words to come to the tip of your tongue instantly. 2). Whether you know the meaning of these words or not, you MUST do one other thing. Look up their meanings in your dictionary. Look up the meanings of ALL these words. You needn’t complete this work all at once. Take up a few words everyday. And you needn’t learn to say the meanings by heart. No. That’s not at all necessary.

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Rhy thm and flow of speech

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chapter 2

Rhythm and flow of speech We’re now going to take up an important topic. The technique that you’re now going to learn — it’s going to bring about a revolutionary change in the nature of your speech-flow. Yes, a revolutionary change. I’ll first explain certain basic principles, and then show you how you can employ those principles to get your speech to flow steadily. In the later Books in this series, I’ll give you collections of selected word groups, so you can get intensive practice in these principles. Read through the explanations carefully. It’s important that you must have a firm theoretical knowledge of this topic. And the practice material would give you the training you need.

The syllable The English language is a semi-musical language. This is because when native speakers of English speak, the syllables in the words they use come out with a semi-musical rhythm, and not at a flat pitch. (You know, pitch is the degree to which a sound is high or low). If you want to speak English with native-speakerlike fluency, you’ll have to master the mechanics of this English rhythm. And the first step towards achieving this aim is to learn about syllable stress. You know, a syllable is a unit of sound that contains a vowel. For example, the word ‘father’ contains two syllables ‘fa’ and ‘ther’. The word ‘necessary’ contains four syllables ‘ne’, ‘ces’, ‘sa’, and ‘ry’. On the other hand, the word ‘cut’ contains only one syllable ‘cut’. The word ‘then’ contains only one syllable ‘then’. So we can say that a syllable is a whole word or part of a word that contains a vowel. It is the vowel that is the ‘nucleus’ of a syllable.

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Two groups of words In general, words in English can be classed into two groups: • Words that only have a single syllable. They’re called monosyllabic words. E.g. bus, his, how, give, grow, bring, etc.

• Words that have more than one syllable. They’re called polysyllabic words. E.g. below, answer, however, greater, biggest, etc.

The way the English language flows When a native speaker of English speaks, the degree of the sounds of the syllables keeps varying between high and low. And so when native speakers of English speaks, certain syllables alone stand out from the rest and they can be heard more clearly. They pronounce these key syllables alone distinctly. And they pronounce the rest of the syllables comparatively quickly (and at a lower pitch and in a less clear way) in between these key syllables. You can always notice five things when they speak: 1) Not all syllables in a word group are stressed. Only one or two are. The rest are left unstressed. So the syllables that are stressed come out more loudly and clearly than the other syllables in that word group. 2) The syllables that are stressed are normally: (i) A syllable that is conventionally labelled as a ‘stressed’ syllable in a polysyllabic word (polysyllabic content word as well as polysyllabic function word); and (ii) The sole syllable in a monosyllabic content word. 3) The syllables that are stressed are pronounced more slowly than syllables that are not stressed. And so they get the full amount of time they need. But the syllables

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that are not stressed are said very quickly. And so they don’t get the full amount of time they need. So sometimes hearers even get the impression that some syllables are drawn out, while the remaining syllables are slurred. (Now bear this in mind: This is not a defect, but a distinctive feature of English speech. And this is how you should speak English if you want to speak it with nativespeaker-like fluency). 4) The time spent in pronouncing a stressed syllable in a word is often not the same as the time spent in pronouncing a stressed syllable in another word (in the same word group). And the time spent in pronouncing an unstressed syllable in a word is often not the same as the time spent in pronouncing an unstressed syllable in another word (in the same word group). That is, the syllables in some words in a word group are pronounced more quickly than the syllables in the other words in the same word group. 5) The way in which the syllables in some words are pronounced more quickly than the syllables in other words — this is remarkable. The syllables are pronounced in such a way that something interesting happens: The syllables that are uttered with greater force or effort come out more loudly and clearly (than the other syllables) at approximately equal intervals of time. This quasi-regular succession of the loudly-heard syllables — this regular succession gives a unique rhythm to English speech. So when a native speaker of English speaks, the syllable sounds don’t flow at a flat level. And so English speech flows somewhat like a wave. The height of the speech-sound goes up () at a stressed syllable, and then it comes down () over a group of unstressed syllables. The height of the sound again goes up () at the next stressed syllable, and then it comes down () over the next group of unstressed syllables. The loudness of the

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syllable-sounds keeps going up and coming down in this way every second (or in less time than that) — rhythmically. This type of rhythm is called the stress-timed rhythm, because this type of rhythm depends on the occurrence of primary stresses at roughly equal intervals of time (no matter how many unstressed syllables there may be in between).

The way ‘non-English’ languages flow Most other languages don’t flow with this stress-syllable based rhythm. For example, French doesn’t flow in this way. No language in India flows in this way. This is because the syllables in the words in these languages are not divided into stressed syllables and unstressed syllables. In these non-English languages, all syllables are neutral syllables. So all syllables occur at equal intervals of time. And so all these non-English languages flow with a sort of ‘flat’ rhythm. They flow with a flat rhythm, because their rhythm depends on the occurrence of all syllables at roughly equal intervals of time (and not of certain specified syllables alone, as in English). This type of rhythm based on all syllables is called the syllable-timed rhythm. We’ll use the term flat rhythm to avoid confusion. So in essence, this is the difference: In English, only stressed syllables occur at roughly equal intervals of time. But in most other languages, all syllables occur at roughly equal intervals of time, and all syllables generally get an equal amount of stress. Here you should note the following two points: 1).

Uniform stress

In flat rhythm languages, all the syllables in a word or word group are normally uttered with the same amount of stress. In English, that is not so. In English, only those syllables that are conventionally known as stressed syllables get stress.

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2).

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Uniform time distribution

You see, when you pronounce a syllable separately and clearly (in isolation), it needs a certain amount of time to come out clearly. In a flat rhythm language, while you’re speaking fluently, each of the syllables in a word group is pronounced by giving it the same amount of time as it needs when it’s pronounced separately and clearly. And that’s not all. The amount of time that each syllable takes up is almost equal. That is, the time spent in pronouncing a syllable in one word is the same as the time spent in pronouncing each other syllable in that word. And the time spent in pronouncing a syllable in one word in a word group is the same as the time spent in pronouncing each of the syllables in the other words (in that word group). That is not so in English. In English, only a stressed syllable is pronounced by giving it the time it takes up when it’s pronounced separately and clearly. In English, all unstressed syllables are pronounced more quickly (than are stressed syllables). That is, when an unstressed syllable is uttered, a fluent speaker doesn’t give it the normal amount of time it’ll take up if it’s uttered separately and clearly (in isolation). That’s why when you listen to a native speaker of English, you’ll only be able to hear the stressed syllables very clearly. As far as unstressed syllables are concerned, you’ll only be able to hear them less clearly. That’s why it’s very important that you should have a clear idea of which syllable is the ‘stressed syllable’ in each of the frequently-used words. (Don’t worry. The Books in this series will help you).

Let English flow the way English should flow So here we come to an important reason why many non-native speakers of English find it difficult to speak fluent English. They find this difficult, because they try to let their English speech flow in the same way as their mother-tongue flows — that is, with a ‘flat’ rhythm, rather than with a stress-timed rhythm. They place the same amount of stress on all syllables in a word and on all

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syllables in a word group. They don’t project any syllable as a stressed one or downplay any syllable as an unstressed one. And they don’t stress any syllable (with extra breath force or effort) at roughly equal intervals of time. An important factor that makes English speech to flow steadily without any break is its stress-timed rhythm. And so you’ll have to master it. You break that rhythm, and you’ll falter and your speech will lose its ‘balance’ and break up. So never speak English in a ‘flat way’. Never. From now on, remember this thing: You must speak English by stressing stressed syllables alone. (We’ll look at the exceptions later). This is a technique that is very easy to master. And that’s what we’re going to start doing now.

Up and down movement Now at what points do the English-speech sounds go up in loudness (and also become clearer)? And at what points do the English-speech sounds come down in loudness (and also become less clear)? Do they go up or come down whenever the speaker wants them to go up or come down? Or do they go up or come down only at certain fixed points? Here are the answers: 1) There are certain fixed points where the loudness of speech has to go up and come down, whether the speaker wants it to go up or come down at those points. 2) Here are these fixed points: The loudness necessarily goes up () (and the syllable is heard clearly) in two cases: (i) It goes up when you utter the strong syllable in a polysyllabic word by stressing that strong syllable. (ii) It goes up when you utter a monosyllabic content word by stressing its sole syllable. (Now how do you stress a syllable? You stress a syllable when you utter it with greater breath-force or effort than the neighbouring syllables.

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When you stress a syllable, you put emphasis on it as you pronounce it, and so it sounds louder and clearer than the neighbouring syllables). 3) The loudness necessarily comes down () (and the syllable is heard less clearly) in two cases: (i) It comes down when you utter the weak syllables in a polysyllabic word by not stressing them. (ii) It comes down when you utter a monosyllabic function word by not stressing its sole syllable. 4) In addition, the speaker has the freedom to emphasize or play down any ‘function word’ if he wants, and to make the speech sounds to go up in pitch at that point. He’s normally free to do this either for drawing the attention of the hearers to the meaning conveyed by that function word or merely for keeping up the rhythm of speech.

Syllable stress Now what are the syllables that are normally stressed, and what are those that are not normally stressed? What’s a strong syllable and what’s a weak syllable? 1).

Polysyllabic words

In every polysyllabic word, there will be two or more syllables. And one particular syllable in it is more important than all the other syllables (in that word). This is something that has been conventionally fixed. We can call this most important syllable in the word the strong syllable and all the other syllables in the word, weak syllables. Whenever you use a polysyllabic word, you must stress this most important syllable. You should stress the strong syllable in a polysyllabic word — whether it’s a content word (= verbs, nouns, adjectives, adverbs, demonstrative pronouns) or a function word (= any other word).

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Now in a two-syllable word, is it the first syllable or the second syllable that is more important (strong)? In a three-syllable word, is it the first syllable or the second syllable or the third syllable that is the most important (strong)? Here guidelines will not be of any help. No. You see, the position of the strong syllable in every polysyllabic word is fixed — by convention. Nobody can change that position. I’ll give you a list of all the essential frequentlyused polysyllabic words a few pages later. That list will show you the position of the strong syllable in each of those words. Remember this: In a polysyllabic word, it is only the strong syllable that you must stress. If you stress any other syllable (that is, a weak syllable), the word will get twisted out of shape, and your speech will sound un-English. 2).

Monosyllabic words

In a monosyllabic word, there will only be a single syllable. If the monosyllabic word is a content word (= verbs, nouns, adjectives, adverbs, demonstrative pronouns), its sole syllable is treated as a strong syllable. You should stress it. That is, you should use more breath force or effort than you use when you pronounce an unstressed syllable. But if the monosyllabic word is a function word, its sole syllable is treated as a weak syllable, and not stressed. No, you shouldn’t stress it. You should leave it unstressed. That is, when you pronounce a monosyllabic function word, you shouldn’t use as much breath force or effort as you use when you pronounce a stressed syllable. Now as far as monosyllabic function words are concerned, they fall under two categories: Some function words have conventional weak forms for use in normal speech. You should only use their weak forms when you use them in normal connected speech (that is, when you leave them unstressed in connected speech). This is so whether

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you’re speaking slow or fast. We’ll call these function words weak function words. A weak form of pronunciation is one in which the vowel is weaker (= shorter) than in its full-length pronunciation. (The full-length pronunciation is one in which the vowel is given its full length. This is the pronunciation shown in dictionaries. This is the form of pronunciation that a word gets when it’s pronounced alone, in isolation). But the remaining function words don’t have conventional weak forms. So even when you leave them unstressed, the vowels in them don’t normally get reduced, and they’re pronounced in their full-length form (though they’re not stressed — that is, though more breath force or effort is not used in pronouncing them). This is so, provided you’re not speaking casually and fast. But if you’re speaking casually and fast, many of these function words would show reduction. We’ll call these function words neutral function words. Let’s now find out more about the two categories of function words. We must do this before we start looking at the mechanics of the English rhythm.

List A: Weak function words These words have two forms of pronunciations. There’s a ‘fulllength form’ and there’s a ‘weak form’. The full-length form is the form in which you pronounce them when they’re pronounced alone, in isolation. In this fulllength form of pronunciation, you give full sound value to the vowel in the sole syllable in these words. The ‘weak form’ is the form in which fluent speakers normally pronounce them in connected speech. In this full-length form of pronunciation, you don’t give full sound value to the vowel in the sole syllable in these words. Remember this: The weak form is the regular form of

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pronunciation of these words. So if you stress them in connected speech (except as a special case to draw the hearers’ attention to them), your English would sound artificial.

“Schwa” If you want to produce reduced forms of words in speech, you have to have a clear idea about a very common unstressed vowel called ‘schwa’ (pronounced as ‘shwa’). In the pronunciationdescription given below, you’ll come across the inverted ‘e’ (“ə”) at several places. ‘ə’ is a semi-vowel-sound. It is found only in syllables that are not stressed. Yet it is the most frequent vowelsound in English. You know, ‘ə’ is — • the sound between ‘s’ and ‘p’ in ‘supply’. • the sound between ‘p’ and ‘n’ in ‘company’. • the sound between ‘m’ and ‘s’ in ‘famous’. • the sound between ‘p’ and ‘h’ in ‘perhaps’. • the sound of ‘a’ in ‘about’. • the sound of ‘i’ in ‘capacity’. • the sound of ‘e’ in ‘item’. • the sound of ‘o’ in ‘obey’. ‘ə’ sounds like a semi ‘e’ or a semi ‘a’ or a semi ‘o’. Let me give you an idea of how ‘ə’ sounds like: Clench your teeth. Say ‘a’ — not the letter ‘a’, but the sound ‘a’, that is, the sound of the letter ‘u’ in ‘up’. (This sound is represented by the international phonetic alphabet ‘Λ’). Say it from the throat. That’s the ‘ə’ sound. Again clench your teeth. Say ‘o’. Let the sounds come from the throat. That’s the ‘ə’ sound. Again clench your teeth. Say ‘e’ (not letter ‘e’, but sound ‘e’ – the sound of the letter ‘e’ in ‘end’). That’s the ‘ə’ sound. Let the sound come from the throat. Again, the sound you produce is the ‘ə’ sound. Note this: ‘ə’ is a very short vowel. It’s length is very short compared to the length of other short vowel sounds. Mind you, I’m not asking you to clench your teeth whenever you make the ‘ə’ sound in connected speech. I’m only trying to make you feel how

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the sound ‘ə’ sounds like. But there are two things you should never do: Whenever you make the ‘ə’ sound, never round your lips, and never open your mouth wide. Now let’s take a detailed look at the function words that have ‘weak forms’ for normal use. Here’s their list. You’ll find the ‘weak forms’ on the right hand side of the arrows. • a  ə. • am  m , əm. • an  ən. • and  ənd, nd, ən, n. • are  ə (before consonants), ər (before vowels). • as  əs. • at  ət. • be  bi. • been  bin. • but  bət. • can  kən. • could  kəd. • do  də (before consonants), du (before vowels). • does  dəz. • for  fə (before consonants), fər (before vowels). • from  frəm, frm. • had  həd, əd, d. • has  həz, əz, z, s. • have  həv, əv, v. • he  i:. • her  hər, з:, ə. • him  im. • his  iz. • is  s, z. • me  mi. • must  məs. • not  nt, n. • of  əv, v. • Saint  sənt, snt, sən, sn. • shall  shəl, shl. • she  shi. • should  shəd. • sir  sə (before consonants), sər (before vowels). • so  sə. • some  səm – only when used as an adjective (and not when used as a pronoun). • than  thən. • that  thət. • the  thə (before consonants), thi (before vowels). • them  thəm. • there  thə. • to  tə (before consonants), tu (before vowels). • us  əs, s. • was  wəs. • we  wi. • were  wə (before consonants), wər (before vowels). • who  hu, u:, u. • will  əl, l. • would  wəd, wd, d. • you  yu, yə.

List B: Neutral function words There are certain function words in English that are normally given their full-length pronunciation. That is, as far as these function words are concerned, it’s normal to use their full-length pronunciation, even when they’re not stressed. But in fast speech, even these function words get weakened. This is especially so if the fast speech happens in a casual situation. Here’s a list of these function words (followed by their reduced forms):

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• any  ni. • by  bə. • did  d. • how  həw. • I  ə. • if  (ə)f. • in  (ə)n. • it  ət. • its  əts. • many  mni. • may  mə. • might  mət. • more  mə. • my  mə. • nor  nə. • or  ər. • on  (ə)n. • our  aə, a: • so  sə. • their  thə. • then  thən. • they  thə. • though  thə. • through  thrə. • till  təl. • used (to)  yu:stə. • what  wət. • when  wən. • where  wə(r). • which  wəch. • while  wəl. • whose  həs. • why  wΛ, wə. • with  wəth. • your  yə.

Guidelines Here are a few guidelines, and you’ll find them helpful:

Guideline 1 am, are, can, could, did, do, does, had, has, have, is, must, shall, should, was, were, will, would. Suppose that you use any of these verb forms as the first word in a ‘question word group’. Then, you must use their full-length forms (as given on the left hand side of the arrows), and not their weak forms. E.g. • Am I at|fault? • Are you a |doctor? • Can I |help you? In medial positions, use their weak forms.

Guideline 2 am, are, be, can, could, did, do, does, had, has, have, is, must, shall, should, was, were, will, would. Suppose that you use any of these verb forms as the last word in a clausal idea unit (whole or fragmentary) or a ‘foot’ (We’ll soon see what a ‘foot’ is). Then, you must use their full-length forms, and not their weak forms. E.g. • Yes, I am. • Yes, we are. • Yes, he can. • Yes, they could.

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Guideline 3 at, by, for, from, of, on, till, to, with. Suppose that you use any of these prepositions as the last word in a clausal idea unit (whole or fragmentary) or a ‘foot’ (We’ll soon see what a ‘foot’ is). Then, you must use their full-length forms, and not their weak forms. E.g. • What are you looking at? • This is what he earns his living by.

Guideline 4 he, her, him, his, them, us. Even when they occur finally in an idea unit (or in a foot within an idea unit), you should not use the full-length forms of these words. You should only use their weak forms. (You should use their fulllength forms only when you stress them as special cases for reasons of meaning). E.g. • Who’s i: (= he)? • Ask з: (= her). • Tell im (= him).

Guideline 5 how, what, when, where, which, who, whose, why. Suppose that you use any of these words as the first word in a ‘question word group’. Then you must use the full-length forms of these words. E.g. • How did he|go? • What |time is it? • When will you be |ready? But if these words occur medially, and if you’re speaking at a fast rate, you don’t normally have to use the full-length forms of these words.

Guideline 6 more. You need not use the full-length form of this word, and you can weaken it, when you use it for comparison.

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E.g. John|draws mə (=more)|beautifully than|Mary. But suppose that you use this word to indicate the quantity or number of something. Then you must normally use its full-length form. E.g. more |people, more |money, etc.

Guideline 7 some. Suppose that you’re using ‘some’ as an adjective. Then you should normally weaken this word, and should not use its full-length form. E.g. • səm (=some) people. • səm (= some) powder. But you must not weaken it, but use its full-length form, if you’re using it as a pronoun. E.g. • some are good. • He gave me some.

Guideline 8 that. Suppose that you’re using ‘that’ as a conjunction to introduce a clause. Then you can weaken this word. (Actually, you can leave out the word ‘that’ in contexts like these). E.g. • Anil|told me (thət)|Mina was|there. • Gita|thought (thət)|Anil had| gone. Again, suppose that you use ‘that’ as a relative pronoun. Then again, you can weaken this word. E.g. the book (thət) you gave me. In other contexts, you must not weaken it, but use its fulllength form. E.g. • Give me that. • Who’s that? • Where’s that?

Guideline 9 there. Suppose that you use ‘there’ as the second word in a ‘question word group’ or as the introductory (first) word in

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other word groups. Then you need not use the full-length form of this word. (In these cases, you’re using ‘there’ as an indefinite adverb). E.g. • Is there (= thər)|any|doubt? • There’s (= Thəz) a|boy at the|gate. But suppose that you use ‘there’ to mean ‘to that place’ or ‘at that place’ or ‘in that place’. Then, you must normally use its full-length form. (Here you’re using ‘there’ as a demonstrative adverb). E.g. • Anil|told me |Mina was there. • He’s gone there.

