Newprointernationa L

Examples of words with one syllable


A

[ǝ]
And

[ӕn]
Be

[bi]
Bat

[bӕt]
Born

[born]
Case

[keis]
Check

[ʧek]
Cry

[krai]

Date

[deit]
Do

[du]
Down

[dӕun]
Egg

[eg]
Else

[els]
End

[end]
Far

[far]
Four

[for]

Flask

[flӕsk]
Game

[geim]
Go

[go]
Ground

[grӕʊnd]
Hi

[hai]
Hint

[hınt]
Hold

[hold]
Jack

[ʤӕk]

Jam

[ʤӕm]
Key

[ki]
Kim

[kım]
Lend

[lend]
Low

[lo]
Man

[mӕn]
Mask

[mӕsk]
Make

[meik]

New

[nu]
Now

[næʊ]
One

[wʌn]
Off

[af]
Owe

[o]
Pay

[pei]
Pack

[pӕk]
Quart

[kwort]

Queen

[kwin]
Rain

[rein]
Roar

[ror]
Say

[sei]
Sale

[seil]
Shelf

[ʃelf]
Take

[teik]
Three

[θri]

Tricks

[trıks]
Up

[ʌp]
Us

[ʌs]
Use

[juz]
Vase

[veis]
Vent

[vent]
Wax

[wӕks]
Wear

[hwer]

Examples of words with two syllables

About

[ǝ/bæʊt]
Also

[al/so]
Answer

[ӕn/sʊr]
Blanket

[bleiŋ/kǝt]
Bumper

[bʌm/pǝr]

Caller

[kal/ǝr]
Checkers

[ʧek/ǝrz]
Darling

[dar/liŋ]

Dentist

[den/ıst]

Elbow

[el/bo]
Ending

[end/iŋ]
Fastest

[fӕs/dest]

Foreign

[for/ǝn]
Garage

[gǝ/raʒ]
Goggles

[gag/ǝlz]

Hamster

[hӕm/stǝr]

Hello

[he/lo]
Inside

[ın/said]

Issue

[ı/ʃu]
Jelly

[ʤe/li]
Johnny

[ʤan/i]
Keeper

[kip/ǝr]
Kindly

[kaind/li]
Longest

[laŋ/gǝst]

Lucky

[lʌk/i]
Making

[meik/iŋ]
Morning

[mor/niŋ]

Normal

[nor/mǝl]

Nosey

[noz/i]
Open

[o/pǝn]
Ostrich

[as/triʧ]

Palace

[pӕl/ǝs]
Party

[par/di]
Question

[kwes/ʧǝn]

Rancher

[rӕn/ʧǝr]

Release

[rǝ/lis]

Shower

[ʃӕ/wǝr]
Solid

[sal/ıd]
Tender

[ten/dǝr]

Topping

[tap/iŋ]
Under

[ʌn/dǝr]
Violet

[vai/lǝt]

Wander

[wan/dǝr]

Examples of words with three syllables

Absolute

[ӕb/sǝ/lut]

Battery

[bӕ/dǝ/ri]

Bottleneck

[ba/dǝl/nek]

Capital

[kӕp/ı/dǝl]

Comfortable

[kʌm/ftǝ/bl]

Department

[dǝ/part/ment]

Dishwasher

[dıʃ/waʃ/ǝr]

Effortless

[e/fert/les]

Energy

[en/ǝr/ʤi]

Fantastic

[fӕn/tӕs/tıc]

Fortunate

[for/ʧun/et]

Gasoline

[gӕs/ǝ/lin]

Gentleman

[ʤen/ǝl/mǝn]

Happiness

[hӕ/pi/nǝs]

Holiday

[hal/ı/dei]

Iconic

[ai/kan/ık]

Interesting

[ın/trǝ/stiŋ]

Jupiter

[ʤu/pı/der]

Literate

[lıd/ǝr/ǝt]

Lottery

[la/dǝr/i]

Masculine

[mӕs/kju/lǝn]

Medicine

[med/ıs/ǝn]