Limited freedom Let me now sum up a few points: 1) As far as monosyllabic content words are concerned, the general principle is that you must stress them. But, if the meaning they convey is understood from the context, you may sometimes have to leave them unstressed in fast casual speech — for keeping up the rhythm of speech. 2) As far as monosyllabic function words are concerned, you must not normally stress them. You mustn’t. However, in two circumstances, you may have to stress them: (i) You may have to stress them, if you want to draw the hearers’ particular attention to the meaning conveyed by those words. (ii) You may also have to stress them for keeping up the rhythm of speech. 3) As far as polysyllabic content words are concerned, you must always stress them. 4) As far as polysyllabic function words are concerned, you must normally stress them, too. But sometimes in fast casual speech, you may have to leave them unstressed — for keeping up the rhythm of speech. For example, ‘any’ and ‘many’ are two polysyllabic words that often show reduction in length of sounds:

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• any  ni. • many  mni. Note that these circumstances make things easier for you. Why? Because you’re free (to a limited extent) to decide what to do to keep up the rhythm of speech. On the one hand, you can leave out to stress relatively unimportant words that are normally stressed — if you find it necessary to do so to keep up the rhythm. On the other hand, you can stress words (syllables) that are normally left unstressed — if you find that also necessary to keep up the rhythm. But it won’t be necessary for you to exercise this kind of choice often. If you do four things, the rhythm of your English speech will normally take care of itself: • Stress the strong syllable in every polysyllabic word (content word as well as function word). • Don’t stress monosyllabic function words. • As a rule, when you use a ‘weak function word’, use its weak (= reduced) form of pronunciation (List A above). • Stress all monosyllabic content words.

Shortened forms The shortened forms of certain very common word combinations are given below: These combinations happen when certain common words come together in speech. When these common words come together in speech, you should only use their shortened forms, and not their long forms. (As far as their long forms are concerned, you should only use them in exceptional cases — when you want to give special importance to them, and not otherwise). In the list below, you’ll find the long form on the left hand side of each ‘=’, the shortened form on the right hand side of each ‘=’, and the pronunciation of the shortened form on the right hand side of each arrow.

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• I am = I’m  Λim, Λəm. • I can  Λikən. • I could  Λikəd. • I had = I’d  Λiəd, Λid. • I have = I’ve  Λihəv, Λiəv, Λiv. • I must  Λiməs. • I will = I’ll  Λil. • I would = I’d  Λiəd, Λid. NOTE: When ‘I’ occurs medially, it’s often reduced to ‘ə’ in fast speech. E.g. • When I was…  Whenəwəs… • Then I said…  Thenə said…

• you are = you’re  yə (before consonants), yər (before vowels). • you can  yukən, yəkən. • you could  yukəd, yəkəd. • you had = you’d  yud or yəd. • you have = you’ve  yuhəv, yəv. • you must  yuməs, yəməs. • you will = you’ll  yul or yəl. • you would = you’d  yud or yəd. • he can  hikən. • he could  hikəd. • he has = he’s  hiz. • he is = he’s  hiz. • he must  himəs. • he will = he’ll  hil. • he would = he’d  hid. • she can  shikən. • she could  shikəd. • she had = she’d  shihəd, shiəd, shid. • she has = she’s  shihəz, shiəz, shiz. • she is = she’s  shiz. • she must  shiməs. • she will = she’ll  shil. • she would =she’d  shiwəd, shiəd, shid. • it can  itkən (often, ikkcn). • it could  itkəd (often, ikkəd). • it had = it’d  it’həd, itəd, itd. • it has = it’s  it’həz, itəz, its. • it is = it’s  its. • it must  itməs (often, ipməs). • it will = it’ll  itl. • it would = it’d  itwəd, itəd, itd. • we are = we’re  wiə (before consonants), wiər (before vowels). • we can  wikən. • we could  wikəd. • we had = we’d  wihəd, wiəd, wid. • we have = we’ve  wihəv, wiəv, wiv. • we must  wiməs. • we will = we’ll  wil. • we would = we’d  wiwəd, wiəd, wid. • they are = they’re  theiə (before consonants), theiər (before vowels). • they can  theikən. • they could  theikəd. • they had = they’d  theihəd, theiəd, theid. • they have = they’ve  theihəv, theiəv, theiv. • they must  theiməs. • they will = they’ll  theil. • they would = they’d  theiwəd, theiəd, theid.

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• who are = who’re  huə (before consonants), huər(before vowels). • who can  hukən. • who could  hukəd. • who had = who’d  huhəd, huəd, hud. • who has = who’s  huhəz, huəz, huz. • who have = who’ve  huhəv, huəv, huv. • who is = who’s  huz. • who must  huməs. • who will = who’ll  hul. • who would = who’d  huwəd, huəd, hud. • that are = that’re  thətə (before consonants), thatər (before vowels). • that can  thətkən (often, thəkkən). • that could  thətkəd (often, thəkkəd). • that had = that’d  thət’həd, thətəd, thətd. • that has = that’s  thət’həz, thətəz, thəts. • that have = that’ve  thət’həv, thətəv, thətv. • that is = that’s  thəts. • that must  thətməs (often, thəpməs). • that will = that’ll  thətl. • that would = that’d  thətwəd, thətəd, thətd. • can have = can’ve  kənəv. • could have = could’ve  kədəv. • may have = may’ve  meiv. • might have = might’ve  mightəv. • must have = must’ve  məsv. • ought to have  otəv. • shall have = shall’ve  shələv. • should have = should’ve  shədəv. • will have = will’ve  wiləv. • would have = would’ve  wədəv. • here is = here’s  hiəz. • there are  thərə (before consonants), thərər (before vowels). • there can  thəkən. • there could  thəkəd. • there had = there’d  thəhəd, thəd. • there has = there’s  thəz. • there have = there’ve  thəv. • there is = there’s  thəz. • there must  thəməs. • there will = there’ll  thəl. • there would = there’d  thəwəd, thəd. • how are = how’re  howə (before consonants), howər (before vowels). • how can  howkən. • how could  howkəd. • how had = how’d  howəd, howd. • how has = how’s  howz. • how have = how’ve  howəv. • how is = how’s  howz. • how must  howməs. • how will = how’ll  how’l. • how would = how’d  howəd, howd. • what are = what’re  watə (before consonants), whatər (before vowels). • what can  watkən (usually, wakkcn ). • what could  watkəd (usually, wakkəd). • what had = what’d

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 wat’həd, watəd. • what has = what’s  wats. • what have = what’ve  watəv. • what is = what’s  wats. • what must  watməs. • what will = what’ll  watl. • what would = what’d  watwəd, watəd. • when are = when’re  wenə (before consonants), whenər (before vowels). • when can  wenkən. • when could  wenkəd. • when had = when’d wenhəd, wenəd. • when has = when’s  wenz. • when have = when’ve  wenəv. • when is = when’s  wenz (‘e’ pronounced as the ‘e’ in ‘edit’). • when must  wenməs (usually, wemməs). • when will = when’ll  wenl. • when would = when’d  wenwəd, wenəd. NOTE: When ‘when’ occurs medially, it’s often reduced to ‘whən’ in rapid speech. E.g. • That’s when I said…  That’s wənə said…

• where are  weərə (before consonants), weərər(before vowels). • where can  weəkən. • where could  weəkəd. • where had = where’d  weəhəd, weərəd. • where has = where’s  weəz. • where have = where’ve  weərəv. • where is = where’s  weəz (‘e’ pronounced as the ‘e’ in ‘edit’). • where must  weəməs. • where will = where’ll  weərl. • where would = where’d  weəwəd, weərəd. NOTE: When ‘where’ occurs medially, it’s often reduced to ‘whə(r)’ in fast speech. E.g. That’s where I met…  That’s wərə met…

• are not = aren’t  a:nt. • cannot = can’t  ka:nt. • could not = couldn’t  kədn. • did not = didn’t  didn, din. • did you  dyou, ju (‘j’ pronounced as the ‘j’ in ‘just’). • do not = don’t  doun. • do you = d’you  dyu, ju (‘j’ pronounced as the ‘j’ in ‘just’). • does not = doesn’t  dəzn. • had not = hadn’t  hədn, ədn, dn. • has not = həsn’t  həzn, əzn, zn, sn. • have not = haven’t  həvn, əvn, vn. • is not = isn’t  zn. • might not = mightn’t  mightn. • must not = mustn’t  məsn. • need not = needn’t  needn. • ought not = oughtn’t  oughtn. • shall not = shan’t  sha:nt. • should not = shouldn’t  shədn. • was not = wasn’t  wəzn. • were not = weren’t  wз:nt. (‘з:’ can

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be taken as the long form of ‘ə’). • will not = won’t  woun. • would not = wouldn’t  wədn, ədn, dn.

* * *

Foot and rh ythm

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chapter 3

Foot and rhythm Between two stressed syllables in a word group, there may or may not be a few unstressed syllables. In the following word group, the only stressed syllables are ‘Ka’, ‘go’, ‘mar’, ‘get’ and ‘ve’. Kamal was |going to the |market to |get some |vegetables. (Foot 1) (Foot 2) (Foot 3) (Foot 4) (Foot 5) Now here’s an important point you’ll have to pay all your attention to: The time in which you utter one stressed syllable plus the unstressed syllables that may follow it upto the next stressed syllable must be approximately the same as the time in which you utter that 2nd stressed syllable plus the unstressed syllables that may follow it (upto the next – 3rd – stressed syllable). That is: • The time in which you utter the 1st stressed syllable plus the unstressed syllables that may follow it (upto the 2nd stressed syllable) must be approximately the same as the time in which you utter the 2nd stressed syllable plus the unstressed syllables that may follow it (upto the 3rd stressed syllable). • The time in which you utter the 2nd stressed syllable plus the unstressed syllables that may follow it (upto the 3rd stressed syllable) must be approximately the same as the time in which you utter the 3rd stressed syllable plus the unstressed syllables that may follow it (upto the 4th stressed syllable). • The time in which you utter the 3rd stressed syllable plus the unstressed syllables that may follow it (upto the 4th stressed syllable) must be approximately the same as the time in which you utter the 4th stressed syllable plus the unstressed syllables that may follow it (upto the 5th stressed syllable).

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The fundamental principle of English rhythm A unit made up of a stressed syllable plus the unstressed syllables that may follow it (upto the next stressed syllable) is known as a foot. For example, ‘Kamal was’, ‘going to the’, ‘market to’, ‘get some’ and ‘vegetables’ are the feet in the word group we’ve just now seen. So the time in which you utter a foot in a word group must be approximately the same as the time in which you utter any other foot within that word group — no matter how many unstressed syllables there are in a foot. That is, no matter how many unstressed syllables there are in a foot, each foot within a word group is to be said in the same amount of time. This is the fundamental principle of English rhythm. This principle makes sure that stressed syllables are heard prominently at regular intervals of time — like the beat of a drum or the tick of a clock. Let me now illustrate the principle: Sl. No. 1) 2) 3) 4)

Foot 1 Foot 2 Foot 3 |One |two |three. |Ten |twenty |twentieth. |Ahmed and his |friends have |come. |John |thanked me for the |present.

• Word group 1: In the first word group, there are three feet: ‘one’, ‘two’, and ‘three’. Each foot has only a single syllable. The sole syllable in each foot is, therefore, a stressed syllable. There are no unstressed syllables in any of the three feet. The time taken to say ‘one’ must approximately be the same as the time taken to say ‘two’. And the time taken to say ‘two’ must approximately be the same as the time taken to say ‘three’. • Word group 2: In the second word group, there are three feet. The stressed syllable in the first foot is ‘Ten’. The stressed

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syllable in the second foot is ‘twen’. The stressed syllable in the third foot is also ‘twen’. The first foot has only one stressed syllable in it. There are no unstressed syllables in that foot. The second foot has one unstressed syllable in it (‘ty’). The third foot has two unstressed syllables in it (‘ti’ and ‘eth’). The time taken to say ‘Ten’ must approximately be the same as the time taken to say ‘twenty’. And the time taken to say ‘twenty’ must approximately be the same as time taken to say ‘twentieth’. So the amount of the time taken to say the sole syllable in the first foot (‘Ten’) is double the time taken to say each of the two syllables in the second foot (‘twen’ & ‘ty’) — and three times the time taken to say each of the three syllables in the third foot (‘twen’, ‘ti’ & ‘eth’). In short, you have to say ‘Ten’ very slowly, ‘twenty’ quickly, and ‘twentieth’ more quickly. • Word group 3: In the third word group, the first foot has one stressed syllable and three unstressed syllables following it. The second foot has one stressed syllable and one unstressed syllable following it. The third foot has only a stressed syllable (and no unstressed syllables). Still you must utter the first foot (4 syllables), second foot (2 syllables) and the third foot (one syllable) in approximately equal amounts of time. • Word group 4: In the fourth word group, you must say ‘John’ (one syllable) in approximately the same amount of time as ‘thanked me for the’ (4 syllables). You must only take up approximately the same amount of time to say ‘present’ (2 syllables), too.

Beating the rhythm Let the explanations not frighten you. In actual practice, the whole thing is very easy. It is not difficult at all to utter each foot in approximately the same amount of time. Try doing like this: When you utter the stressed syllable in a foot, tap somewhere with your index finger or with a pencil. Keep on tapping at the rate of one tap for each stressed syllable.

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Keep on tapping at a uniform speed, that is, at regular intervals of time. At each tap, you must utter a stressed syllable. The stressed syllable plus the unstressed syllables that may follow it will automatically get squeezed in between every two taps. Say the following word groups by beating the rhythm in this way with your index finger or with a pencil. |Abu is |getting |better. |Nobody |seemed |anxious to |go. |Ahmed hasn’t |made up his |mind yet. |This |box will |do. |Tom can |easily |mend it. |Priya didn’t |mind him |taking it. |Ask her to |play the |violin. |That’s the |best they’ve |got. |That |child has |fallen |over. |Let me |show you |how. |Father has been |gone an |hour or |more. |This |pen’s |useless. |Don’t |make such a |fuss. |Everyone |said he was |bright. |Pass me the |book. |None of them was any |good. Don’t pause at the end of a foot at this stage. We’ll come to the question of pausing later. Utter each word group foot by foot, from beginning till end, without pausing anywhere. There are two important points that you must keep in mind: • A foot always begins with a stressed syllable. No foot begins with an unstressed syllable. If a foot has only one syllable, it’ll be a stressed syllable. If a foot has more than one syllable, that foot will end only in an unstressed syllable (and not in a stressed syllable). • English speech is louder at the beginning of a foot — because a foot always begins with a stressed syllable. From there, the loudness falls gradually towards the end

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of the foot. From there, the loudness jumps up steeply at the beginning of the second foot. From there, the loudness falls gradually towards the end of that foot. From there, the loudness jumps up steeply at the beginning of the next foot. In that way, the loudness keeps jumping up steeply and coming down gradually in a rhythmic way.

Two special cases 1).

The silent stress

From what we’ve seen so far, one thing must be clear to you: An idea unit is nothing but a chain of feet. Now you must note one thing: Though a foot must always begin with a stressed syllable, an idea unit may begin either with a stressed syllable or an unstressed syllable. Take the idea unit ‘|John is a |fool’. Here the idea-unit starts with the stressed syllable ‘John’. Therefore, the first foot can also start with ‘John’. But now take another idea-unit. He wanted to go. This idea-unit starts with the word ‘He’. ‘He’ is a monosyllabic function word, and so it’s not generally stressed. So a foot cannot normally begin with ‘He’. Then how do we divide ‘He wanted to go’ into feet? We can do it like this: |º He |wanted to |go. Here all that we’ve done is this: We’ve assumed that there’s a stressed syllable before the unstressed ‘He’, and that this ‘assumed stressed syllable’ is a silent one. We also assume that this silent stressed syllable plus the unstressed syllable ‘He’ form the first foot. The degree sign ‘º’ stands for the silent stress. In this case, you can beat the rhythm by starting the tapping before uttering ‘He’. In the examples given below, ‘º’ stands for the silent stress ‘º’. Do the tapping once, and then say ‘He’ — without stressing it. The next tap will fall on ‘wan’, and the next

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on ‘go’. A few more examples are given below: |º It’s |raining |harder |now. |º The |painting is |finished. |º They |won’t |know the |difference. |º It would be |better to |write to him. |º He has been |made |Chairman. |º There are a |few more |left. |º There is |still no |word from him. NOTE: There must be no pause after the initial unstressed syllables and before the first stressed syllable. So there must be no pause between “It’s” and “raining”, between “The” and “painting”, etc. Connect the initial unstressed syllables to the first stressed syllable quickly. 2).

Unstressed syllables at the beginning of ‘words’ Take the idea-unit ‘John expects me’. In the word ‘expects’, the stressed syllable is ‘pects’, and so the stress falls on that syllable. The first syllable ‘ex’ in that word is an unstressed one. In such a case, this is how we divide the word group into feet: |John ex|pects me. In other words, the unstressed syllable ‘ex’ at the beginning of the word ‘expects’ is treated as part of the preceding foot. So ‘John ex’ is one foot, and ‘pects me’ is another foot. A few more examples are given below: You are |very un|kind: (unkind) I |didn’t en|joy it: (enjoy) |Don’t under|take it: (undertake) |Nobody can under|stand him: (understand) |Please |try a|gain: (again) He ex|plained it to me: (explained) She re|fused the |offer: (refused)

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He has been pro|moted: (promoted) NOTE: We’ll be doing intensive rhythm drills in the later Books in this series.

Speed of speech A question that usually worries people is this: “How fast should I speak?” The answer to the question is this. You must be fast enough, so that you do not appear to be hesitating between every two words — and your speech does not sound artificial. At the same time, you must also be slow enough, so that your listeners can make out what you’re saying — and the “speed of speech” does not break up the flow of your speech. How to speak fast enough as well as slow enough in this way? The answer is this: Utter each foot in less than 3/4th of a second. Yes, in less than 3/4th of a second. Of course, nobody speaks by keeping track of the time they take to utter each foot. But it’s quite easy to achieve this rate of speed — and to keep it up. Yes, this is quite easy to do. Learn to tap with your finger at equal intervals of time. The interval must be less than 3/4th of a second. You can do this if you tap on at the rate of about 8 to 10 taps per 6 seconds. Yes, 8 to 10 taps in 6 seconds. You can count the number of taps by tapping on a white paper with the tip of a pencil, and by counting the number of pencil marks made in 6 seconds. Once you’ve learnt to tap at this rate, you can practice saying the practice material at this rate. And within a few minutes, you’ll get used to saying word groups at this rate of speed. When you speak at this rate, you’ll take about 2 seconds to utter an idea unit of average length — that is, to utter an idea unit consisting of 5 to 6 short and simple words. About 2 seconds on an average per idea unit. This is the average rate at which a fluent native speaker of English speaks English. Don’t be under the impression that the faster you speak, the more fluent you sound. No. You sound fluent not when you speak

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faster (than at the normal speed), but when you speak with an uninterrupted flow (at the normal speed — that is, at the rate of one idea unit of 5 to 6 short and simple words in about two seconds). And what is an “uninterrupted flow”? An uninterrupted flow is a flow that is interrupted by as few unmanaged hesitations as possible. Yes, there must be as few unmanaged hesitations as possible in your speech. And what is an “unmanaged hesitation”? But this is another topic, and we’ll take it up later.

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F requently-used polysyllabic words

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chapter 4

Frequently-used polysyllabic words You’re now going to get a complete list of essential polysyllabic words. (You’ll get a similar list of monosyllabic words in a later Book). These are all the polysyllabic words you’ll normally need for fluent speech. The only words that are left out are special polysyllabic words. For example, ‘palpitation’ is a special polysyllabic word that doctors use when they talk about hearttroubles. It is not a word of general use. The words you’re going to get are words of general use — words that you can use for any kind of communication. The stressed syllable in each word has been printed in CAPITAL letters. The remaining letters represent unstressed syllables. Here you should bear these things in mind: • The stressed syllable in a word is said with more breath-force or effort than the unstressed syllables. So the stressed syllable can be heard more loudly than the unstressed syllables. • The stressed syllable is pronounced more slowly and clearly than the unstressed syllables. The unstressed syllables are said weakly and rapidly. The length of the sound of the stressed syllable never gets reduced when you stress it. It’s always uttered by giving it sufficient time, so that its full length can come out. But the sounds of unstressed syllables always show reduction in length. In fact, when compared to the length reduction that unstressed syllables show, the stressed syllable often sounds stretched out. When you go through the list of polysyllabic words, remember one thing: The stressed syllable in each word has been shown on

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F requently-used polysyllabic words

the basis of sound, and not on the basis of spelling. Take the word ‘addition’, for example. Here the stress falls on ‘ddi’. So you’ll find it printed as ‘aDDItion’. This is a syllable division based on sound. But on the basis of spelling, you can divide the word in another way also: ‘ad-di-tion’. This is a syllable-division that is meant for typists and printers, so they can decide where to divide the word at the end of a line while typing or printing. But we’re not concerned about that kind of division. We’re concerned about where the stress falls while speaking. So you’ll find that double spellings like ‘dd’, ‘gg’, ‘ll’, etc. have been treated as single sounds. Pay attention to the stressed syllables that are shown in capital letters, and don’t worry about the mechanics of syllable division. As we’ve already seen, a syllable is a unit of sound. A syllable will always have a vowel in it. It may also have one or more consonants before it or after it — or before and after it. There’s one more thing. After a few words in the list, you’ll find the letters ‘n’ and ‘v’ within brackets. ‘n’ stands for ‘noun’ (naming word), and ‘v’ stands for ‘verb’ (action word). Now let’s go for the words. You’ll find the words listed in two ways: First, alphabetically. Then, according to the position of the stressed syllable in the words — that is, stress-position-wise.