Navigate

[nӕv/ı/geit]

Normalize

[nor/mǝ/laiz]

Octopus

[ak/tǝ/pʊs]

Orphanage

[or/fʌn/eʤ]

Pajamas

[pǝ/ʤӕm/ǝz]

Photograph

[fo/dǝ/grӕf]

Reaction

[ri/ak/ʃǝn]

Register

[reʤ/ıs/tǝr]

Saturday

[sӕ/dǝr/dei]

Suppliment

[sʌp/lǝ/ment]

Telephone

[tel/ǝ/fon]

Thanksgiving

[θeiŋks/gıv/iŋ]

Umbrella

[ʌm/bre/lǝ]

Washington

[waʃ/iŋ/tǝn]

Examples of words with four or more syllables

Activity

[ӕk/tı/vı/di]

Artificial

[ar/dǝ/fiʃ/ǝl]

Bewitchingly

[bi/wıʧ/iŋ/li]

Bibliography

[bıb/li/a/grǝ/fi]

Capitalize

[kӕp/ı/dǝ/laiz]

Centralization

[sen/trǝ/laiz/ei/ʃǝn]

Democracy

[dǝm/ak/rǝ/si]

Diminishment

[dǝm/ın/ıʃ/ment]

Equality

[ik/wal/ı/di]

Energetically

[e/nǝr/ʤe/dık/li]

Fortunately

[for/ʧu/nǝʔ/li]

Generosity

[ʤen/ǝ/ras/ı/di]

Geopolitical

[ʤi/o/pǝ/lı/dık/ǝl]

Horticulture

[hor/dı/kʊl/ʧʊr]

International

[ı/nr/nӕ/ʃǝn/ǝl]

Impossible

[ım/pas/ǝ/bl]

Laboratory

[lӕb/rǝ/tor/i]

Liberation

[lıb/ǝ/rei/ʃǝn]

Mechanical

[mǝ/kӕn/ı/kǝl]

Motivational

[mod/ı/vei/ʃǝn/ǝl]

Necessity

[nǝ/ses/ı/di]

Nobility

[no/bıl/ı/di]

Operation

[a/pǝr/ei/ʃǝn]

Pathological

[pӕθ/ǝ/laʤ/ı/kǝl]

Perfectionist

[pǝr/fek/ʃǝn/ıst]

Romantically

[ro/mӕn/ık/li]

Salimandar

[sӕl/ı/mӕn/dǝr]

Solidify

[sǝ/lıd/ǝ/fai]

Technology

[tek/nal/ǝ/ʤi]

Theatrical

[θi/ӕ/trık/ǝl]

Unbeleivable

[ʌn/bǝ/liv/ǝ/bl]

Zoology

[zu/a/lǝ/ʤi]

Stress: A syllable within a word or sentence that is

1) Pronounced more clearly than other syllables

2) Is longer than other syllables

3) Is usually, but not always, a higher pitch than other syllables.
Syllables are sometimes clear and long, and other times they are unclear and short. In words that have more than one syllable, one of the syllables will have a vowel that will be clearer, longer, and probably a higher pitch than the other syllables. This “stressed” syllable is pronounced very clearly. The length of this syllable is also longer than the other syllables. In most cases this syllable will have a higher pitch (like a musical note one step higher) than the other syllables. However, sometimes this syllable is the same pitch as the others. In other cases this syllable might even be lower than the others.

Stress within words with two or more syllables
Stress occurs both within words that have two or more syllables and within sentences. First we will practice stress inside words. In the next section we will look at stress and rhythm within sentences.

On the next few pages you will find lists of words with two or more syllables. The clear, long vowel in the stressed syllable will be bigger than the other syllables.

Examples of stress in words with two syllables

About

[əbæʊt]

Also

[also]

Answer

[ӕnsʊr]

Blanket

[bleiŋkǝt]

Bumper

[bʌmpǝr]

Caller

[kalǝr]

Checkers

[ʧekǝrz]

Darling

[darliŋ]

Dentist

[denıst]

Elbow

[elbo]

Ending

[endiŋ]

Fastest

[fӕsdest]

Foreign

[forǝn]

Garage

[gǝraʒ]

Goggles

[gagǝlz]

Hamster

[hӕmstǝr]

Hello

[helo]

Inside

[ınsaid]

Issue

[ıʃu]

Jelly

[ʤeli]

Johnny

[ʤani]

Keeper

[kipǝr]

Kindly

[kaindli]

Longest

[laŋgǝst]

Lucky

[lʌki]

Making

[meikiŋ]

Morning

[morniŋ]

Normal

[normǝl]

Nosey

[nozi]

Open

[opǝn]

Ostrich

[astriʧ]

Palace

[pӕlǝs]

Party

[pardi]

Question

[kwesʧǝn]

Rancher

[rӕnʧǝr]

Release

[rǝlis]

Shower

[ʃӕwǝr]

Solid

[salıd]

Tender

[tendǝr]

Topping

[tapiŋ]

Under

[ʌndǝr]

Violet

[vailǝt]

Wander

[wandǝr]

Examples of stress in words with three syllables

Absolute

[ӕbsǝlut]

Battery

[bӕdǝri]

Bottleneck

[badǝlnek]

Capital

[kӕpıdǝl]

Comfortable

[kʌmftǝbl]

Department

[dǝpartment]

Dishwasher

[dıʃwaʃǝr]

Effortless

[efertles]

Energy

[enǝrʤi]

Fantastic

[fӕntӕstıc]

Fortunate

[forʧunet]

Gasoline

[gӕsǝlin]

Gentleman

[ʤentǝlmǝn]

Happiness

[hӕpinǝs]

Holiday

[halıdei]

Iconic

[aikanık]

Interesting

[ıntrǝstiŋ]

Jupiter

[ʤupıder]

Literate

[lıdǝrǝt]

Lottery

[ladǝri]

Masculine

[mӕskjulǝn]

Medicine

[medısǝn]

Navigate

[nӕvıgeit]

Normalize

[normǝlaiz]

Octopus

[aktǝpʊs]

Orphanage

[orfʌneʤ]

Pajamas

[pǝʤӕmǝz]

Photograph

[fodǝgrӕf]

Reaction

[riakʃǝn]

Register

[reʤıstǝr]

Saturday

[sӕdǝrdei]

Suppliment

[sʌplǝment]

Telephone

[telǝfon]

Thanksgiving

[θeiŋksgıviŋ]

Umbrella

[ʌmbrelǝ]

Washington

[waʃiŋtǝn]

Examples of stress in words with four or more syllables

Activity

[ӕktıvıdi]

Artificial

[ardǝfiʃǝl]

Bewitchingly

[biwıʧiŋli]

Bibliography

[bıbliagrǝfi]

Capitalize

[kӕpıdǝlaiz]

Centralization

[sentrǝlaizeiʃǝn]

Democracy

[dǝmakrǝsi]

Diminishment

[dǝmınıʃment]

Equality

[ikwalıdi]

Energetically

[enǝrʤedıkli]

Fortunately

[forʧunǝʔli]

Generosity

[ʤenǝrasıdi]

Geopolitical

[ʤiopǝlıdıkǝl]

Horticulture

[hordıkʊlʧʊr]

International

[ınrnӕʃǝnǝl]

Impossible

[ımpasǝbl]

Laboratory

[lӕbrǝtori]

Liberation

[lıbǝreiʃǝn]

Mechanical

[mǝkӕnıkǝl]

Motivational

[modıveiʃǝnǝl]

Necessity

[nǝsesıdi]

Nobility

[nobılıdi]

Operation

[apǝreiʃǝn]

Pathological

[pӕθǝlaʤıkǝl]

Perfectionist

[pǝrfekʃǝnıst]

Romantically

[romӕntıkli]

Salimandar

[sӕlımӕndǝr]

Solidify

[sǝlıdǝfai]

Technology

[teknalǝʤi]

Theatrical

[θiӕtrıkǝl]

Unbeleivable

[ʌnbǝlivǝbl]

Zoology

[zualǝʤi]

Stress and rhythm in sentences
Stress not only shows up in words with two or more syllables, it also can be found in sentences. Some words are clearer, longer, and often have a higher pitch than other words.