Alphabetical lists A: • aBILity, Able, aBOUT, aBOVE, aBROAD, ABsence, ABsent, ABsolute, ABsolutely, abSORB, ABsorbing, aBUSE. • acCELerate, ACcent, acCEPT, ACcident, accommoDAtion, aCCOmmodate, aCCOMpany, aCCOMplish, aCCORDing, aCCOUNT, aCCOUNTant, ACCUrate, aCCUSE, aCCUStom, aCHIEVE, aCHIEVEment, ackNOWLedge, aCQUAINT, aCQUAINTance, aCQUIRE, aCROSS, ACtion, ACTive, ACTively, acTIVity, ACtual, ACtually. • aDDItion, aDDItional, aDDRESS, ADequate, adJUST, adminiSTRAtion, ADmirable, admiRAtion, adMIRE, adMIT, aDOPT,

F requently-used polysyllabic words

53

ADult, adVANCE, adVANCED, adVANtage, adVENTure, ADvertise, adVERTisement, adVICE, adVISE. • aFFAIR, aFFECT, aFFECtion, aFFECtionate, aFFORD, aFRAID, AFter, afterNOON, AFTerwards. • aGAIN, aGAINST, Agency, Agent, aGO, aGREE, aGREEment. • aHEAD. • AIMless, AIRport. • aLARM, ALcohol, aLIKE, aLIVE, aLLOW, aLLOWance, ALmost, aLONE, aLONG, aLOUD, alREAdy, ALso, ALter, alTHOUGH, altoGEther, ALways. • aMAZE, amBItion, amBItious, aMONG, aMOUNT, aMUSE, aMUSEment. • ANalyse, aNAlysis, ANchor, ANcient, ANger, ANgle, ANgry, ANimal, ANkle, anniVERsary, aNNOUNCE, aNNOY, ANnual, aNOther, ANswer, anXIEty, ANxious, Any, Anybody, Anyhow, Anyone, Anything, Anyway, Anywhere. • aPART, aPOLogize, aPOLogy, aPPARently, aPPEAL, aPPEAR, aPPEARance, Appetite, aPPLAUSE, Applicant, appliCAtion, aPPLY, aPPOINT, aPPOINTment, aPPREciate, aPPROACH, aPPROVAL, aPPROVE, aPPROXimate, aPPROXimately. • Area, ARgue, ARgument, aRISE, ARmy, aROUND, aRRANGE, aRRANGEment, aRREST, aRRIVE, Arrow, ARticle, artiFIcial, ARTist. • aSHAMED, aSHORE, aSIDE, aSLEEP, aSSEMble, aSSIST, aSSISTance, aSSISTant, aSSOciate, associAtion, aSSUME, aSSURE, aSTONish, aSTONishment. • ATmosphere, aTROcious, aTTACH, aTTACK, aTTAIN, aTTEMPT, aTTEND, aTTENDance, aTTENtion, Attitude, aTTRACT, aTTRACtion, aTTRACTive. • AUdience, AUthor, auTHOrity, autoMAtic. • aVAILable, Average, aVOID. • aWAKE, aWARD, aWARE, aWAY, AWful, AWKward. B: • BAby, BACKbone, BACKground, BACKward, BACKwards, backYARD, BADly, BAggage, BALance, BALcony, baLLOON, baNAna, BANDage, BANKer, BANKrupt, BARber, BARgain, BArrel, BASEment, BAsic, BAsin, BAsis, BASket, BATHroom, BAtter, BAttle. • BEAUtiful, BEAUty. beCAUSE, BEckon, beCOME, BEDclothes, BEDroom, BEDside, beFORE, beFOREhand,

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BEggar, beGIN, beGINNer, beGINNing, beHAVE, beHAviour, beHIND, BEing, beLIEF, beLIEVE, BElly, beLONG, beLONGings, beLOVED, beLOW, BEnefit, beSIDE, beSIDES, BEtter, beTWEEN, beYOND. • BIcycle, BIRTHday, BIScuit, Bitter, BItterness. • BLACKmail, BLACKsmith, BLAdder, BLANket, BLESSing, BLOODy, BLOssom, BLUNder. • BOdy, BOLDness, BOMBing, BONy, BOOKshelf, BOOKshop, BORder, BORing, BOrrow, BOther, BOttle, BOttom, BOUNDary, BOWels. • BRAvery, BREAKdown, BREAKfast, BRIDEgroom, BRIEFcase, BRIGHTen, BROADcast, BROADen, BROther. • BUbble, BUcket, BUdget, BUILDing, BULKy, BUllet, BULLy, BUMper, BUNdle, BURden, BURGlar, BUrial, BUry, BUSiness, BUSinessman, BUsy, BUtcher, BUtter, BUtton, BUttonhole. • BYpass, BYstander. C: • CAbin, CAbinet, CAble, CAfe, CALculate, CALender, CALMness, CAmera, camPAIGN, caNAL, CANcel, CANdle, canTEEN, CANvas, CApable, caPAcity, CAPital, CAPtain, CAPture, CARbon, CARDboard, caREER, CAREful, CAREless, CARpenter, CARpet, CArriage, CArry, carTOON, caSSETTE, CAstle, CAsual, CAsualty, CAtalogue, CAttle, CAUtion, CAUtious. • CEILing, CELebrate, CELebrated, CEllar, ceMENT, CEmetery, CENtimetre, CENtral, CENtre, CENtury, CEremony, CERtain, CERtainly, CERtainty, cerTIficate, CERtify. • CHAIRman, CHAllenge, CHAMpion, CHAnnel, CHApter, CHAracter, CHAtter, CHAUffeur, CHEERful, CHEMical, CHERish, CHIcken, CHILDren, CHILDhood, CHILDish, CHIMney, CHOcolate, CHUBBy. • ciGAR, cigaRETTE, Clnema, CIRcle, CIRcular, CIRculate, CIRcuit, cirCUItious, CIRcumstance, CIRcus, CItizen, CIty, CIvil, civiliZAtion, CIvilize. • CLArify, classifiCAtion, CLASSify, CLASSical, CLASSroom, CLEARing, CLEver, CLImate, CLImax, CLOCKwork, CLOTHing, CLOUDy, CLUMsy, CLUSter. • COffee, COffee-pot, COllar, coLLECT, coLLECTION, COlleague, COllege, COlony, COlour, COlourful, COlumn,

F requently-used polysyllabic words

55

combiNAtion, comBINE, COmedy, COMfort, COMfortable, coMMAND, coMMEND, COmment, COmmentary, COmmentator, COmmerce, coMMERcial, coMMIT, COmmon, COmmonplace, commonSENSE, coMMOtion, coMMUnicate, communiCAtion, coMMUnity, comPANion, COMpany, comPARative, comPARatively, comPARE, comPARison, comPEL, comPETE, compeTItion, comPETitor, comPLAIN, comPLAINT, comPLETE, comPLETELY, COMplex, comPLEXion, COMplicate, COMplicated, comPLY, comPOSE, COMpound, compreHEND, compreHENsion, compreHENsive, comPRISE, comPULsion, comPULsory, comPUTE, comPUter, COMrade, conCEAL, conCEDE, conCEIT, conCEssion, conCEIted, conCEIVE, concenTRAtion, CONcentrate, CONcept, conCEPtion, conCERN, conCERNing, conCISE, conCLUDE, conCLUsion, CONcrete, conDEMN, conDItion, conDItional, conDOLE, CONduct (n), conDUCT (v), conDUCtor, conFER, CONference, conFESS, conFEssion, conFIDE, CONfidence, CONfident, confiDENtial, confiDENtially, conFINE, conFIRM, CONflict (n), conFLICT (V), conFORM, conFUSE, conFUSion, conGESted, conGEStion, conGRAtulate, CONjure, coNNECT, coNNECtion, CONquer, CONscience, CONscious, CONsciousness, conSENT, CONsequence, CONsequently, conSERvative, conSIder, conSIderable, conSIderably, conSIderate, consideRAtion, conSIST, conSPIracy, conSPIRE, conSPIrator, CONstant, conSTRUCT, conSTRUCtion, conSULT, conSUME, conSUmer, conSUMPtion, CONtact, conTAIN, conTAINer, CONtemplate, conTEMPT, conTEMPtuously, conTEMPtible, conTEND, conTENDed, conTENT (v), CONtent (n), CONtest (n), conTEST (v), CONtext, conTInue, conTInuous, conTInually, CONtract (n), conTRACT (v), contraDICT, CONtrary, CONtrast (n), conTRAST(v), conTRIbute, contriBUtion, conTROL, conVENience, conVENient, conVENtion, conVENtional, converSAtion, conVEY, conVEYance,

56

F requently-used polysyllabic words

CONvict (n), conVICT (v), conVICtion, conVINCE, coOPerate, co-opeRAtion, Copy, CORdial, CORner, coRRECT, coRRECtion, correSPOND, correSPONdence, COrridor, coRRUPT, COSTly, COttage, COtton, COUNTer, COUNtry, COUNtryside, COUple, COUrage, couRAgeous, COUSin, COver, COvering, COward, COwardice. • CRACKer, CRAdle, CRAFTy, CRAZy, creATE, CREAtures, CREdit, CRIMInal, CRIpple, CRISis, CRItical, CROckery, CROSSroads, CRUel, CRUelty. • CULtivate, CULtural, CULture, CUnning, CUPboard, curiOSity, CUrious, CUrrent, CURtain, CURtsey, CUshion, CUStom, CUStomer, CUTlery. • CYcle, CYclist, CYlinder. D: • DAddy, DAIly, DAiry, DAmage, DANcer, DANCing, DANger, DANgerous, DARKen, DARKness, DARLing, DAUGHter, DAYlight, DAYtime, DAzzle. • DEAFen, DEALer, deBATE, deCAY, deCEIVE, deCEIVer, deCEIT, DEcent, deCIDE, deCIdedly, deCIsion, declaRAtion, deCLARE, deCLINE, DEcorate, deCREASE, DEdicate, DEEPer, DEEPly, deFEAT, deFENCE, deFEND, deFINE, DEfinite, Definitely, defiNItion, deFY, deGREE, deLAY, deLIBerate, DElicate, deLIcious, deLIGHT, deLIGHTed, deLIGHTful, deLIver, deLIvery, deMAND, demoCRATic, deMOLish, DEmonstrate, demonSTRAtion, DENtist, deNY, dePART, dePARTment, dePARture, dePEND, dePENDant, dePENDence, dePENDent, dePLORE, dePLORable, dePRESS, DEPuty, deRIVE, deSCEND, deSCENDant, deSCENT, deSCRIBE, deSCRIPtion, deSERT (v), DEsert (n), deSERVE, deSIGN, deSIRable, deSIRE, deSPAIR, DESperate, deSPIcable, deSPISE, deSPITE, destiNAtion, DEStiny, deSTROY, deSTRUCtion, DEtail, DEtailed, deTECT, deTECTive, determiNAtion, deTERmine, deTEST, deTESTable, deVELop, deVELopment, deVICE, DEvil, deVOTE. • DIal, DIAlogue, DIamond, DIary, dicTATE, dicTAtion, dicTAtor, DIffer, DIfference, DIfferent, DIfficult, DIfficulty, diGEST (v), DIGnity, DInner, diPLOma, diRECT, diRECtion,

F requently-used polysyllabic words

57

diRECTly, diRECTor, DIRTy, disadVANtage, disaGREE, disaGREEment, disaPPEar, disaPPEarance, disaPPOINT, disaPPOINTment, disaPPROVal, disaPPROVE, diSASter, diSAStrous, disCHARGE, DIscipline, disCLOSE, disCOMfort, disconTENDed, DIScount (n), disCOUNT (v), disCOURage, diSCOver, diSCOvery, diSCREET, diSCRIMinate, discrimiNAtion, diSCUSS, diSCUSSion, diSEASE, disGRACE, disGUISE, disGUST, disHONest, disLIKE, disMISS, disMISSal, disoBEY, disoBEdient, disORder, diSPLAY, disPLEASE, diSPOSE, diSPOSal, diSPUTE, dissatisFACtion, diSSAtisfy, diSSOLVE, DIStance, DIStant, diSTINCT, diSTINCtion, diSTINCTly, diSTINguish, diSTORT, diSTORtion, diSTRESS, diSTRIbute, DIStrict, diSTURB, diSTURBance, diVIDE, diVIsion, diVORCE. • DOCtor, DOCument, doMEStic, DOminate, DONkey, DOORstep, DOORway, DOUble, DOUBTful, DOUBTless, downSTAIRS, DOWNward, DOWNwards, DOzen. • DRAgon, DRAma, draMAtic, DRAWing, DRAWer, DREADful, DRESSmaking, DRIVer, DRUNKard, DRYness. • DULLness, DUNgeon, DURing, DUSTy, DUty. E: • EAger, EAgerly, EAgle, EARly, EARnest, EARNings, EARTHquake, EAsily, EASTern, EASTward, EAsy. • ECho, eCOnomy, ecoNOmic, ecoNOmical. • Edit, Editor, eDItion, Educate, eduCAtion, eduCAtional. • eFFECT, eFFECTive, eFFIcient, eFFIciency, Effort. • EIther. • eLAStic, ELbow, Elder, ELdest, eLEct, eLECtion, eLECtric, eLECtrical, elecTRIcity, eleMENTary, Element, Elephant, elseWHERE. • emBArass, emBOdy, emBRACE, eMERGE, eMERgency, eMOtion, eMOtional, EMphasise, EMphasis, EMpire, emPLOY, emploYEE, emPLOYer, emPLOYment, EMPty. • eNAble, enCLOSE, enCOUNter, enCOUrage, enCOUragement, ENDing, ENDless, enDURE, enDURance, ENemy, enerGEtic, ENergy, enGAGE, enGAGED, ENgine, engiNEER, engiNEERing, enJOY, enJOYable, enJOYment, enLARGE, eNORmous,

58

F requently-used polysyllabic words

eNOUGH, enSURE, ENter, ENterprise, ENterprising, enterTAIN, enterTAINment, enTHUsiasm, enTHUsiast, enTHUsiastic, enTIRE, enTIREly, enTItle, ENtrance, enTREAT, ENtry, ENvelope, enVIRonment, ENvy. • Equal, eQUAlity, eQUIP, eQUIPment. • eRECT, Error. • eSCAPE, eSPEcially, Essence, eSSENtial, eSTABlish, eSTATE, Estimate, eTERnal, eTERnity. • eVALuate, Even, Evening, eVENT, eVENTually, Ever, everLASTing, Every, Everybody, Everyday, Everyone, Everything, Everywhere, Evidence, Evident, Evil. • exact (igZAKT), exaggerate (igZAggerate), exaggeRAtion, examine (igZAMin), example (igZAMple), EXcellent, except (ikSEPT), exception (ikSEPtion), excess (ikSES), exCHANGE, excite (ikSAIT), excitement (ikSAITment), exciting (ikSAITing), exclaim (ikSCLAIM), exclaMAtion, exclude (ikSCLUDE), exclusive (ikSCLUsive), excursion (ikSCURsion), excuse (ikSCUSE), EXecute, EXercise, exhaust (igZOST), exhaustive (igZOSTive), exhibit (igZIbit), exhiBItion, exist (igZIST), existence (igZISTance), expand (ikSPAND), expansion (ikSPANsion), expect (ikSPECT), expense (ikSPENS), expenditure (ikSPENDiture), expensive (ikSPENsive), experience (ikSPERience), experienced (ikSPErienced), experiment (ikSPERiment), experiMENTal, EXpert, explain (ikSPLAIN), explaNAtion, explode (ikSPLODE), exploit (ikSPLOIT), exploRAtion, explore (ikSPLORE), explosion (ikSPLOsion), explosive (ikSPLOsive), export (ikSPORT) (v), EXport (n), express (ikSPRESS), expression (ikSPREssion), extend (ikSTEND), extension (ikSTENsion), extent (ikSTENT), external (ikSTERNal), extinguish (ikSTINguish), EXtra, extract (ikSTRACT) (v), extraordinarily (ikSTRORdinarily), extraordinary (ikSTRORdinary), extreme (ikSTREME), extremely (ikSTREMEly). • EYEbrow, EYElid, EYEsight. F: • FAble, FACtory, FAILure, FAIRly, FAITHful, faMIliar, FAMily, FAMous, FANcy, fanTAstic, FARMer, FARMhouse, FARther, FARthest, FAscinate, FAshion, FAshionable, FAsten,

F requently-used polysyllabic words

59

FAtal, FAther, FAULTless, FAULTy, FAvour, FAvourable, FAvourite. • FEARful, FEARless, FEAther, FEAture, FEEble, FEELing, FEllow, FEmale, feROcious, feROcity, Ferry, FERtile, FEStival, FEver, FEverish. • FICtion, ficTItious, FIGHTer, FIgure, FILLing, FILter, FILTHy, FInal, fiNANcial, FINEly, FINger, Finish, FIRMness, FISHerman, FITness. • FLATTen, FLAtter, FLAvour, FLEXIble, FLICKer, FLOURish, FLOWer, FLUent, FLUently, FLUtter. • FOGGy, FOllow, FOllower, FOllowing, FOlly, FONDly, FOOlish, FOOTpath, FOOTstep, forBID, FOREarm, FOREcast, FOREfinger, FOREhead, FOreign, FOreigner, foreSEE, Forest, forGET, forGETful, forGIVE, FORMal, FORmer, FORmerly, FORmula, FORTnight, FORtunate, FORtunately, FORtune, FORward, founDAtion, FOUDer, FOUNtain. • FRACTion, FRACture, FRAMEwork, FRANtic, FRANtically, FREEly, FREEdom, FREquent, FREquently, FRESHen, FRICtion, FRIENDly, FRIENDship, FRIGHTen, FRIGHTful, FRIGHTfully, FRONtier, FRUITful. • FUgitive, fulFILL, FULLy, FUNCtion, FUneral, FUNNy, FUrious, FURnish, FURniture, FURther, FUry, FUture. G: • GAIety, GAIly, GAllant, GAllery, GAMble, GAMbler, GArage, GARbage, GARden, GARdner, GARDening, GARment, GATEway, GAther. • GENeral, GENerally, GENerate, GENerous, GENius, GENtle, GENtleman, GENtleness, GENtly, GENuine, GESture. • GHASTly. • giGANtic, GIggle. • GLASSes, GLImmer, GLOry. • GOddess, GOLDen, GOLDsmith, goodBYE, GOODness, goodNIGHT, GOSpel, GOssip, GOvern, GOvernment. • GRACEful, GRACEfully, GRAcious, GRAciously, GRADual, GRADually, GRADuate, GRAmmar, graMMAtical, GRANDchild, GRANDdaughter, GRANDfather, GRANDmother, GRANDparents, GRANDson, GRATEful, GRAtitude, GREATly, GREATness, GREEDy, GREETings, GRIEVance, GROcer, GRUMble. • guaranTEE, GUILTy, GUNpowder, GUtter.

60

F requently-used polysyllabic words

H: • HAbit, haBItual, HAIRcut, haLLO, Hammer, HANDbag, HANDful, HANdicraft, HANDkerchief, HANdle, HANDout, HANDsome, HANDsomely, HANDy, HAppen, HAppy, HAppily, HAppiness, HARbour, HARDen, HARDly, HARDness, HARMful, HARMless, HARmony, HARSHly, HARvest, HAsten, HASTy, HATEful, HATred, HAUGHty, HAzard. • HEADache, HEADing, HEADlight, HEADline, HEADlong, headMASter, headMIStress, headQUARters, HEALTHy, HEARTy, HEAven, HEAvy, HEAvily, HEIGHTen, HELPer, HELPful, HELPless, heREditary, HEritage, HEro, heROic, herSELF, HEsitate, hesiTAtion. • HIGHway, HILLside, HILLy, himSELF, HINder, HIStory, hiSTORical. • HObby, HOLDer, HOliday, HOllow, HOly, home-MADE, HOMEsick, HOMEwork, HOnest, HOnestly, HOney, HOneymoon, HOnour, HOnourable, HOPEful, HOPEless, hoRIzon, HOrrible, HOrror, HOrrified, hoSPITable, HOspital, HOstage, HOStel, HOSTess, HOStile, hoTEL, HOUSEhold, HOUSEwife, howEVER. • HUddle, HUman, huMANity, HUMble, HUmour, HUmourous, HUNger, HUNgry, HUNTer, huRRAH, huRRAY, HUrricane, HUrry, HUSband. I: • iDEa, iDEal, iDENtify, Idle, Idleness, IDly, IGnorant, igNORE. • iLLEgal, iLLEgally, ILLness, illTREAT, iLLIterate, Illustrate, illuSTRAtion. • Image, iMAGinable, iMAGinary, imagiNAtion, iMAginative, iMAgine, Imitate, imiTAtion, immaTURE, iMMEdiate, iMMEdiately, iMMEnse, iMMORal, iMMORTal, IMpact (n), imPACT (v), imPART, inPARtial, imPAtience, imPAtient, imPERfect, imPERsonal, imPLORE, imPLY, impoLITE, Import (n), imPORT (v), imPORTance, imPORTant, imPOSSible, imPRESS, imPREssion, imPREssive, imPRIson, imPRObable, imPROper, imPROVE, imPROVEment. • inBORN, inCAPable, INcident, inciDENTal, inciDENTally, incliNAtion, inCLINE, inCLUDE, inCLUDing, INcome, inCOMparable, incomPATible, inCOMpetent, incomPLETE,

F requently-used polysyllabic words

61

incompreHENSible, inconCEIVable, incoRRECT, inCREASE (v), INcrease (n), inCREDible, inDEcent, inDEED, indePENDence, indePENDent, INdex, INdicate, indiCAtion, inDIfferent, indiRECT, indiVIdually, INdoor, inDOORS, inDUCE, inDUStrial, inDUStrious, INdustry, ineFFECtive, ineFFIcient, inEVitable, inEVItably, inFECT, inFECtious, inFERior, inFLAME, inFLAmmable, inflaMMAtion, inFLICT, Influence, influENtial, inFORM, inforMAtion, inGEnious, ingeNUity, inHAbit, inHAbitant, inHERit, iNItial, iNItiative, inJECT, inJECtion, INjure, INjury, inJUSTice, iNNAte, Inner, INNocent, iNNUmerable, inQUIRE, inQUIRY, inQUIsitive, INsect, inSENsible, inSENsitive, inSERT, inSIDE, INsight, insigNIficant, insinCERE, inSIST, INsolent, inSPECT, inSPECtion, inSPECTor, inspiRAtion, inSPIRE, inSTALL, inSTALment, INstance, INstant, INstantly, inSTEAD, INstitute, instiTUtion, inSTRUCT, inSTRUCtion, INstrument, instruMENtal, inSULT, inSURance, inSURE, INtake, INTellect, inteLLECtual, inTELLigence, inTELLigent, inTELLigible, inTEND, inTENSE, inTENtion, inTENtional, inTENtionally, INterest, INterested, INteresting, interFERE, interFERence, inTERior, interMEdiate, inTERnal, interNAtional, inTERpret, inTERpreter, interpreTAtion, inteRRUPT, inteRRUption, INterval, interVENE, INterview, INtimate, inTImidate, INto, inTOLerant, introDUCE, introDUCtion, inTRUDE, inVADE, inVALid, inVAsion, inVENT, inVENtion, inVENTor, inVEST, inVEStigate, investiGAtion, inVESTment, inVISible, inviTAtion, inVITE, inVOKE, inVOLVE, INward, INwardly, INwards. • Iron, Irony, Island. • Isolate, Issue, Item, itSELF, Ivory. J: • JAcket. • JEAlous, JEAlousy, JEOpardize, JEOpardy, JEtty, JEWel, JEWellery. • JOlly, JOURNal, JOURnalist, JOURney, JOYful. • JUDGEment, JUNCtion, JUNgle, JUSTice, JUSTify. K: • KEttle. • KIlo, KIlometre, kind-HEARTed, KINDness,

62

F requently-used polysyllabic words

KITCHen. • KNOWledge, KNUckle. L: • LAbel, LAbour, LAdder, LAdy, laMENT, LAMP-post, LANDlady, LANDlord, LANDscape, LANguage, LATEly, LATer, LATest, LAtter, LAUGHter, LAUNdry, LAvatory, LAWyer, LAyer, LAzy. • LEADer, LEADership, LEARNed, LEARNing, LEAther, LECture, LEgal, LEgend, LEgendary, LEIsure, LEIsurely, LEmon, lemoNADE, LENGTHen, LESSen, LEsson, LEtter, LEvel, LEver. • LIable, LIar, LIberal, LIberate, libeRAtion, LIberty, LIbrary, LIcense, LIGHTen, LIGHTening, LIKEly, LImit, LINger, LIquid, LIquor, LIsten, LIstener, LIterary, LIterature, LIttle, LIVElihood, LIVEly, LIVing. • LObby, LOcal, LOcally, loCATE, LONEliness, LONEly, LONGing, LOOSen, LOrry, LOUDly, LOVEly, LOVer, LOWer, LOyal, LOyalty. • LUCKy, LUggage, lukeWARM, LUMber, LUnatic, LUxury (LUKshery). M: • maCHINE, maCHInary, MAdam, MADman, MADness, magaZINE, Magic, maGIcian, Magistrate, MAGnet, MAGnetic, magNIficent, MAINland, MAINly, mainTAIN, MAINtenance, MAjesty, MAjor, maJOrity, MAlice, MANage, MANagement, MANager, manKIND, MANly, MAnner, MANsion, manuFACture, MANuscript, MAny, MARble, MARgin, MARket, MArriage, MArried, MArry, MARvel, MARvellous, MASculine, MAson, MASSES, MASter, MASterpiece, maTErial, MAtter, MAttress, maTURE, maTUrity, MAXimum. • MEAgre, MEANing, MEANtime, MEANwhile, MEAsure, MEAsurement, meCHAnic, meCHAnical, MEdal, MEddle, MEdia, MEdiate, MEdical, MEdicine, MEditate, MEdium, MEETing, MEllow, MEMber, MEMbership, meMOrial, MEmory, MENace, MENtal, MENtion, MERchant, MERciful, MERciless, MERcy, MEREly, MERit, MErry, MEssage, MEssenger, MEtal, MEthod, MEtre. • MIddle, middle-Aged, MIDnight, MIGHTy, MILEage, MILItary, MILKman, MILKy, MINgle, MINimum, MINister, MInor, miNOrity, MInute, MIRacle, MIrror, MISchief, MISchievous, MISerable, MISery, misFORtune,

F requently-used polysyllabic words

63

misLEAD, MISSing, MIssion, miSTAKE, MISter, MIStress, misunderSTAND, MIXture. • MOdel, MODerate, MODerately, MODern, MODest, MODesty, MODify, moLEST, MOment, MOney, MONkey, moNOtonous, MONster, MONTHly, MONument, MOODy, MOONlight, MOral, moRAlity, MORNing, MORtally, MORTgage, mosQUIto, MOSTly, MOther, MOtion, MOtionless, MOtor, MOUNtain, mouSTACHE, MOUTHful, MOVEment, MOVie. • MUddle, MUDDy, multipliCAtion, MULtiply, MULtitude, MUmmy, MURder, MURderer, MURmur, MUscle, muSEUM, MUsic, MUsical, muSIcian, MUtter, MUtual. • mySELF, MYstery, mySTErious. N: • NAked, naRRATE, NArrow, NAsty, NAtion, NAtional, NAtionality, NAtive, NAtural, NAturally, NAture, NAUGHty, NAvy. • NEARby, NEARly, NEcessary, neCEssity, NEEdle, NEEDless, NEgative, neGLECT, NEGligent, NEGligible, neGOtiate, negotiAtion, NEIGHbour, NEIGHbourhood, NEIGHbouring, NEIther, NEphew, NERvous, NETwork, NEver, nevertheLESS, NEWly, NEWSpaper. • NICKname, NIGHTfall, NIGHTmare. • noBIlity, NOble, NObody, NOISy, NOminate, NONsense, NORmal, NORmally, NORTHern, NORTHward, NORTHwards, NOStril, NOTEworthy, NOthing, NOtice, NOticeable, NOtify, NOtion, noTOrious, NOURish, NOWadays, NOwhere. • NUcleus, NUIsance, NUMber, NUmerous. O: • oBEdience, oBEdient, oBEdiently, oBEY, OBject (n), obJECT (v), obJECtion, obJECtive, obliGAtion, oBLIgatory, oBLIGE, obSCURE, obserVAtion, obSERVE, OBsolete, OBstacle, obSTRUCT, obSTRUCtion, obTAIN, OBvious. • oCCAsion, oCCAsional, oCCAsionally, occuPAtion, Occupy, oCCUR, oCCURRence, Ocean, o’CLOCK. • Odour. • oFFENce, oFFEND, Offer, oFFENsive, Office, Officer, oFFIcial, Often. • oKAY. • OMElette, oMIT. • oneSELF, ONly, ONto. • Open, Opening, Operate, opeRAtion,

64

F requently-used polysyllabic words

oPINion, oPPOnent, opporTUNity, oPPOSE, Opposite, oPPRESS. • Oral, Orange, Orator, ORder, ORderly, ORdinarily, ORdinary, ORgan, organiZAtion, ORganize, ORigin, oRIginal, oRIginally, ORnament, ornaMENTal, ORphan. • Other, Otherwise. • ourSELVES, OUTbreak, OUTburst, OUTcast, OUTcome, OUTcry, outDATed, outDO, OUTdoor, outDOORS, OUTer, OUTfit, OUTlaw, OUTlet, OUTline, outLIVE, OUTlook, outNUMber, OUTput, OUTrage, outRAGEous, outSIDE, outSIDer, OUTskirts, outSPOken, outSTANDing, OUTward, OUTwards, Oven, Over. • overALL, Overboard, Overcoat, overCOME, overFLOW, overHANG, overHAUL, overHEAR, overLOOK, overNIGHT, oveRUN, overTAKE, overTHROW, Overtime, overTURN, overWHELM. • Owing (to), OWNer, OWNership. P: • PAckage, PAcket, PAINful, PAINTer, PAINTing, PALace, PALEness, PANic, Paper, PARachute, paRADE, PAragraph, PArallel, PARcel, PARdon, PArent, PARlour, PARTly, PARtial, parTIcipate, PARticle, parTIcular, parTIcularly, parTIculars, PARTner, part-TIME, PARty, PASSage, PAssenger, passer-BY, Passion, PASSport, PAStime, PAtience, PAtient, PAtiently, PAttern, PAVEment, PAYment. • PEACEful, PEAsant, PEbble, peCUliar, peDEStrian, PENalty, PENcil, PENetrate, PEnny, PENsion, PEOple, PEpper, perCEIVE, PERfect (adj), perFECtion, PERfectly, perFORM, perFORMance, PERfume, perHAPS, Period, periODical, PERmanent, perMIssion, perMIT, perPETual, perSIST, PERson, PERsonal, PERsonally, persoNALity, perSUADE, perSUAsion, PETrol, PEtty. • phiLOsophy, PHOtograph (PHoto), phoTOgrapher, photoGRAPHic, phoTOgraphy, PHYsical, phySIcian. • PICKpocket, PICture, pictuRESQUE, PIllar, PIllow, PIlot, PIty, PIteous, PItiful. • PLASter, PLAStic, PLATform, PLAYer, PLEAsant, PLEAsure, PLENtiful, PLENty, PLUCKy, PLUMBer, PLUNder. • POcket, POem, POet, poETic, POetry, POIson, POIsonous, poLICE, poLICEman, POlicy, POlish, poLITE,

F requently-used polysyllabic words

65

poLITEly, poLITEness, poLItical, poliTIcian, POlitics, poLLUtion, POpular, popuLARity, POpularly, POpulated, popuLAtion, PORter, PORtion, porTRAY, PORtrait, poSItion, POSitive, poSSESS, poSSEssion,(v), poSSESSive, possiBIlity, POSSible, POSSibly, POSTage, POSTal, POSter, POSTman, poSTPONE, poTAto, POttery, POverty, POWder, POwer, POwerful. • PRACtical, PRACtically, PRACtice (n), PRActise (v), PRAYer, preCEDE, PREcious, preCISE, PREdecessor, PREface, preFER, PREferable, PREference, PREGnant, PREjudice, PREjudiced, prepaRAtions, prePARE, preSCRIBE, preSCRIPtion, PREsence, preSENT (v), PREsent (n), PREsently, preSERVE, preSIDE, PREsident, PREssure, preSTIGE, preSUME, preTEND, PREtext, PREtty, preVAIL, PREvalent, preVENT, preVENtion, PREvious, PRICKles, PRICKly, PRImary, PRINcipal, PRINciple, PRINTer, PRIson, PRIsoner, PRIvate, PRIvately, probaBIlity, PROBable, PROBably, PROBlem, proCEdure, proCEED, PROcess, proCLAIM, proDUCE (v), PROduce (n), proDUCer, PROduct, proDUCtion, proFESS, proFEssion, proFEssional, proFEssor, proFIciency, PROfit, PROgramme, proGRESS (v), PROgress (n), proGRESSive, proGRESSively, proJECT (v), PROject (n), PROmise, proMOTE, proMOtion, proNOUNCE, pronunciAtion, PROper, PROperly, PROperty, proPORtion, proPOSal, proPOSE, proPRIEtor, PROsper, proSPERity, PROsperous, proTECT, proTECtion, proTEST(v), PROtest (n), PROUDly, PROverb, proVIDE, proVIDed, PROvince, proVIsion, provoCAtion, proVOKE. • psychoLOgical. • PUBlic, publiCAtion, PUBlish, PUdding, PUddle, PUlley, PUNCtual, punctuAlity, PUnish, PUnishment, PUpil, PURchase, PURpose, purSUE, purSUIT, PUzzle. Q: • qualifiCAtion, QUAlified, QUAlify, QUAlity, QUANtity, QUArrel, QUARter, QUARterly, QUAver, QUEStion, QUICKly, QUIetly, QUIetness, QUIver, quoTAtion. R: • RAbbit, RAcial, RAcialism, RAcket, RAdio, RAILing,

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F requently-used polysyllabic words

RAILway, RAINbow, RAINcoat, RAINing, RAlly, RApid, RApidly, RArely, RAther, RAttle, RAzor. • reACT, reACtion, READer, REAdy, realiZAtion, REalize, reALity, REALLy, REAson, REAsonable, reBEL (v), REbel (n), reBEllion, reCALL, reCEIPT, reCEIVE, REcent, REcently, reCEPtion, REcipe, RECKless, recogNItion, REcognize, reCOIL, recoLLECT, recoLLECtion, recoMMEND, REconcile, REcord (n), reCORD (v), reCOver, reCOvery, recreAtion, reCRUIT, RECtangle, REDDish, reDUCE, reDUCtion, reFER, refeREE, REference, reFINE, reFLECT, reFLECtion, reFORM, reFRESH, reFRESHment (s), REfuge, refuGEE, reFUsal, reFUSE, reGARD, reGARDless, REgion, REgional, REgister, reGRET, REgular, REgularly, reguLAtion, reHEARsal, reHEARSE, reinFORCE, reJECT (v), reJOICE, reLATE, reLAtion, reLAtionship, Relative, Relatively, reLAX, reLEASE, reLIable, reLIEF, reLIEVE, reLIgion, reLIgious, reLINquish, reLUCtance, reLUCtant, reLY, reMAIN, reMAINS, reMARK, reMARKable, reMARKably, REmedy, reMEMber, reMIND, reMOTE, reMOVal, reMOVE, RENder, reNEW, reNOWN, reNOWNed, rePAIR, rePEAT, rePENT, repeTItion, rePLACE, rePLY, rePORT, rePORTer, repreSENT, repreSENtative, rePROACH, reproDUCE, reproDUCtion, rePUBlic, repuTAtion, reQUEST, reQUIRE, REScue, reSEARCH, reSEMblance, reSENT, reserVAtion, reSERVE, reSIDE, REsidence, REsident, reSIGN, resigNAtion, reSIST, reSISTance, resoLUtion, reSOLVE, reSORT, reSOURCE (s), reSPECT, reSPECTful, reSPOND, reSPONSE, responsiBILity, reSPONsible, REStaurant, RESTless, reSTORE, reSTRAIN, reSTRICT, reSULT, reSUME, reTAIN, reTIRE, reTIREment, reTREAT, reTURN, reVEAL, reVENGE, reVERSE, reVIEW, reVISE, reVOKE, reVOLT, revoLUtion, reVOLVE, reWARD. • RHYthm. • RIbbon, RIddle, RIDer, riDIculous, RIfle, RIgid, RIot, RIpen, RISKy, RIval, RIvalry, RIver. • ROBBer, ROBBery, ROCKy, ROTTen, ROUGHly, ROUNDabout, rouTINE, ROYal. • RUBBer, Rubbish, RUDEly, Rugged,

F requently-used polysyllabic words

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RULer, RUmour, RUNNer, RUNway, RUral, RUSTy, RUstle, RUTHless. S: • SAcred, SAcrifice, SAddle, SADly, SADness, SAFEly, SAFEty, SAILor, SALary, SALESman, SALTy, saLUTE, SAMple, SANDwich, SANDy, SAtire, satisFACtion, satisFACtory, SAtisfy, SAUcer, SAUSage, SAVage, SAVings. • SCARCEly, SCARCity, SCAREcrow, SCAtter, SCENery, SCHEDule, SCHOLarship, SCIence, scienTIfic, SCIentist, SCIssors, SCORNful, SCULPtor, SCULPture. • SEAside, SEAson, SECond, SECondary, second-HAND, SECret, SECretary, SECtion, seCURE, seCURity, seDUCE, SELdom, seLECT, seLECtion, self-CONfident, self-CONScious, self-conTROL, self-INTerest, self-MADE, self-reSPECT, self-SERvice, SELfish, SELLer, SENDer, senSAtion, SENSEless, SENsible, SENsitive, SENtense, SENtiment, SEParate, SEParately, sepaRAtion, SERial, SERies, SErious, SEriously, SERmon, SERpent, SERvant, SERvice, SEssion, SETTing, SEttle, SEttlement, SEveral, seVERE, SEXual, SEXy. • SHAbby, SHAdow, SHAdowy, SHADy, SHAllow, SHAMEful, SHAMEless, SHAPEless, SHARPen, SHARPly, SHAtter, SHELter, SHIMMer, SHINy, SHIver, SHOElace, SHOPkeeper, SHOPPing, SHORTage, SHORTer, SHORTly, SHORTcoming, SHOULder, SHOWer, SHUdder. • SICKness, SIDEwork, SIDEways, SIGHTseeing, SIGnal, SIGnature, SIGnify, sigNIficant, SIlence, SIlent, SIlently, SIlly, SIlver, SImilar, simiLArity, SImilarly, SIMple, simPLIcity, SIMply, sinCERE, sinCERity, SINGer, SINgle, SINgular, SISter, SItuated, situAtion. • SKELeton, SKILful, SKILfully, SKILLed. • SLACKen, SLAUGHter, SLAvery, SLEEpy, SLENder, SLIGHTly, SLIPPer, SLIPPery, SLIPshod, SLOWly. • SNAPshot. • SOber, so-CALLED, SOcial, soCIEty, SOFTen, SOFTly, SOFTness, SOLdier, SOLemn, SOLid, SOLitary, SOLitude, soLUtion, SOMEbody, SOMEhow, SOMEone, SOMEthing, SOMEtime, SOMEtimes, SOMEwhere, SOrrow, SOrrowful, SOrry, SOUTHern, SOUTHward, SOUTHwards,