The stressed words are the most important words in a sentence.


When speaking English, some words are more important than others. The choice of which words are most important is up to the speaker. The important words will be pronounced more clearly than other words. They will also be longer than less important words. In addition, they may have a higher pitch.
Look at the following sentences and decide which words you think are most important. Also decide which words you think are not very important.
Hamlet was an important play written by Shakespeare hundreds of years ago.
I met a friend in front of the bus station.
My mom called me on my cell phone.
Today I’m going to go out for dinner with my best friend.
If you want to get a new car, you should check the Internet first.
Of course your choice of which words are important will be different than the choices made by your classmates or by this book. On the next page you will see the sentences with choices highlighted in bold, the sentences adjusted for length after than, and then the phonetic spelling adjusted for pitch, clarity, and length below them.


Hamlet was an important play written by Shakespeare hundreds of years ago.
Hamlet was an important play written by Shakespeare hundreds of years ago.

[ hӕmleʔwǝzǝnımportǝnplei rıʔnbaiʃeikspırhʌndredzǝjırzǝgo ]

I met a friend in front of the bus station.
I met a friend in front of the bus station.

[ aimedǝfrendınfrʌnǝðǝbʌsteiʃǝn ]

My mom called me on my cell phone.
My mom called me on my cell phone.

[ maimamkaldmianmaiselfon ]

Today I’m going to go out for dinner with my best friend.
Today I’m going to go out for dinner with my best friend.

[ tǝdeiaimgǝnǝgoӕuʔfrdınǝrwıθmaibesfrend ]

If you want to get a new car, you should check the Internet first.
If you want to get a new car, you should check the Internet first.

[ ıfjǝwanǝgedǝnucarjuʃʊdʧekðǝınǝrneʔfrs ]

Chapter

11

Dialogue Practice
In this chapter we will practice everything we have learned so far in natural real-world situations. The following dialogues have the phonetic transcript written underneath each line. As you practice, please go as slow as you need to. If you see a word pronounced differently than you would expect from the spelling, please look back at previous chapters and try to figure out why it is pronounced the way it is.
Maggie and Tom

Maggie and Tom are co-workers. They run into each other in the hall.
Maggie

Hey! Tom! How are you doing?

[ hei tam hæʊjə duın ]

Tom

Not so good. I’ve been really busy going to meetings and stuff…

[ naso gʊd . aivbın rıli bızi goiŋtə midiŋz æn stʌf ]

Maggie

Yeah, me too. I have to finish writing that stupid report.

[ jæ mitu . ai gadə fınıʃ raidiŋ ðæstupıd riport ]

Tom

Oh, that one you were talking about last week?

[ o ðæwʌn jəwr takiŋ abæʊʔlæswik ]

Maggie

Uh-huh. The same one. I thought it would be easy.

[ ʌhʌ↗ . ðəseim wʌn . aiθadıʔwʊd bi izi ]
Tom

Couldn’t you get someone to help you with it?

[ kʊdnʧə gesʌmwʌn tə help jə wıθıt ]

Maggie

I wouldn’t want to bother anybody. Besides, it’s just about done.

[ ai wʊdn wanə baðr enibʌdi . bisaidz . ıtsʤʌsəbæʊʔdʌn ]

Tom

Just ask me if you need me to help you with it, ok?

[ ʤʌs æsmi ıfjə nid midə helpjə wıθıdokei ]

Maggie

Will do. But I think I got a lot of it done already.

[ wıldu . bʌdai θiŋkai gadə ladəviʔdʌn alredi ]

Tom

Good luck! See you around.

[ gʊdlʌk . sijə ræʊnd ]

Maggie

Catch you later! Bye.