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F requently-used polysyllabic words

souveNIR, SOVereign. • SPAcious, SPARKle, SPEAKer, SPEcial, SPEcialist, SPECtacle, SPECtacles, specTAtor, SPECulate, SPEEDy, speeDOmeter, SPELLing, SPIrit, SPITEful, SPLENdid, SPORTSman, SPRINkle. • STAble, STAdium, STAgger, STAIRcase, STAmmer, STANdard, STANdardise, STARtle, starVAtion, STATEment, STAtion, STAtionery, STAtue, STEADfast, STEAdy, STICKy, STIFFen, STILLness, STINgy, STOCKing, STOMach, STONy, STORage, STORey, STORMy, STORy, STRAIGHTen, STRANGEly, STRANGer, STRENGTHen, STRETCHer, STRICTly, STRIKing, STRONGly, STRUCture, STRUggle, STUbborn, STUdent, STUdy, STUFFy, STUpid, stuPIdity, STURdy, STUtter. • subDUE, SUBject (n), subMIT, SUBstance, SUBstitute, SUBtle, SUBtract, SUburb, succeed (sukSEED), success (sukSESS), sucCESSful, SUdden, SUddenly, SUffer, suFFIcient, SUgar, suGGEST, suGGEStion, SUIcide, SUITable, SUITcase, SUMMary, SUmmer, SUmmon, SUmmons, SUNlight, SUNrise, SUNset, SUNshine, SUNNy, suPERior, SUpermarket, superSTItion, superSTItious, SUpper, suPPLY, suPPORT, suPPOSE, suPPRESS, suPREME, SUREly, SURface, SURgeon, SURgery, surPRISE, suRRENder, suRROUND, suRROUNDings, SURvey (n), surVEY (v), surVIVE, suSPECT, suSPIcion, suSPIcious, suSTAIN. • SWAllow, SWAMpy, SWEATer, SWEETen, SWEETly, SWEETness, SWOllen, SWELLing, SWIFTly. • SYMbol, SYMpathise, SYMpathy, SYStem, systeMAtic. T: • TAble, TAble-cloth, TABlet, TACKle, TAIlor, TARget, TAXpayer, TEACHer, TEAcup, TEENager(s), TELegram, TElephone, TElevision, TEMper, TEMperate, TEMperature, TEMple, TEMporarily, TEMporary, TENant, TENdency, TENder, TENsion, TERminal, TErrible, TErribly, teRRIfic, TErrify, TErritory, TError, TErrorist. • THANKful, THEatre, themSELVES, THEory, THEREfore, therMOmeter, THICKen, THICKness, THINKer, THIRSTy, THOrough, THOroughly, THOUGHTful, THOUGHTless, THREAten, THRILLer,

F requently-used polysyllabic words

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throughOUT, THUNder, THUNderstorm. • TIcket, TIdy, TIGHTen, TIGHTly, TIMber, TIny, TItle. • toDAY, toGEther, TOilet, TOken, TOlerable, TOlerably, TOlerate, toMAto, toMOrrow, toNIGHT, TOpic, TORture, TOtal, TOURist, toWARD(S), TOWel, TOWer. • TRADer, traDItion, traDItional, TRAffic, TRAItor, TRAMple, TRANSfer(n), transFER (v), transFORM, tranSIStor, transLATE, tranSLAtion, transMIT, transPARent, tranSPORT (v), TRANsport (n), TRAvel, TRAveller, TREAson, TREAsure, TREATment, TREMble, treMENdous, TRESpass, TRIangle, TRIfle, TRIgger, TRIumph, TROUble, TROUblesome, TROUsers, TRUMpet. • TUMble, TUnnel, TURNing. • TYPEwriter, TYPist. U: • UGly. • ULtimate. • umBRElla, UMpire. • unAble, unARMED, unBUtton, unCERtain, unCERtainty, UNcle, unCOMfortable, unCOmmon, unCONscious, UNder, UNderground, UNdergrowth, underLINE, underSTAND, underSTANDing, UNderstatement, underTAKE, UNderwear, unDO, unDRESS, unEAsy, unemPLOYment, unFAIR, unFORtunately, unHAppy, Uniform, Union, uNIQUE, Unit, uNITE, Unity, uniVERsal, UNIverse, uniVERsity, unJUST, unKIND, unKNOWN, unLAWful, unLESS, unLIKE, unLIKEly, unLOAD, unLOCK, unLUCKy, unNECessary, unPLEASant, unsatisFACtory, unTIdy, unTIE, unTIL, unUsual, unWILLing. • upHILL, upHOLD, UPkeep, uPON, Upper, Uppermost, UPright, UProar, upROOT, upSET, upSTAIRS, UPward, UPwards. • URban, URgent, URgently. • USEful, USEfulness, USEless, Usual, Usually, UTmost, Utter. V: • VAcancy, VAcant, vaCAtion, VAcuum, VAliant, VAliantly, VAlid, VAlley, VAlour, VAluable, VAlueless, VANish, variAtion, vaRIEty, VArious, VAry. • VEgetable, VEhicle, VENgeance, VENture, veRANdah, VERify, VERtical, VEry, VEssel. • VIcious, VIciously, VICtim, VICtor, vicTOrious, VICtory, VIGour, VIllage, VIolate, VIolence, VIolent, VIRtue,

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F requently-used polysyllabic words

VIRtuous, VISible, VIsion, VISit, VISitor(s), VItal, VIVid. • voCABulary, VOLTage, VOLume, VOLuntarily, VOLuntary, volunTEER, VOMit, VOTer, VOYage. • VULgar. W: • WAgon, WAITor, WAKen, WAllet, WANder, WARdrobe, WAREhouse, WARMly, WARNing, WASTEful, WATCHdog, WATCHman, WAter, WAterproof, WAtery. • WEAKen, WEAKness, WEALTHy, WEAPon, WEATHer, WEDDing, WEEKday, WEEKend, WEEKly, WELcome, WELfare, wellKNOWN, well-MADE, WESTern, WESTward, WESTwards. • whatEVer, whenEVer, wherEVer, WHETHer, whichEVer, WHIMper, WHISker, WHISper, WHIStle, WHITEness, whoEVer, WHOLLy. • WIDEly, WIDEn, WIDEspread, WIDow, WILLing, WINdow, WINNer, WINDy, WINter, WISdom, WISEly, WITTy, withDRAW, wiTHIN, wiTHOUT, WITness. • WOMan, WOMen, WONder, WONderful, WOODen, WOOLLen, WORKer, WORKshop, world-WIDE, WOrry, WORship, WORTHless, worthWHILE, WORTHy. • WRINkle, WRINKled, WRITer, WRITing. XYZ: • YEARly, YEllow, YESterday. • YOUNGster, yourSELF, yourSELVES.

***

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chapter 5

Stresswise list of Polysyllabic Words Here’s a listing of these same polysyllabic words as we saw in the last chapter — given in a different way. This new listing categorises these words according to the syllable on which the primary stress falls.

Category 1: Here are the core polysyllabic words in which the primary stess falls on the first syllable:

A Able, ABsence, ABsent, ABsolute, ABsolutely, ABsorbing, ACcent, ACcident, ACCUrate, ACtion, ACTive, ACTively, ACtual, ACtually, ADequate, ADmirable, ADult, ADvertise, AFter, AFTerwards, Agency, Agent, AIMless, AIRport, ALcohol, ALmost, ALso, ALter, ALways, ANalyse, ANchor, ANcient, ANger, ANgle, ANgry, ANimal, ANkle, ANnual, ANswer, ANxious, Any, Anybody, Anyhow, Anyone, Anything, Anyway, Anywhere, Appetite, Applicant, Area, ARgue, ARgument, ARmy, Arrow, ARticle, ARTist, ATmosphere, Attitude, AUdience, AUthor, Average, AWful, AWKward.

B BAby, BACKbone, BACKground, BACKward, BACKwards, BADly, BAggage, BALance, BALcony, BANDage, BANKer, BANKrupt, BARber, BARgain, BArrel, BASEment, BAsic, BAsin, BAsis, BASket, BATHroom, BAtter, BAttle, BEAUtiful,

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BEAUty, BEckon, BEDclothes, BEDroom, BEDside, BEggar, BEing, BElly, BEnefit, BEtter, BIcycle, BIRTHday, BIScuit, Bitter, BItterness, BLACKmail, BLACKsmith, BLAdder, BLANket, BLESSing, BLOODy, BLOssom, BLUNder, BOdy, BOLDness, BOMBing, BONy, BOOKshelf, BOOKshop, BORder, BORing, BOrrow, BOther, BOttle, BOttom, BOUNDary, BOWels, BRAvery, BREAKdown, BREAKfast, BRIDEgroom, BRIEFcase, BRIGHTen, BROADcast, BROADen, BROther, BUbble, BUcket, BUdget, BUILDing, BULKy, BUllet, BULLy, BUMper, BUNdle, BURden, BURGlar, BUrial, BUry, BUSiness, BUSinessman, BUsy, BUtcher, BUtter, BUtton, BUttonhole, BYpass, Bystander.

C CAbin, CAbinet, CAble, CAfe, CALculate, CALender, CALMness, CAmera, CANcel, CANdle, CANvas, CApable, CAPital, CAPtain, CAPture, CARbon, CARDboard, CAREful, CAREless, CARpenter, CARpet, CArriage, CArry, CAstle, CAsual, CAsualty, CAtalogue, CAttle, CAUtion, CAUtious, CEILing, CELebrate, CELebrated, CEllar, CEmetery, CENtimetre, CENtral, CENtre, CENtury, CEremony, CERtain, CERtainly, CERtainty, CERtify, CHAIRman, CHAllenge, CHAMpion, CHAnnel, CHApter, CHAracter, CHAtter, CHAUffeur, CHEERful, CHEMical, CHERish, CHIcken, CHILDhood, CHILDish, CHILDren, CHIMney, CHOcolate, CHUBBy, CIRcle, CIRcuit, CIRcular, CIRculate, CIRcumstance, CIRcus, CItizen, CIty, CIvil, CIvilize, CLArify, CLASSical, CLASSify, CLASSroom, CLEARing, CLEver, CLImate, CLImax, Clnema, CLOCKwork, CLOTHing, CLOUDy, CLUMsy, CLUSter, COffee, COffee-pot, COllar, COlleague, COllege, COlony, COlour, COlourful, COlumn, COmedy, COMfort, COMfortable, COmment, COmmentary, COmmentator, COmmerce, COmmon, COmmonplace, COMpany, COMplex, COMplicate, COMplicated,

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COMpound, COMrade, CONcentrate, CONcept, CONcrete, CONduct (n), CONference, CONfidence, CONfident, CONflict (n), CONjure, CONquer, CONscience, CONscious, CONsciousness, CONsequence, CONsequently, CONstant, CONtact, CONtemplate, CONtent (n), CONtest (n), CONtext, CONtract (n), CONtrary, CONtrast (n), CONvict (n), Copy, CORdial, CORner, COrridor, COSTly, COttage, COtton, COUNTer, COUNtry, COUNtryside, COUple, COUrage, COUSin, COver, COvering, COward, COwardice, CRACKer, CRAdle, CRAFTy, CRAZy, CREAtures, CREdit, CRIMInal, CRIpple, CRISis, CRItical, CROckery, CROSSroads, CRUel, CRUelty, CULtivate, CULtural, CULture, CUnning, CUPboard, CUrious, CUrrent, CURtain, CURtsey, CUshion, CUStom, CUStomer, CUTlery, CYcle, CYclist, Cylinder.

D DAddy, DAIly, DAiry, DAmage, DANcer, DANCing, DANger, DANgerous, DARKen, DARKness, DARLing, DAUGHter, DAYlight, DAYtime, DAzzle, DEAFen, DEALer, DEcent, DEcorate, DEdicate, DEEPer, DEEPly, DEfinite, Definitely, DElicate, DEmonstrate, DENtist, DEPuty, DEsert (n), DESperate, DEStiny, DEtail, DEtailed, DEvil, DIal, DIAlogue, DIamond, DIary, DIffer, DIfference, DIfferent, DIfficult, DIfficulty, DIGnity, DInner, DIRTy, DIscipline, DIScount (n), DIStance, DIStant, DIStrict, DOCtor, DOCument, DOminate, DONkey, DOORstep, DOORway, DOUble, DOUBTful, DOUBTless, DOWNward, DOWNwards, DOzen, DRAgon, DRAma, DRAWer, DRAWing, DREADful, DRESSmaking, DRIVer, DRUNKard, DRYness, DULLness, DUNgeon, DURing, DUSTy, Duty.

E EAger, EAgerly, EAgle, EARly, EARnest, EARNings,

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EARTHquake, EAsily, EASTern, EASTward, EAsy, ECho, Edit, Editor, Educate, Effort, EIther, ELbow, Elder, ELdest, Element, Elephant, EMphasis, EMphasise, EMpire, EMPty, ENDing, ENDless, ENemy, ENergy, ENgine, ENter, ENterprise, ENterprising, ENtrance, ENtry, ENvelope, ENvy, Equal, Error, Essence, Estimate, Even, Evening, Ever, Every, Everybody, Everyday, Everyone, Everything, Everywhere, Evidence, Evident, Evil, EXcellent, EXecute, EXercise, EXpert, EXport (n), EXtra, EYEbrow, EYElid, EYEsight.

F FAble, FACtory, FAILure, FAIRly, FAITHful, FAMily, FAMous, FANcy, FARMer, FARMhouse, FARther, FARthest, FAscinate, FAshion, FAshionable, FAsten, FAtal, FAther, FAULTless, FAULTy, FAvour, FAvourable, FAvourite, FEARful, FEARless, FEAther, FEAture, FEEble, FEELing, FEllow, FEmale, Ferry, FERtile, FEStival, FEver, FEverish, FICtion, FIGHTer, FIgure, FILLing, FILter, FILTHy, FInal, FINEly, FINger, Finish, FIRMness, FISHerman, FITness, FLATTen, FLAtter, FLAvour, FLEXIble, FLICKer, FLOURish, FLOWer, FLUent, FLUently, FLUtter, FOGGy, FOllow, FOllower, FOllowing, FOlly, FONDly, FOOlish, FOOTpath, FOOTstep, FOREarm, FOREcast, FOREfinger, FOREhead, FOreign, FOreigner, Forest, FORMal, FORmer, FORmerly, FORmula, FORTnight, FORtunate, FORtunately, FORtune, FORward, FOUDer, FOUNtain, FRACTion, FRACture, FRAMEwork, FRANtic, FRANtically, FREEdom, FREEly, FREquent, FREquently, FRESHen, FRICtion, FRIENDly, FRIENDship, FRIGHTen, FRIGHTful, FRIGHTfully, FRONtier, FRUITful, FUgitive, FULLy, FUNCtion, FUneral, FUNNy, FUrious, FURnish, FURniture, FURther, FUry, Future.

G GAIety, GAIly, GAllant, GAllery, GAMble, GAMbler, GArage,

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GARbage, GARden, GARDening, GARdner, GARment, GATEway, GAther, GENeral, GENerally, GENerate, GENerous, GENius, GENtle, GENtleman, GENtleness, GENtly, GENuine, GESture, GHASTly, GIggle, GLASSes, GLImmer, GLOry, GOddess, GOLDen, GOLDsmith, GOODness, GOSpel, GOssip, GOvern, GOvernment, GRACEful, GRACEfully, GRAcious, GRAciously, GRADual, GRADually, GRADuate, GRAmmar, GRANDchild, GRANDdaughter, GRANDfather, GRANDmother, GRANDparents, GRANDson, GRATEful, GRAtitude, GREATly, GREATness, GREEDy, GREETings, GRIEVance, GROcer, GRUMble, GUILTy, GUNpowder, Gutter.

H HAbit, HAIRcut, Hammer, HANDbag, HANDful, HANdicraft, HANDkerchief, HANdle, HANDout, HANDsome, HANDsomely, HANDy, HAppen, HAppily, HAppiness, HAppy, HARbour, HARDen, HARDly, HARDness, HARMful, HARMless, HARmony, HARSHly, HARvest, HAsten, HASTy, HATEful, HATred, HAUGHty, HAzard, HEADache, HEADing, HEADlight, HEADline, HEADlong, HEALTHy, HEARTy, HEAven, HEAvily, HEAvy, HEIGHTen, HELPer, HELPful, HELPless, HEritage, HEro, HEsitate, HIGHway, HILLside, HILLy, HINder, HIStory, HObby, HOLDer, HOliday, HOllow, HOly, HOMEsick, HOMEwork, HOnest, HOnestly, HOney, HOneymoon, HOnour, HOnourable, HOPEful, HOPEless, HOrrible, HOrrified, HOrror, HOspital, HOstage, HOStel, HOSTess, HOStile, HOUSEhold, HOUSEwife, HUddle, HUman, HUMble, HUmour, HUmourous, HUNger, HUNgry, HUNTer, HUrricane, HUrry, HUSband.

I Idle, Idleness, IDly, IGnorant, ILLness, Illustrate, Image, Imitate, IMpact (n), Import (n), INcident, INcome, INcrease

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(n), INdex, INdicate, INdoor, INdustry, Influence, INjure, INjury, Inner, INNocent, INsect, INsight, INsolent, INstance, INstant, INstantly, INstitute, INstrument, INtake, INTellect, INterest, INterested, INteresting, INterval, INterview, INtimate, INto, INward, INwardly, INwards, Iron, Irony, Island, Isolate, Issue, Item, Ivory.

J JAcket, JEAlous, JEAlousy, JEOpardize, JEOpardy, JEtty, JEWel, JEWellery, JOlly, JOURNal, JOURnalist, JOURney, JOYful, JUDGEment, JUNCtion, JUNgle, JUSTice, JUSTify.

K KEttle, KIlo, KIlometre, KINDness, KITCHen, KNOWledge, KNUckle.

L LAbel, LAbour, LAdder, LAdy, LAMP-post, LANDlady, LANDlord, LANDscape, LANguage, LATEly, LATer, LATest, LAtter, LAUGHter, LAUNdry, LAvatory, LAWyer, LAyer, LAzy, LEADer, LEADership, LEARNed, LEARNing, LEAther, LECture, LEgal, LEgend, LEgendary, LEIsure, LEIsurely, LEmon, LENGTHen, LESSen, LEsson, LEtter, LEvel, LEver, LIable, LIar, LIberal, LIberate, LIberty, LIbrary, LIcense, LIGHTen, LIGHTening, LIKEly, LImit, LINger, LIquid, LIquor, LIsten, LIstener, LIterary, LIterature, LIttle, LIVElihood, LIVEly, LIVing, LObby, LOcal, LOcally, LONEliness, LONEly, LONGing, LOOSen, LOrry, LOUDly, LOVEly, LOVer, LOWer, LOyal, LOyalty, LUCKy, LUggage, LUMber, LUnatic, LUxury (LUKshery).

M MAdam, MADman, MADness, Magic, Magistrate, MAGnet,

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MAGnetic, MAINland, MAINly, MAINtenance, MAjesty, MAjor, MAlice, MANage, MANagement, MANager, MANly, MAnner, MANsion, MANuscript, MAny, MARble, MARgin, MARket, MArriage, MArried, MArry, MARvel, MARvellous, MASculine, MAson, MASSES, MASter, MASterpiece, MAtter, MAttress, MAXimum, MEAgre, MEANing, MEANtime, MEANwhile, MEAsure, MEAsurement, MEdal, MEddle, MEdia, MEdiate, MEdical, MEdicine, MEditate, MEdium, MEETing, MEllow, MEMber, MEMbership, MEmory, MENace, MENtal, MENtion, MERchant, MERciful, MERciless, MERcy, MEREly, MERit, MErry, MEssage, MEssenger, MEtal, MEthod, MEtre, MIddle, MIDnight, MIGHTy, MILEage, MILItary, MILKman, MILKy, MINgle, MINimum, MINister, MInor, MInute, MIRacle, MIrror, MISchief, MISchievous, MISerable, MISery, MISSing, MIssion, MISter, MIStress, MIXture, MOdel, MODerate, MODerately, MODern, MODest, MODesty, MODify, MOment, MOney, MONkey, MONster, MONTHly, MONument, MOODy, MOONlight, MOral, MORNing, MORtally, MORTgage, MOSTly, MOther, MOtion, MOtionless, MOtor, MOUNtain, MOUTHful, MOVEment, MOVie, MUddle, MUDDy, MULtiply, MULtitude, MUmmy, MURder, MURderer, MURmur, MUscle, MUsic, MUsical, MUtter, MUtual, Mystery.

N NAked, NArrow, NAsty, NAtion, NAtional, NAtionality, NAtive, NAtural, NAturally, NAture, NAUGHty, NAvy, NEARby, NEARly, NEcessary, NEEdle, NEEDless, NEgative, NEGligent, NEGligible, NEIGHbour, NEIGHbourhood, NEIGHbouring, NEIther, NEphew, NERvous, NETwork, NEver, NEWly, NEWSpaper, NICKname, NIGHTfall, NIGHTmare, NOble, NObody, NOISy, NOminate, NONsense, NORmal, NORmally, NORTHern, NORTHward,

78

S tresswise list of Polysyllabic Words

NORTHwards, NOStril, NOTEworthy, NOthing, NOtice, NOticeable, NOtify, NOtion, NOURish, NOWadays, NOwhere, NUcleus, NUIsance, NUMber, Numerous.

O OBject (n), OBsolete, OBstacle, OBvious, Occupy, Ocean, Odour, Offer, Office, Officer, Often, OMElette, ONly, ONto, Open, Opening, Operate, Opposite, Oral, Orange, Orator, ORder, ORderly, ORdinarily, ORdinary, ORgan, ORganize, ORigin, ORnament, ORphan, Other, Otherwise, OUTbreak, OUTburst, OUTcast, OUTcome, OUTcry, OUTdoor, OUTer, OUTfit, OUTlaw, OUTlet, OUTline, OUTlook, OUTput, OUTrage, OUTskirts, OUTward, OUTwards, Oven, Over, Overboard, Overcoat, Overtime, Owing (to), OWNer, OWNership.

P PAckage, PAcket, PAINful, PAINTer, PAINTing, PALace, PALEness, PANic, Paper, PARachute, PAragraph, PArallel, PARcel, PARdon, PArent, PARlour, PARtial, PARticle, PARTly, PARTner, PARty, PASSage, PAssenger, Passion, PASSport, PAStime, PAtience, PAtient, PAtiently, PAttern, PAVEment, PAYment, PEACEful, PEAsant, PEbble, PENalty, PENcil, PENetrate, PEnny, PENsion, PEOple, PEpper, PERfect (adj), PERfectly, PERfume, Period, PERmanent, PERson, PERsonal, PERsonally, PETrol, PEtty, PHOtograph (PHoto), PHYsical, PICKpocket, PICture, PIllar, PIllow, PIlot, PIteous, PItiful, PIty, PLASter, PLAStic, PLATform, PLAYer, PLEAsant, PLEAsure, PLENtiful, PLENty, PLUCKy, PLUMBer, PLUNder, POcket, POem, POet, POetry, POIson, POIsonous, POlicy, POlish, POlitics, POpular, POpularly, POpulated, PORter, PORtion, PORtrait, POSitive, POSSible, POSSibly, POSTage, POSTal, POSter, POSTman, POttery, POverty, POWder, POwer, POwerful, PRACtical, PRACtically, PRACtice (n),

S tresswise list of Polysyllabic Words

79

PRActise (v), PRAYer, PREcious, PREdecessor, PREface, PREferable, PREference, PREGnant, PREjudice, PREjudiced, PREsence, PREsent (n), PREsently, PREsident, PREssure, PREtext, PREtty, PREvalent, PREvious, PRICKles, PRICKly, PRImary, PRINcipal, PRINciple, PRINTer, PRIson, PRIsoner, PRIvate, PRIvately, PROBable, PROBably, PROBlem, PROcess, PROduce (n), PROduct, PROfit, PROgramme, PROgress (n), PROject (n), PROmise, PROper, PROperly, PROperty, PROsper, PROsperous, PROtest (n), PROUDly, PROverb, PROvince, PUBlic, PUBlish, PUdding, PUddle, PUlley, PUNCtual, PUnish, PUnishment, PUpil, PURchase, PURpose, Puzzle.

Q QUAlified, QUAlify, QUAlity, QUANtity, QUArrel, QUARter, QUARterly, QUAver, QUEStion, QUICKly, QUIetly, QUIetness, QUIver.

R RAbbit, RAcial, RAcialism, RAcket, RAdio, RAILing, RAILway, RAINbow, RAINcoat, RAINing, RAlly, RApid, RApidly, RArely, RAther, RAttle, RAzor, READer, REAdy, REalize, REALLy, REAson, REAsonable, REbel (n), REcent, REcently, REcipe, RECKless, REcognize, REconcile, REcord (n), RECtangle, REDDish, REference, REfuge, REgion, REgional, REgister, REgular, REgularly, Relative, Relatively, REmedy, RENder, REScue, REsidence, REsident, REStaurant, RESTless, RHYthm, RIbbon, RIddle, RIDer, RIfle, RIgid, RIot, RIpen, RISKy, RIval, RIvalry, RIver, ROBBer, ROBBery, ROCKy, ROTTen, ROUGHly, ROUNDabout, ROYal, RUBBer, Rubbish, RUDEly, Rugged, RULer, RUmour, RUNNer, RUNway, RUral, RUstle, RUSTy, RUTHless.

80

S tresswise list of Polysyllabic Words

S SAcred, SAcrifice, SAddle, SADly, SADness, SAFEly, SAFEty, SAILor, SALary, SALESman, SALTy, SAMple, SANDwich, SANDy, SAtire, SAtisfy, SAUcer, SAUSage, SAVage, SAVings, SCARCEly, SCARCity, SCAREcrow, SCAtter, SCENery, SCHEDule, SCHOLarship, SCIence, SCIentist, SCIssors, SCORNful, SCULPtor, SCULPture, SEAside, SEAson, SECond, SECondary, SECret, SECretary, SECtion, SELdom, SELfish, SELLer, SENDer, SENSEless, SENsible, SENsitive, SENtense, SENtiment, SEParate, SEParately, SERial, SERies, SErious, SEriously, SERmon, SERpent, SERvant, SERvice, SEssion, SETTing, SEttle, SEttlement, SEveral, SEXual, SEXy, SHAbby, SHAdow, SHAdowy, SHADy, SHAllow, SHAMEful, SHAMEless, SHAPEless, SHARPen, SHARPly, SHAtter, SHELter, SHIMMer, SHINy, SHIver, SHOElace, SHOPkeeper, SHOPPing, SHORTage, SHORTcoming, SHORTer, SHORTly, SHOULder, SHOWer, SHUdder, SICKness, SIDEways, SIDEwork, SIGHTseeing, SIGnal, SIGnature, SIGnify, SIlence, SIlent, SIlently, SIlly, SIlver, SImilar, SImilarly, SIMple, SIMply, SINGer, SINgle, SINgular, SISter, SItuated, SKELeton, SKILful, SKILfully, SKILLed, SLACKen, SLAUGHter, SLAvery, SLEEpy, SLENder, SLIGHTly, SLIPPer, SLIPPery, SLIPshod, SLOWly, SNAPshot, SOber, SOcial, SOFTen, SOFTly, SOFTness, SOLdier, SOLemn, SOLid, SOLitary, SOLitude, SOMEbody, SOMEhow, SOMEone, SOMEthing, SOMEtime, SOMEtimes, SOMEwhere, SOrrow, SOrrowful, SOrry, SOUTHern, SOUTHward, SOUTHwards, SOVereign, SPAcious, SPARKle, SPEAKer, SPEcial, SPEcialist, SPECtacle, SPECtacles, SPECulate, SPEEDy, SPELLing, SPIrit, SPITEful, SPLENdid, SPORTSman, SPRINkle, STAble, STAdium, STAgger, STAIRcase, STAmmer, STANdard, STANdardise, STARtle, STATEment, STAtion, STAtionery, STAtue, STEADfast, STEAdy, STICKy, STIFFen, STILLness, STINgy, STOCKing, STOMach, STONy, STORage, STORey, STORMy, STORy,

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81

STRAIGHTen, STRANGEly, STRANGer, STRENGTHen, STRETCHer, STRICTly, STRIKing, STRONGly, STRUCture, STRUggle, STUbborn, STUdent, STUdy, STUFFy, STUpid, STURdy, STUtter, SUBject (n), SUBstance, SUBstitute, SUBtle, SUBtract, SUburb, SUdden, SUddenly, SUffer, SUgar, SUIcide, SUITable, SUITcase, SUMMary, SUmmer, SUmmon, SUmmons, SUNlight, SUNNy, SUNrise, SUNset, SUNshine, SUpermarket, SUpper, SUREly, SURface, SURgeon, SURgery, SURvey (n), SWAllow, SWAMpy, SWEATer, SWEETen, SWEETly, SWEETness, SWELLing, SWIFTly, SWOllen, SYMbol, SYMpathise, SYMpathy, SYStem.

T TAble, TAble-cloth, TABlet, TACKle, TAIlor, TARget, TAXpayer, TEACHer, TEAcup, TEENager(s), TELegram, TElephone, TElevision, TEMper, TEMperate, TEMperature, TEMple, TEMporarily, TEMporary, TENant, TENdency, TENder, TENsion, TERminal, TErrible, TErribly, TErrify, TErritory, TError, TErrorist, THANKful, THEatre, THEory, THEREfore, THICKen, THICKness, THINKer, THIRSTy, THOrough, THOroughly, THOUGHTful, THOUGHTless, THREAten, THRILLer, THUNder, THUNderstorm, TIcket, TIdy, TIGHTen, TIGHTly, TIMber, TIny, TItle, TOilet, TOken, TOlerable, TOlerably, TOlerate, TOpic, TORture, TOtal, TOURist, TOWel, TOWer, TRADer, TRAffic, TRAItor, TRAMple, TRANSfer(n), TRANsport (n), TRAvel, TRAveller, TREAson, TREAsure, TREATment, TREMble, TRESpass, TRIangle, TRIfle, TRIgger, TRIumph, TROUble, TROUblesome, TROUsers, TRUMpet, TUMble, TUnnel, TURNing, TYPEwriter, TYPist.

U UGly, ULtimate, UMpire, UNcle, UNder, UNderground,

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S tresswise list of Polysyllabic Words

UNdergrowth, UNderstatement, UNderwear, Uniform, Union, Unit, Unity, UNIverse, UPkeep, Upper, Uppermost, UPright, UProar, UPward, UPwards, URban, URgent, URgently, USEful, USEfulness, USEless, Usual, Usually, UTmost, Utter.

V VAcancy, VAcant, VAcuum, VAliant, VAliantly, VAlid, VAlley, VAlour, VAluable, VAlueless, VANish, VArious, VAry, VEgetable, VEhicle, VENgeance, VENture, VERify, VERtical, VEry, VEssel, VIcious, VIciously, VICtim, VICtor, VICtory, VIGour, VIllage, VIolate, VIolence, VIolent, VIRtue, VIRtuous, VISible, VIsion, VISit, VISitor(s), VItal, VIVid, VOLTage, VOLume, VOLuntarily, VOLuntary, VOMit, VOTer, VOYage, VULgar.

W WAgon, WAITor, WAKen, WAllet, WANder, WARdrobe, WAREhouse, WARMly, WARNing, WASTEful, WATCHdog, WATCHman, WAter, WAterproof, WAtery, WEAKen, WEAKness, WEALTHy, WEAPon, WEATHer, WEDDing, WEEKday, WEEKend, WEEKly, WELcome, WELfare, WESTern, WESTward, WESTwards, WHETHer, WHIMper, WHISker, WHISper, WHIStle, WHITEness, WHOLLy, WIDEly, WIDEn, WIDEspread, WIDow, WILLing, WINdow, WINDy, WINNer, WINter, WISdom, WISEly, WITness, WITTy, WOMan, WOMen, WONder, WONderful, WOODen, WOOLLen, WORKer, WORKshop, WOrry, WORship, WORTHless, WORTHy, WRINkle, WRINKled, WRITer, WRITing.

X,Y,Z YEARly, YEllow, YESterday, YOUNGster.

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83

Category 2: Here are the core polysyllabic words in which the primary stess falls on the second syllable:

A aBILity, aBOUT, aBOVE, aBROAD, abSORB, aBUSE, acCELerate, acCEPT, aCCOmmodate, aCCOMpany, aCCOMplish, aCCORDing, aCCOUNT, aCCOUNTant, aCCUSE, aCCUStom, aCHIEVE, aCHIEVEment, ackNOWLedge, aCQUAINT, aCQUAINTance, aCQUIRE, aCROSS, acTIVity, aDDItion, aDDItional, aDDRESS, adJUST, adMIRE, adMIT, aDOPT, adVANCE, adVANCED, adVANtage, adVENTure, adVERTisement, adVICE, adVISE, aFFAIR, aFFECT, aFFECtion, aFFECtionate, aFFORD, aFRAID, aGAIN, aGAINST, aGO, aGREE, aGREEment, aHEAD, aLARM, aLIKE, aLIVE, aLLOW, aLLOWance, aLONE, aLONG, aLOUD, alREAdy, alTHOUGH, aMAZE, amBItion, amBItious, aMONG, aMOUNT, aMUSE, aMUSEment, aNAlysis, aNNOUNCE, aNNOY, aNOther, anXIEty, aPART, aPOLogize, aPOLogy, aPPARently, aPPEAL, aPPEAR, aPPEARance, aPPLAUSE, aPPLY, aPPOINT, aPPOINTment, aPPREciate, aPPROACH, aPPROVAL, aPPROVE, aPPROXimate, aPPROXimately, aRISE, aROUND, aRRANGE, aRRANGEment, aRREST, aRRIVE, aSHAMED, aSHORE, aSIDE, aSLEEP, aSSEMble, aSSIST, aSSISTance, aSSISTant, aSSOciate, aSSUME, aSSURE, aSTONish, aSTONishment, aTROcious, aTTACH, aTTACK, aTTAIN, aTTEMPT, aTTEND, aTTENDance, aTTENtion, aTTRACT, aTTRACtion, aTTRACTive, auTHOrity, aVAILable, aVOID, aWAKE, aWARD, aWARE, aWAY.

B backYARD, baLLOON, baNAna, beCAUSE, beCOME, beFORE, beFOREhand, beGIN, beGINNer, beGINNing,

84

S tresswise list of Polysyllabic Words

beHAVE, beHAviour, beHIND, beLIEF, beLIEVE, beLONG, beLONGings, beLOVED, beLOW, beSIDE, beSIDES, beTWEEN, beYOND.

C camPAIGN, caNAL, canTEEN, caPAcity, caREER, carTOON, caSSETTE, ceMENT, cerTIficate, ciGAR, cirCUItious, coLLECT, coLLECTION, comBINE, coMMAND, coMMEND, coMMERcial, coMMIT, coMMOtion, coMMUnicate, coMMUnity, comPANion, comPARative, comPARatively, comPARE, comPARison, comPEL, comPETE, comPETitor, comPLAIN, comPLAINT, comPLETE, comPLETELY, comPLEXion, comPLY, comPOSE, comPRISE, comPULsion, comPULsory, comPUTE, comPUter, conCEAL, conCEDE, conCEIT, conCEIted, conCEIVE, conCEPtion, conCERN, conCERNing, conCEssion, conCISE, conCLUDE, conCLUsion, conDEMN, conDItion, conDItional, conDOLE, conDUCT (v), conDUCtor, conFER, conFESS, conFEssion, conFIDE, conFINE, conFIRM, conFLICT (V), conFORM, conFUSE, conFUSion, conGESted, conGEStion, conGRAtulate, coNNECT, coNNECtion, conSENT, conSERvative, conSIder, conSIderable, conSIderably, conSIderate, conSIST, conSPIracy, conSPIrator, conSPIRE, conSTRUCT, conSTRUCtion, conSULT, conSUME, conSUmer, conSUMPtion, conTAIN, conTAINer, conTEMPT, conTEMPtible, conTEMPtuously, conTEND, conTENDed, conTENT (v), conTEST (v), conTInually, conTInue, conTInuous, conTRACT (v), conTRAST(v), conTRIbute, contriBUtion, conTROL, conVENience, conVENient, conVENtion, conVENtional, conVEY, conVEYance, conVICT (v), conVICtion, conVINCE, co-OPerate, coRRECT, coRRECtion, coRRUPT, couRAgeous, creATE.

D deBATE, deCAY, deCEIT, deCEIVE, deCEIVer, deCIDE,

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85

deCIdedly, deCIsion, deCLARE, deCLINE, deCREASE, deFEAT, deFENCE, deFEND, deFINE, deFY, deGREE, deLAY, deLIBerate, deLIcious, deLIGHT, deLIGHTed, deLIGHTful, deLIver, deLIvery, deMAND, deMOLish, deNY, dePART, dePARTment, dePARture, dePEND, dePENDant, dePENDence, dePENDent, dePLORable, dePLORE, dePRESS, deRIVE, deSCEND, deSCENDant, deSCENT, deSCRIBE, deSCRIPtion, deSERT (v), deSERVE, deSIGN, deSIRable, deSIRE, deSPAIR, deSPIcable, deSPISE, deSPITE, deSTROY, deSTRUCtion, deTECT, deTECTive, deTERmine, deTEST, deTESTable, deVELop, deVELopment, deVICE, deVOTE, dicTATE, dicTAtion, dicTAtor, diGEST (v), diPLOma, diRECT, diRECtion, diRECTly, diRECTor, diSASter, diSAStrous, disCHARGE, disCLOSE, disCOMfort, disCOUNT (v), disCOURage, diSCOver, diSCOvery, diSCREET, diSCRIMinate, diSCUSS, diSCUSSion, diSEASE, disGRACE, disGUISE, disGUST, disHONest, disLIKE, disMISS, disMISSal, disORder, diSPLAY, disPLEASE, diSPOSal, diSPOSE, diSPUTE, diSSAtisfy, diSSOLVE, diSTINCT, diSTINCtion, diSTINCTly, diSTINguish, diSTORT, diSTORtion, diSTRESS, diSTRIbute, diSTURB, diSTURBance, diVIDE, diVIsion, diVORCE, doMEStic, draMAtic.

E eCOnomy, eDItion, eFFECT, eFFECTive, eFFIciency, eFFIcient, eLAStic, eLEct, eLECtion, eLECtric, eLECtrical, elseWHERE, emBArass, emBOdy, emBRACE, eMERGE, eMERgency, eMOtion, eMOtional, emPLOY, emPLOYer, emPLOYment, eNAble, enCLOSE, enCOUNter, enCOUrage, enCOUragement, enDURance, enDURE, enGAGE, enGAGED, enJOY, enJOYable, enJOYment, enLARGE, eNORmous, eNOUGH, enSURE, enTHUsiasm, enTHUsiast, enTHUsiastic, enTIRE, enTIREly, enTItle, enTREAT, enVIRonment, eQUAlity, eQUIP, eQUIPment, eRECT,

86

S tresswise list of Polysyllabic Words

eSCAPE, eSPEcially, eSSENtial, eSTABlish, eSTATE, eTERnal, eTERnity, eVALuate, eVENT, eVENTually, exact (igZAKT), exaggerate (igZAggerate), examine (igZAMin), example (igZAMple), except (ikSEPT), exception (ikSEPtion), excess (ikSES), exCHANGE, excite (ikSAIT), excitement (ikSAITment), exciting (ikSAITing), exclaim (ikSCLAIM), exclude (ikSCLUDE), exclusive (ikSCLUsive), excursion (ikSCURsion), excuse (ikSCUSE), exhaust (igZOST), exhaustive (igZOSTive), exhibit (igZIbit), exist (igZIST), existence (igZISTance), expand (ikSPAND), expansion (ikSPANsion), expect (ikSPECT), expenditure (ikSPENDiture), expense (ikSPENS), expensive (ikSPENsive), experience (ikSPERience), experienced (ikSPErienced), experiment (ikSPERiment), explain (ikSPLAIN), explode (ikSPLODE), exploit (ikSPLOIT), explore (ikSPLORE), explosion (ikSPLOsion), explosive (ikSPLOsive), export (ikSPORT) (v), express (ikSPRESS), expression (ikSPREssion), extend (ikSTEND), extension (ikSTENsion), extent (ikSTENT), external (ikSTERNal), extinguish (ikSTINguish), extract (ikSTRACT) (v), extraordinarily (ikSTRORdinarily), extraordinary (ikSTRORdinary), extreme (ikSTREME), extremely (ikSTREMEly).

F faMIliar, fanTAstic, feROcious, feROcity, ficTItious, fiNANcial, forBID, foreSEE, forGET, forGETful, forGIVE, fulFILL.

G giGANtic, goodBYE, goodNIGHT, graMMAtical.

H haBItual, haLLO, headMASter, headMIStress,

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87

headQUARters, heREditary, heROic, herSELF, himSELF, hiSTORical, home-MADE, hoRIzon, hoSPITable, hoTEL, howEVER, huMANity, huRRAH, huRRAY.

I iDEa, iDEal, iDENtify, igNORE, iLLEgal, iLLEgally, iLLIterate, ill-TREAT, iMAGinable, iMAGinary, imagiNAtion, iMAginative, iMAgine, iMMEdiate, iMMEdiately, iMMEnse, iMMORal, iMMORTal, imPACT (v), imPART, imPAtience, imPAtient, imPERfect, imPERsonal, imPLORE, imPLY, imPORT (v), imPORTance, imPORTant, imPOSSible, imPRESS, imPREssion, imPREssive, imPRIson, imPRObable, imPROper, imPROVE, imPROVEment, inBORN, inCAPable, inCLINE, inCLUDE, inCLUDing, inCOMparable, inCOMpetent, inCREASE (v), inCREDible, inDEcent, inDEED, inDIfferent, inDOORS, inDUCE, inDUStrial, inDUStrious, inEVitable, inEVItably, inFECT, inFECtious, inFERior, inFLAME, inFLAmmable, inFLICT, inFORM, inGEnious, inHAbit, inHAbitant, inHERit, iNItial, iNItiative, inJECT, inJECtion, inJUSTice, iNNAte, iNNUmerable, inPARtial, inQUIRE, inQUIRY, inQUIsitive, inSENsible, inSENsitive, inSERT, inSIDE, inSIST, inSPECT, inSPECtion, inSPECTor, inSPIRE, inSTALL, inSTALment, inSTEAD, inSTRUCT, inSTRUCtion, inSULT, inSURance, inSURE, inTELLigence, inTELLigent, inTELLigible, inTEND, inTENSE, inTENtion, inTENtional, inTENtionally, inTERior, inTERnal, inTERpret, inTERpreter, inTImidate, inTOLerant, inTRUDE, inVADE, inVALid, inVAsion, inVENT, inVENtion, inVENTor, inVEST, inVEStigate, inVESTment, inVISible, inVITE, inVOKE, inVOLVE, itSELF.

J,K kind-HEARTed.

88

S tresswise list of Polysyllabic Words

L laMENT, loCATE, lukeWARM.

M maCHInary, maCHINE, maGIcian, magNIficent, mainTAIN, maJOrity, manKIND, maTErial, maTURE, maTUrity, meCHAnic, meCHAnical, meMOrial, miNOrity, misFORtune, misLEAD, miSTAKE, moLEST, moNOtonous, moRAlity, mosQUIto, mouSTACHE, muSEUM, muSIcian, mySELF, mySTErious.

N naRRATE, neCEssity, neGLECT, neGOtiate, noBIlity, noTOrious.

O o’CLOCK, oBEdience, oBEdient, oBEdiently, oBEY, obJECT (v), obJECtion, obJECtive, oBLIgatory, oBLIGE, obSCURE, obSERVE, obSTRUCT, obSTRUCtion, obTAIN, oCCAsion, oCCAsional, oCCAsionally, oCCUR, oCCURRence, oFFENce, oFFEND, oFFENsive, oFFIcial, oKAY, oMIT, oneSELF, oPINion, oPPOnent, opporTUNity, oPPOSE, oPPRESS, oRIginal, oRIginally, ourSELVES, outDATed, outDO, outDOORS, outLIVE, outNUMber, outRAGEous, outSIDE, outSIDer, outSPOken, outSTANDing.

P paRADE, parTIcipate, parTIcular, parTIcularly, parTIculars, part-TIME, peCUliar, peDEStrian, perCEIVE, perFECtion, perFORM, perFORMance, perHAPS, perMIssion, perMIT, perPETual, perSIST, perSUADE, perSUAsion, phiLOsophy, phoTOgrapher, phoTOgraphy, phySIcian, poETic, poLICE, poLICEman, poLITE, poLITEly, poLITEness, poLItical,

S tresswise list of Polysyllabic Words

89

poLLUtion, porTRAY, poSItion, poSSESS, poSSEssion (v), poSSESSive, poSTPONE, poTAto, preCEDE, preCISE, preFER, prePARE, preSCRIBE, preSCRIPtion, preSENT (v), preSERVE, preSIDE, preSTIGE, preSUME, preTEND, preVAIL, preVENT, preVENtion, proCEdure, proCEED, proCLAIM, proDUCE (v), proDUCer, proDUCtion, proFESS, proFEssion, proFEssional, proFEssor, proFIciency, proGRESS (v), proGRESSive, proGRESSively, proJECT (v), proMOTE, proMOtion, proNOUNCE, proPORtion, proPOSal, proPOSE, proPRIEtor, proSPERity, proTECT, proTECtion, proTEST(v), proVIDE, proVIDed, proVIsion, proVOKE, purSUE, purSUIT.

Q quoTAtion.

R reACT, reACtion, reALity, reBEL (v), reBEllion, reCALL, reCEIPT, reCEIVE, reCEPtion, reCOIL, reCORD (v), reCOver, reCOvery, reCRUIT, reDUCE, reDUCtion, reFER, reFINE, reFLECT, reFLECtion, reFORM, reFRESH, reFRESHment (s), refuGEE, reFUsal, reFUSE, reGARD, reGARDless, reGRET, reHEARsal, reHEARSE, reJECT (v), reJOICE, reLATE, reLAtion, reLAtionship, reLAX, reLEASE, reLIable, reLIEF, reLIEVE, reLIgion, reLIgious, reLINquish, reLUCtance, reLUCtant, reLY, reMAIN, reMAINS, reMARK, reMARKable, reMARKably, reMEMber, reMIND, reMOTE, reMOVal, reMOVE, reNEW, reNOWN, reNOWNed, rePAIR, rePEAT, rePENT, rePLACE, rePLY, rePORT, rePORTer, rePROACH, rePUBlic, reQUEST, reQUIRE, reSEARCH, reSEMblance, reSENT, reSERVE, reSIDE, reSIGN, reSIST, reSISTance, reSOLVE, reSORT, reSOURCE (s), reSPECT, reSPECTful, reSPOND, reSPONSE, reSPONsible, reSTORE, reSTRAIN, reSTRICT, reSULT, reSUME, reTAIN, reTIRE, reTIREment, reTREAT, reTURN, reVEAL, reVENGE, reVERSE, reVIEW,

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S tresswise list of Polysyllabic Words

reVISE, reVOKE, reVOLT, reVOLVE, reWARD, riDIculous, rouTINE.

S saLUTE, seCURE, seCURity, seDUCE, seLECT, seLECtion, self-CONfident, self-CONScious, self-INTerest, self-MADE, self-SERvice, senSAtion, seVERE, sigNIficant, simPLIcity, sinCERE, sinCERity, so-CALLED, soCIEty, soLUtion, specTAtor, starVAtion, stuPIdity, subDUE, subMIT, succeed (sukSEED), success (sukSESS), sucCESSful, suFFIcient, suGGEST, suGGEStion, suPERior, suPPLY, suPPORT, suPPOSE, suPPRESS, suPREME, surPRISE, suRRENder, suRROUND, suRROUNDings, surVEY (v), surVIVE, suSPECT, suSPIcion, suSPIcious, suSTAIN.

T teRRIfic, themSELVES, therMOmeter, throughOUT, toDAY, toGEther, toMAto, toMOrrow, toNIGHT, toWARD(S), traDItion, traDItional, transFER (v), transFORM, tranSIStor, transLATE, tranSLAtion, transMIT, transPARent, tranSPORT (v), treMENdous.

U umBRElla, unAble, unARMED, unBUtton, unCERtain, unCERtainty, unCOMfortable, unCOmmon, unCONscious, unDO, unDRESS, unEAsy, unFAIR, unFORtunately, unHAppy, uNIQUE, uNITE, unJUST, unKIND, unKNOWN, unLAWful, unLESS, unLIKE, unLIKEly, unLOAD, unLOCK, unLUCKy, unNECessary, unPLEASant, unTIdy, unTIE, unTIL, unUsual, unWILLing, upHILL, upHOLD, uPON, upROOT, upSET, upSTAIRS.

V vaCAtion, vaRIEty, veRANdah, vicTOrious, voCABulary.

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W well-KNOWN, well-MADE, whatEVer, whenEVer, wherEVer, whichEVer, whoEVer, withDRAW, wiTHIN, wiTHOUT, worldWIDE, worthWHILE.

X,Y,Z yourSELF, yourSELVES.

Category 3: Here are the core polysyllabic words in which the primary stess falls on the third syllable:

A admiRAtion, afterNOON, altoGEther, anniVERsary, appliCAtion, artiFIcial, autoMAtic.

B,C cigaRETTE, combiNAtion, commonSENSE, compeTItion, compreHEND, compreHENsion, compreHENsive, concenTRAtion, confiDENtial, confiDENtially, contraDICT, converSAtion, correSPOND, correSPONdence, curiOSity.

D declaRAtion, defiNItion, demoCRATic, demonSTRAtion, destiNAtion, disadVANtage, disaGREE, disaGREEment, disaPPEar, disaPPEarance, disaPPOINT, disaPPOINTment, disaPPROVal, disaPPROVE, disconTENDed, disoBEdient, disoBEY, downSTAIRS.

E ecoNOmic, ecoNOmical, eduCAtion, eduCAtional, elecTRIcity, eleMENTary, emploYEE, enerGEtic, engiNEER,

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engiNEERing, enterTAIN, enterTAINment, everLASTing, exclaMAtion, exhiBItion, explaNAtion, exploRAtion.

F founDAtion.

G guaranTEE.

H hesiTAtion.

I illuSTRAtion, imiTAtion, immaTURE, impoLITE, inciDENTal, inciDENTally, incliNAtion, incomPATible, incomPLETE, inconCEIVable, incoRRECT, indePENDence, indePENDent, indiCAtion, indiRECT, indiVIdually, ineFFECtive, ineFFIcient, inflaMMAtion, influENtial, inforMAtion, ingeNUity, insigNIficant, insinCERE, inspiRAtion, instiTUtion, instruMENtal, inteLLECtual, interFERE, interFERence, interMEdiate, interNAtional, inteRRUPT, inteRRUption, interVENE, introDUCE, introDUCtion, inviTAtion.

J,K,L lemoNADE, libeRAtion.

M magaZINE, manuFACture, middle-Aged,.

N,O obliGAtion, obserVAtion, occuPAtion, opeRAtion,

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ornaMENTal, overALL, overCOME, overFLOW, overHANG, overHAUL, overHEAR, overLOOK, overNIGHT, overTAKE, overTHROW, overTURN, oveRUN, overWHELM.

P passer-BY, periODical, persoNALity, photoGRAPHic, pictuRESQUE, poliTIcian, popuLARity, popuLAtion, possiBIlity, prepaRAtions, probaBIlity, provoCAtion, psychoLOgical, publiCAtion, punctuAlity.

Q,R realiZAtion, recogNItion, recoLLECT, recoLLECtion, recoMMEND, recreAtion, refeREE, reguLAtion, reinFORCE, repeTItion, repreSENT, repreSENtative, reproDUCE, reproDUCtion, repuTAtion, reserVAtion, resigNAtion, resoLUtion, revoLUtion.

S satisFACtion, satisFACtory, scienTIfic, second-HAND, selfconTROL, self-reSPECT, sepaRAtion, simiLArity, situAtion, souveNIR, speeDOmeter, superSTItion, superSTItious, systeMAtic.

T,V underLINE, underSTAND, underSTANDing, underTAKE, unemPLOYment, uniVERsal, uniVERsity, variAtion, volunTEER.

W,X,Y,Z

Category 4: Here are the core polysyllabic words in which the primary stess

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S tresswise list of Polysyllabic Words

falls on the fourth syllable: accommoDAtion, adminiSTRAtion, associAtion. civiliZAtion, classifiCAtion, communiCAtion, consideRAtion, co-opeRAtion. determiNAtion, discrimiNAtion, dissatisFACtion exaggeRAtion, experiMENTal, incompreHENSible, interpreTAtion, investiGAtion. misunderSTAND, multipliCAtion. negotiAtion, nevertheLESS. organiZAtion. pronunciAtion. qualifiCAtion. responsiBILity. unsatisFACtory.

Stress exaggeration exercise Go through both the alphabetical and the stresswise lists of words carefully. Then, take up the alphabetical list — for intensive practice. Pick up each word in the order in which it occurs in the list. E.g. aBILity, Able, aBOUT, aBOVE, aBROAD, ABsence, etc. You’ll find that the position of the stressed syllable keeps varying, often from word to word. For example, if the stressed syllable in ‘aBILity’ is the second syllable, the stressed syllable in ‘Able’ is the first syllable, and the stressed syllable in ‘aBOUT’ is the second one. Utter each word aloud — by placing an exaggerated stress on the stressed syllable. For example, utter aBILity, Able, aBOUT in this way:

BILity, Able, aBOUT

a

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The vowel and the consonant before it (that is, if there’s a consonant before it) must get most of this exaggerated stress.

BIL in ‘aBILity’, B and I must get the maximum exaggeration, and L need only to get near-maximum exaggeration. In Able, there’s no consonant before the stressed-syllable A (vowel), and so, A must get all For example, in the syllable

the exaggeration. Utter each words few times — say five times. In this way complete the alphabetical list. Then take up the stresswise list. Go through all the words in which the stress falls on the first syllable. E.g. Able, Absence, etc. Practise uttering each word in the same way as before. Then go through all the words in which the stress falls on the second syllable. Eg. aBILity, aBout, etc. Do the same kind of practice. Then go through all the words in which the stress falls on the third syllable. E.g. admiRAtion, altoGEther, etc. Do the same kind of practice. In this way, complete the stresswise list, too. Let me repeat: It’s very important that you should exaggerate the stressed-syllable during all the practice sessions. Without doing that, it would be almost impossible to get into the habit of stressing the right syllable when you actually speak. This kind of exercise will help you in two ways: First, it’ll help you learn faster where to stress the words. Second, it’ll sharpen your feel for these words — so that they begin to occur to you readily in speech. So take up both lists and do the exercise once immediately. Then come back to these lists again and again. NOTE: We’ll take up the rhythm-drill in the next Book.

***

96

Do words stop on the tip of your tongu e ?

chapter 6

Do words stop on the tip of your tongue? A major problem that prevents most people from being fluent is this: When they speak, some (or many) of the words they need remain on the tip of their tongue and don’t flow out readily — even though they know these words. Later in the day, these words might occur to them, but at the moment that they need them most, they stay away. Actually, this problem confronts not only non-fluent speakers but also fluent speakers — including extremely articulate native speakers of English. Yes, even them. But there’s a difference: They don’t have this problem as frequently as non-fluent speakers. They have this problem only now and then — thanks to their mastery of ready-built word clusters. (And even when they do have this problem, it does not really affect the flow of their speech, because they know how to deal with this problem while they’re on their feet and speaking – that is, they’re good at hesitation management. See Book 5: How to Deal with Hesitation). A chief reason why non-fluent speakers are dogged by this problem is this: Though they know the meaning, grammar and usage of a very large number of individual words, they have not mastered these individual words along with the other words that conventionally tend to occur immediately before or after them. That is, non-fluent speakers have no real mastery over clusters of words. So if you want your words to flow out readily and not to stop on the tip of your tongue, here’s an important drill you should concentrate on doing: Get a lot of oral practice saying ready-built word clusters ALOUD. Yes, ready-built word clusters. (I’ve already introduced you to them, remember? See Books 1 & 2). Once

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ready-built word clusters start tripping off the tongue when you speak, the problem of words stopping on the tip of your tongue will stop being a hurdle for you. Here’s a carefully selected collection of ready-built word clusters that can give you the kind of oral practice you need. Now remember this: These are not the only word clusters that can give you this practice. And the amount of practice you get from the collection you get below will not be enough for you to get over the words-stop-on-the-tongue-tip problem, either. So pay attention to this: The collections of word clusters given in all the books in the Fluentzy series would give you this practice. And once you’ve completed doing practice with the clusters given in most of these books, this problem would begin to stop tormenting you. In fact, even a single collection of ready-built word clusters – like the collection you get in this chapter – produces a noticeable effect. So pick up each word group and say it aloud several times. Here we go:

Group 1 stand the test of time. • pass the note back to sb. • play a different game. • suffer/sustain an injury. • suffer an asthma attack. • wash the floor. • receive an offer. • spread the workload between… • take the trouble to help sb • tell a lie. • see an improvement. • repeat an experiment. • run a hotel. • turn the chair to face sb. • prevent the spread of infection. • set the course for sth. • suffer the consequences. • open a new store. • submit a plan. • show a collection. • teach a course. • top a bill. • return a call. • watch the weather (on the TV). • smile a grim smile. • win a fight. • reflect a change. • touch the case. • support a view. • maintain the status quo. • smile a knowing smile. • prefer a direct approach. • spread a cloth on the table. • schedule a meeting. • support a conclusion. • support a claim. • speak a strange language. • welcome a decision. • survive an accident. • see the remains of sth. • show a talent. • send a package.

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Do words stop on the tip of your tongue?

• win a battle. • remove a worry. • report an error. • savour the taste. • spend the money on sth. • run a business. • trust an instinct. • suspect a gas leak. • treat a disease. • know the area inside out. • ride a bicycle. • share a common interest in sth. • try a new coffee. • pay a call on sb. • register a birth. • study the report. • spend the night with sb. • meet the needs of sb/ sth. • take a (wait-and-see) attitude. • secure an agreement. • state an/your opinion. • recommend the plan to sb. • receive a call from sb. • release the clutch. • survive an operation. • tell the difference (between two things). • raise the age of sth. • knock a nail into a wall. • survive a war. • present a convincing case. • solve a crime. • wake the baby up. • slash the price (of sth). • receive an increase. • stop the bleeding. • smash a record. • reserve a table. • spread a load. • secure a deal. • tackle an issue. • miss a chance to do sth. • seal a border. • reject an offer. • teach a skill. • state an opinion. • release an album. • record an album. • secure a place. • reject a theory. • support a family. • water the garden. • treat a patient. • run a test. • relieve the guard. • pin the blame on sb. • see the importance of sth. • know the terms of the agreement. • wash the car. • stretch a rule. • win the toss. • take a journey. • serve a purpose. • support a theory. • see a great future for sb. • use a computer. • lose the ability to do sth. • write a computer program. • sound a note of caution. • reject a request. • play a trick on sb. • reject a proposal. • top a list. • recognize an old friend. • touch the wet paint. • spend the evening doing sth. • wave a magic wand. • return a service. • waste a chance. • watch the race. • show an interest (in sth). • win a promise (from sb). • want the best. • post a card to sb. • lose the taste for sth. • send a warning. • top the bill. • send the order. • write a new play. • watch a programme. • play the role of sb. • relax a rule. • want a drink. • sound a warning. • stop the tape. • solve a murder. • win a contest. • report the news. • wear a ring. • raise the subject of sth. • pull a car to the right. • score a point. • run a store. • like the taste of sth. • see a change. • win a competition. • wear a black dress. • support an idea. • win a

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match. • sign a document. • swing a punch (in sb’s direction). • turn a tap off/on. • split the cost. • rent an apartment. • support a hypothesis. • play the part of sb • stress the importance of sth. • sign a cheque. • join the cookery class. • turn the conversation. • wait an hour. • skip a beat. • use the telephone. • start a car. • sell the car. • watch a football game. • spend the day in bed. • write a story. • waste an opportunity. • roll the string (into a ball). • wear a suit. • ignore the fact that... • welcome a guest. • leak the information to the press. • take some/a lot of trouble to do sth. • relate a story. • win a place. • support a ban. • shoot an arrow (from your bow). • suffer a shock. • reduce a load. • share a needle. • support a large family. • use a car. • stretch a wing. • spread a rumour. • win a trophy. • take a look at the weather. • tie a parcel. • put a plan into action. • score a run. • spoil the taste. • reject a decision. • understand a language. • secure a place (for yourself). • win a medal. • stand a hope of doing sth. • watch the video. • watch the game. • want a car (of your own). • throw the question back at sb. • ride a horse. • stretch the fabric tightly (over sth). • turn the light(s) on/off. • tie a scarf. • use your judgment. • withstand a challenge. • repeat an exercise. • sense a presence. • settle the matter. • load the new software. • require an investigation. • score a double. • see the advantages of sth. • put the blame for sth (on sb).

Group 2 • win an election. • lift a heavy case. • win a scholarship. • take trouble doing sth. • pinpoint the cause of sth. • secure a majority. • repeat an allegation. • spring a leak. • offer an important post. • lay a basis for sth. • wear a long dress. • strike the hour. • reduce the effect(s) of sth. • sound a confident note. • identify the dead body. • see the stars. • run a marathon. • win a point. • miss the start of the film. • release the switch. • wear a string of pearls. • lay the blame for sth on sb. • lack the confidence to do sth. • write a song. • rent a room. • pay a loan off. • study a language. • sense an unease. • speak the truth. •

100 Do words stop on the tip of your tongue?

prevent the movement of sb/sth. • rent a house. • understand an issue. • turn a key in the lock. • sing a song to sb. • reach the required standard. • sound the death knell of/for sth. • suffer a consequence. • lift the sleeping child. • pass the ball to sb. • run the risk (of failing etc.) • win a majority. • start a war. • stretch a point. • stick a stamp on sth. • win a championship. • recognize the benefit(s) of sth. • take a decision (to do sth). • taste the mixture. • play a leading part. • use a ladder. • set a mood. • wear a badge. • play the leading role. • show a picture. • reflect a belief. • set a precedent. • support a plan. • register a company. • lift an embargo on sth. • use a new/ simple method. • save the environment. • know the codes inside out. • notice a big change in sb. • take a (more responsible) attitude. • lift a suitcase down. • register a trademark. • sign the hotel register. • suit a requirement. • strike a heroic pose. • remove the stain (from a cloth). • shut the door. • lead a happy life. • wear a beard. • reduce the gap. • sign a pact to do sth. • park the car sw. • write a list. • lead a busy life. • state the obvious. • see a doctor. • watch a video. • resist a change. • send a card to sb. • start a motor. • search the area. • return a high rate of interest. • sound a note of warning. • secure 40% of the vote. • turn the pages. • join a tour group. • win a victory. • spot an empty table. • remain the same. • notice the change in sb’s appearance. • mix the flour and eggs. • organize a protest march. • spend the weekend sw. • treat a virus. • record an event. • own a house sw. • treat a symptom. • show a pattern. • win a war. • record a verdict. • resist the cake (couldn’t). • resist the temptation to do sth. • start the engines. • suggest an improvement. • sign an autograph. • make a claim for sth (on your insurance). • sound a positive note. • provide a variety of sth. • transfer the files onto sth. • owe a debt of gratitude to sb. • satisfy a want. • send a letter to sb. • share an apartment with sb. • see the news. • lead a miserable existence. • win a concession. • lead a quiet life. • rent an office. • undergo a change. • spread a message. • share a belief (that). • write a

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novel. • win a cap. • stop the generator. • sign a petition. • solve a case. • receive a telephone call. • release a hostage. • roll the clothes. • win a contract. • read the first chapter. • settle a bill. • support a belief. • pass the written paper. • register a death. • open the door to sth. • record a conversation. • secure a victory. • paint the outside of your house. • solve a problem. • tie a bow. • present a rosy picture of sth. • repeat a step. • restore a garden. • want an explanation. • pay a debt off. • recognize the missing girl. • voice a worry. • turn the volume up/down. • read the exam results. • stand the heat (couldn’t). • miss the security of sth. • score a try. • support an argument. • see the benefit(s) of sth. • receive an award for sth. • work the land. • reduce the rent. • stand the strain. • reject a possibility. • miss the last bus (home). • press a handkerchief to your nose. • repeat a test. • play a joke on sb. • want an experienced teacher. • redecorate the house. • switch the light(s) on/off. • welcome a change. • strike a balance. • lead an interesting life. • stage a show. • tell the truth. • set a new record. • remain a secret. • play a vital role (in sth). • smile a welcome. • teach a language. • thwart an attempt. • report an improvement. • see a lawyer. • see the advantage. • leave the management to sb. • win a prize. • lead a full life. • smile a slow smile. • settle an argument. • review the previous week. • score a victory. • talk the same language (as sb). • relax a regulation. • share a house with sb. • tell the time. • secure a property. • recommend a book to sb. • return the compliment. • lay a hand on sb’s arm. • wear a hat. • write a letter. • win a race. • share the blame (for sth). • question the wisdom of sth. • write a play. • study a report. • rent your house to sb. • split the difference. • tie a boat up. • receive an education. • train the team. • strike a dramatic pose. • return a shot. • push the limit of sth. • raise a storm of protest. • score a success. • seek a challenge. • lay the blame on sb. • replace the book on the shelf. • travel the country. • roll the baby over. • sell the farm. • start a journey. • use your managerial/ writing talents. • reduce the risk of infection. • repeat the grade.

102 Do words stop on the tip of your tongue?

• suffer the effect. • wear a watch. • reject an argument. • sign a deal (with sb). • reject an application. • paint a bleak picture. • replace the handset. • throw the blame on someone. • search the building. • replace the old windows. • tell a story. • prevent the spread of disease. • tell the truth/a lie. • swing a leg. • take the news (calmly). • roll a trolley (across the yard etc). • pay a visit to your doctor. • support a cause. • try an avenue. • turn a profit. • kill a couple of hours. • pass a witty comment. • satisfy a wish. • reserve a judgment. • pass the message on to sb. • reject a claim. • owe a great deal to sb. • release a movie. • start the day (with a good breakfast). • reflect sb’s attitude. • suffer a reaction. • place the blame on sb. • repeat a mistake. • use the best ingredients. • share a view. • serve the community. • learn a musical instrument. • understand the situation. • report an increase. • start an engine. • receive an income. • start the fight. • stop the rot. • strike a match. • show a profit. • treat a disorder. • unveil a plan. • strike a balance between two things. • sound a hopeful note. • start a conversation. • review the evidence. • throw a glance (at). • start a rumour. • win a case. • taste the soup. • reach a good level. • paint a rosy picture of sth. • love the idea of sth. • wear a casual dress. • play an essential part in sth. • present a challenge to sth. • shelve a plan. • set a limit (on sth). • stop the night. • play the part of sb. • undergo an experience. • shoot a scene. • reach the age of 80 etc. • wear a formal dress. • sign a contract (with sb). • lead an exciting life. • welcome a suggestion. • travel a good distance. • sign a register. • start a business. • keep a clear head. • return the favour. • strike a bargain. • use an axe. • shake a habit. • reveal the truth. • run the engine. • win the championship. • make an issue of sth. • write a will. • reinforce a belief. • read a file into a computer. • support a contention. • start a group. • state an intention. • take the news (badly/well). • receive a phone call (from sb). • pay a steep price. • wear a coat. • return a verdict. • tear a hole in sth. • register a marriage. • use sth as a means

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to do sth. • tie a ribbon. • level an accusation at sb. • write the wrong address. • strike the first blow. • like the idea of sth. • pay a mortgage off. • wear a pin.

Group 3 • pay a set amount each month. • speak the same language. • receive a visit from. • satisfy a condition. • resolve an issue. • reach the light switch. • roll a barrel (across the yard etc). • teach a class. • return a greeting. • start a fire. • solve a crisis. • spend the weekend doing sth. • use an alternative/innovative approach. • sign a treaty. • start a family. • repeat a performance. • send a message (to sb). • spend the early part of your life sw. • start a fight (with sb). • reduce the price (of sth). • require a change. • spot the difference. • turn a page. • reveal a pattern. • satisfy a need. • remain a problem. • smile a small smile. • refuse an offer. • throw a party (for sb/sth). • repeat a process. • review the previous month. • tie a knot in a rope. • lead a normal life. • see the bill. • join a political party. • register the baby’s birth. • see an increase. • secure a payment. • throw a tantrum. • repeat an instruction. • solve a dispute. • top a chart. • sense a mood. • win a bet. • start a riot. • pay an extra amount. • steal the show. • relive an experience. • see the finish (of a race). • release a prisoner. • stock a good range (of sth). • visit the library. • tie a package. • use a room. • satisfy the demand for sth. • sound an alarm. • know a new instrument. • put an idea into action. • understand a meaning. • seal the deal. • mark the start of sth. • spread the towel (over sth). • see a difference. • wear a moustache. • take a risk. • return a stare. • serve a function. • understand a difference. • stretch a leg. • want a new coat. • serve a sentence. • report a theft. • state a fact. • realize the full meaning of sth. • strike a deal (with sb). • record a TV programme. • identify the cause of sth. • tie a tie. • start a new life. • visit the Taj Mahal. • share a load. • prepare a surprise party. • welcome the opportunity. • receive an injury. • show an

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improvement. • wear a jacket. • stay the same. • put a match to sth. • play an essential role in sth. • take the blame for sth. • start a new job. • study the results. • manage a soccer team. • turn the switch (to the ‘on’/’off’ position). • stop the rumours. • sign an agreement. • stand the pressure. • receive a number of complaints (about sb/sth). • satisfy a test. • secure a contract. • type a letter. • put the blame on sb. • stand a good chance of winning. • take the news (in your stride). • recognize the need to do sth. • transport the goods. • reduce the size of sth. • throw a punch. • score a win. • watch the news. • provoke a storm of protest. • mix the ingredients together. • order a double brandy. • mark the end of sth. • spot an error. • register an objection. • take an interest (in sth). • win the contest. • serve a (useful) purpose. • slip a few jokes (into a speech). • visit a lot of countries. • understand the meaning (of sth). • take a job. • sign the letter. • travel a distance. • stretch the limit of sth. • save a penalty. • keep the noise down. • want a new bike. • settle a conflict. • reduce the risk (of sth). • move a step further (can’t). • settle a debt. • receive the best treatment. • release a bird (from its cage). • update the schedule. • question the merit of sth. • state an objection. • run a course. • master the art of (doing) sth. • report a profit. • reject a plan. • study a map. • suffer a fit. • take an offer. • split the vote. • reveal a secret. • work an eight-hour shift. • study the menu. • write a note. • lead a life of luxury. • smoke a cigarette. • sense a fear. • travel the world. • number the pages (of a report etc). • repeat a question. • realize the benefit(s) of sth. • stop a fight. • sell the business. • satisfy a requirement. • reject a suggestion. • take the opportunity. • wash the dishes. • realize the seriousness of sth. • lay a responsibility on sb. • spend the night sw. • play a leading role. • return a favour. • suffer a migraine attack. • strike the table with your fist. • turn the heating on/off. • satisfy a desire. • lower the age of sth. • take a (positive) attitude. • use a language. • join the air force. • win a franchise. • see a pattern. • stay the night. • reduce the noise. •

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lead a good life. • stop a cheque. • repeat the class. • pull a car to the left. • take a course on fashion-designing etc. • show a lack of sth. • reject an idea. • test the limit of sth. • lose the use of both legs. • see an/the opportunity. • sing a song. • score a goal. • write a piece on/about sth. • register a complaint. • test a theory. • repeat a warning. • sense a danger. • question the logic of sth. • start the session. • recommend a hotel. • release a statement. • publish a review of sth. • understand the importance (of sth). • treat an ailment. • win a game. • notice a numb feeling. • see a movie. • roll a dice/die. • set the table. • stress a significance. • rule a country. • launch a/your etc career. • make a pact to do sth. • share a taste for sth. • run a language school. • suffer an injury. • wear an expression. • stand the sight of sth (can’t). • run the marathon. • tidy the house. • repeat a request. • investigate the links between… • mention the idea to sb. • start an argument. • offer a variety of sth. • support a proposal. • resist an/the opportunity. • solve a conflict. • share a room with sb. • preserve a 11th-century house. • tape a conversation. • know the exact figure. • throw the ball to sb. • love the taste of sth. • repeat the year. • win a moral victory. • put the light(s) on/off. • turn the gun on yourself. • survive a crisis. • put a question to sb. • share an interest in poetry. • win an award (for sth). • see the manager. • miss the warm weather. • settle an account. • survive a crash. • win an argument. • rent a building. • sense a tension. • show a cheerful/nervous disposition. • settle a dispute. • run the hot tap. • restore a relation. • pay the electricity bill. • speak a language. • support a weight. • treat an illness. • refuse a request. • satisfy a demand. • satisfy an expectation. • turn the corner. • make a habit of doing sth. • start a business of your own. • open a bank account. • turn the heat up/down. • join the department as a secretary etc.

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chapter 7

Questions for Practice Let’s now briefly look at one of the chief reasons why even welleducated people find it difficult to have conversations in fluent English. It’s this: They find it difficult to frame questions offhand. Yes, questions. They have no confidence that they can ask questions on the spur of the moment. So they keep mum and pretend that they have nothing to ask. The truth may be that they’re itching to ask questions, to exchange ideas and to take part in conversations. But one thing stands in their way: The inability to ask questions without faltering. Here you must note an important point: In schools and colleges, you’re trained only to answer questions — not to ask questions. As a result, everyone has very little training in framing questions. This is particularly true about framing questions orally. Mind you, there are only two things that you’d be able to produce orally, without hesitations. They are: (i) Things that your organs of speech are accustomed to producing orally; and (ii) Things that are similar (in structure or shape) to those things. So you’ll not be able to ask questions with ease, if your organs of speech don’t get special training. Without this special training, questions in English will remain “strange” things for your organs of speech. So let’s begin our special training with questions now. The first thing we’re going to do is to build up a “background” or “atmosphere” of questions around you. This background or atmosphere will help your tongue and other organs of speech to stop feeling shy of questions in English. The way in which questions are asked in English will then become familiar and natural to your ears and organs of speech. Soon your organs of speech would begin to yield to questions in English.

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The first thing that you have to do is to utter certain speciallyselected questions ALOUD several times. You’ll get a collection of these questions on the following pages. These questions are all simple ones — to your eyes. But to your organs of speech, they may not be as simple. They’re questions that are indispensable in day-to-day conversations, but even well-educated people find it difficult to produce them orally — while they’re having a conversation. Though these questions look simple to your eyes, they’ll be of no use to you until your tongue yields to them and until they start sounding familiar and natural to your ears. Remember this: The aim is not to reproduce each of the questions later in specific situations. The aim is to get your organs of speech and hearing to become familiar with the way questions are framed. Here we go for the questions:

Group 1 • Can I trouble you for a minute? • How did his explanation strike you? • What can have happened to them? • Who knows about this? • Have you been here long? • What’s the name of that girl with a hat? • What’s worrying you? • What’s the house worth? • What does he do (for a living)? • Who’s to blame? • What do you need from the shop? • How soon will you be finished? • Is it OK to sign here? • Can you let us know soon? • What do you dislike most about it? • Was that your scooter I saw? • Can I speak to Ann please? • Did they have any luck? • Would you mind closing that door? • Where’ll they be this time next week? • Is there any chance of his getting a promotion this time? • Will you be coming round tomorrow? • What if we don’t do it? • What do you enjoy most in your work? • What shall we do about that matter? • Is the shirt dry yet? • How can they eat such stuff? • Do you mean to tell me he doesn’t know it? • Where shall I put this book? • Is he awake yet? • Who can I ask about this? (Note: In contexts like these, use ‘Who’ and not ‘Whom’. ‘Whom’ is considered outdated in contexts like these). • Who is

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this present for? • Who does this box belong to? • Who did you give it to? • Any chance of some coffee? • Do you know who that girl is? • Whose fault was it? • How many times did she come here? • Did you win? • Is he afraid of the dark? • What’s the news? • What food do you like best? • Does this style suit me? • Is it all right to send it by post? • Can I have another try? • Shall I pass them to Tom or Ajith? • Did you have to tell everything to him? • Do you realize that you have done a grave mistake? • When’ll you make up your mind? • Who’s that man over there? • What’s on your mind? • Do you mind if I smoke? • Are you coming or not? • Have you read anything interesting lately? • What do you advise me to do? • How long has she been waiting? • Have you got any idea why he refused to reply? • Anybody for more tea? • Is he back yet? • What suggestions would you like to make? • How did she come to lose it? • Can I talk to you for sometime? • How did your weekend go? • Is she the girl you told me about? • What do you think he is doing? • Have you got a light? • Could I ask a few questions? • Were you surprised to see him? • Do you recognize the man under the tree? • Was John to blame for it? • Why not discuss it with her? • Which chair should I sit in — this or that? • How good a worker is he? • Shall we have another game? • If I take a bus, what time will I be in Bangalore? • Have you got any suggestions to make? • What do you think of that furniture? • What if I did it tomorrow instead of today? • What qualities do you think a salesman should have? • How big did she say it was? • Did he buy the car on hire-purchase? • What did you think of it? • Are they here yet? • Could you let me know where that is available? • What’s that you say? • Is that Ann? • Who’s responsible for all this? • When will it be finished? • Why hasn’t he had a bath? • Is he any better? • Is there going to be a meeting? • Does the noise bother you? • Don’t you understand? • Could you let me know if he turned up? • Why not ask her? • Is that you, Anil? • Aren’t you responsible for this mix-up? • What’s that thing you

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are eating? • Has the match been postponed? • Was the play any good? • How old are you? • Will you be going there tomorrow? • Can you suggest what we should do? • Isn’t she ready yet? • What if he failed? • Would you agree that the quality of this thing is very high? • What can I say to thank you? • What’s upsetting you? • What’s your new teacher like?

Group 2 • Who can say that? • Where is he from? • Have you really got to go? • Couldn’t you meet me tomorrow? • What’s all the fuss about? • What’s this supposed to be? • What excuse shall we give? • Is he making good progress? • How much did you buy it for? • Where’s that book of mine? • Haven’t you booked your ticket yet? • What happens first when you start the machine? • What if she mentions the matter? • Isn’t that Sheela? • Was it Asha’s fault? • When’ll we get the payment? • How about giving me a ring tomorrow? • What’s this I hear about you? • Did you pay for yourself? • What would you recommend if they asked you? • Do you ever go for a walk? • Is that a reason? • How did you like the book? • Who’s that standing over there? • Whose is this pen? • How are things? • What does this machine do? • Have they arrived? • Surely you’re not going to eat it raw? • What’s someone who collects stamps called? • How did the party go? • What delayed you? • What date is it? • How did they get on with her? • How many passengers does this bus take? • Why do you want more time? • How’s everything? • How does this machine work? • Doesn’t music interest you? • Surely that’s a bear over there? • What word do you use for someone who works with wood? • Which would you like —tea or coffee? • What went wrong? • Will it help, do you think? • Will you help? • Who’s paying? • Would you advise me to meet him again? • What reason did she give for her behaviour? • What did you open it with? • Could you tell me how far you’ve progressed? • Is everything all right? • Is he pleased with the report? • Do you want to know

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why he said that? • Are you going to do as I tell you? • What else was there? • Is anything the matter? • Do you know that he came looking for you? • Are these any good? • Is this the best you can do? • What’s up? • What does a video-phone look like? • Is the report nearly ready? • How much do you know? • Are the rooms comfortable? • What is in that bag? • Could you explain how to do that? • Would it be all right if I came a bit late tomorrow? • What will you make the box of? • Does she really mean it? • What are your feelings about it? • Who gave you permission? • What would you like to drink? • What was her reaction? • What’s the monthly rent? • What colour is his shirt? • Excuse me, could I get past? • Will you be able to book a seat for me? • Any other jobs to be done? • What’s the reason for your decision? • Could you be more specific about that? • What time would suit you? • Which is the strongest? • Why’s she so miserable? • Is it as late as all that? • Will you lend me that book? • Have you been staying here long? • What caused all this confusion? • What more do you expect? • Why didn’t he apply the brake? • What’s the matter with you? • What shall I tell them? • How far do you agree with them? • What difference does it make? • What about having something to eat? • When am I to expect him? • Is it likely to rain? • How do you account for the missing letter? • What’s worrying you? • Would you mind bringing it here? • Haven’t you always dreamt of becoming a doctor? • What sort of picnic did you have? • Is it true that he is promoted? • Do you think that he was right? • Was he surprised? • Who told you he was short of money? • Would you prefer to sit here or inside? • How do you find it? • What’s in the paper today? • What’s so special about that?

Importance of the drill with word groups You’ve been doing oral practice with question word groups. As I’ve already told you, this sort of training gets you to become

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good at asking questions spontaneously. Now let’s look at another benefit you’ll get from this kind of drill. You know, spoken language is nothing but a combination of sounds. But remember one thing: The way sounds are combined in one language is different from the way sounds are combined in another language. For example, the way sounds are combined in English is different from the way sounds are combined in nonEnglish languages (= languages other than English). You have long experience in speaking in your mothertongue, and so you have long experience in combining sounds in your mother-tongue. Because of your long experience in combining sounds in your mother-tongue, your organs of speech have developed the ability to combine sounds in one way only — the way they’re combined to produce speech in your mother tongue. And what are your organs of speech? Your lips, tongue, nose, palate, lungs, pharynx, larynx and vocal cords. These are your organs of speech. These organs are accustomed to working only in the ways your mother-tongue wants them to work. They’re not accustomed to working in the way English-language demands them to. So this is what happens: The moment you start speaking in English, the tendency of your organs of speech is to work in your native-language-way. You then artificially try to force them to work in the English-language-way. They try to work in the way you force them to, but they can’t, and so they fail. The vocalcords in your larynx will vibrate only in your native-language way. Your tongue, lips and soft-palate will take up positions only in your native-language way. The muscles of your organs of speech work well together only in your native-language-way. The amount of breath you use will be right only according to your native-language needs. On the whole, your organs of speech will fail to co-operate with you to continue with your English speech, and you start faltering with hesitations. You again try to make

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your organs of speech to come round and work in the Englishlanguage way. But they won’t, because they can’t. Result? Your speech breaks up. This is what happens to everybody, no matter how good their knowledge of English is. Control over the functioning of your organs of speech — that is what you need. Do the drills in the various Books in this series the way you are told to, and you’ll get this control. The practice materials have been carefully selected, so they’ll train each and all your organs of speech to produce each and all combinations of sounds in English-speech. Remember this: The drills and exercises will train not one or two, but each and all your organs of speech. The drills and exercises will train your organs of speech to produce not just a few soundcombinations, but all sound-combinations in English-speech.

Two important exercises Here are two important exercises you should pay attention to now: 1) Select about 50 questions each day. Look for contexts or situations for using them. Make it a point to ask those questions in real-life-situations. Complete all the questions in this way. 2) At the end of each day, run through all the questions. What are the questions that you could have asked in real-lifesituations on that day, but which you didn’t ask? Tick-mark those questions. Make it a point to find suitable situations on the next day and to ask those questions in those situations. That’s it. Bye for now.

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