[ kæʧə leidr . bai ]

Eric and Sally

Eric and Sally just finished watching a movie together.
Eric

What a wonderful movie! Did you like it?

[ hwʌdə wʌndrfl muvi dıʤə laikıt ]

Sally

Huh-uh. It was the worst movie I’ve seen in a long time.

[ hʌʔʌ↘ . ıwʌzðe wrs muvi aiv sin ınə laŋ taim ]

Eric

You have to be joking! What was so bad about it?

[ jə gadə bi ʤokiŋ . hwʌwʌz so bæd əbæʊdıt ]

Sally

Well, were to begin? The actors were terrible. The plot wasn’t logical. It was as if the writers didn’t know how to write a story.

[ wel hwerdə bigın . ðə ækdrz wr terəbl . ðə plaʔwʌzn laʤıkl . ıwʌz æzıf ðe raidrz dıdno hæʊdə raidə stori ]

Eric

Isn’t that why we go to the movies? To see a world where anything is possible? I don’t want to see reality. I get too much of that in my everyday life.

[ ıznðæʔhwai wi godə ðə muviz . tə siə wrld hwer eniθiŋ ız pasəbl . ai donwanə si riælıdi . ai geʔtu mʌʧə ðædın mai evridei laif ]

Sally

Sure. If its done right. But at least the story should make sense. And the actors have to make me believe. I want them to make it real.

[ʃʊr . ıfıts dʌn rait . bʌæʔlisðə stori ʃʊd meik sens . ænðə akdrz gadə meik mi bəliv . ai wanəm tə meik iʔril ]

Eric

Well, I’m sorry you didn’t like it. Let me make it up to you. Next time I’m going to take you to see the movie you choose.

[wel aim sari jə dıdn laikıt . lemi meik ıdʌptə ju . nekstaim aim gənə teikjədə si ðə muvi ju ʧuz ]

Sally

I want to see that new Tom Cruise movie. I’ve been looking forward to seeing him ever since he made the last movie.

[ ai wanə si ðænu tam cruz muvi . aivbın lʊkiŋ forwrd tə siŋım evr sınsı meidðə læsmuvi ]

Eric

What are you talking about? I thought you don’t like bad actors.

[ hwəʧə takın əbæʊt . ai θaʧə donlaik bædækdrz ]

Sally

You had better shut up!

[ ju bedr ʃʌdʌp ]

Eric

Sorry. Couldn’t help myself.

[ sari . kʊdn helpmaiself ]

Bill and John

Bill and John are friends talking about their weekend plans.
Bill

So, what are you going to do next weekend?

[ so hwəʧə gənə du neks wikend ]

John

Nothing special. Why?

[ nʌθın speʃl . hwai ]

Bill

Oh, I was just thinking of going to “City Center” park on Sunday with some friends for a BBQ and a game of volleyball. Want to go?

[ o ai wʌz ʤəs θiŋkın ə goiŋtə sıdi senr park an sʌndei wıθ səm frenz fr ə barbikju ænə geim ə valibal . wanə go ]

John

Sure! Sounds great! But I was going to ask Cindy to go out on Sunday.

[ ʃʊr . sæʊnz greit . bʌdai wəz gənə æsk sındi də go æudan sʌndei ]

Bill

Bring her along. Jack and Vince are bringing their wives, too. And Charlie’s going to bring Rose.

[ briŋer əlaŋ . ʤæk æn vıns r briŋiŋ ðer waivz tu . æn ʧarliz gənə briŋ roz ]

John

In that case, I’ll ask Cindy if she wants to go. I don’t know her schedule yet.

[ ın ðæʔkeis ail æsk sındi ıf ʃi wanstə go . ai duno ər skeʤul jet ]

Bill

Oh, could you bring your grill? I’m going to bring the meat and I asked Charlie and Rose to bring the net and ball. I asked them to bring them early and set them up.

[ o kʊʤə briŋ jr grıl . aim gənə briŋ ðə midæn ai æsd ʧarli æn roz tə briŋ ðə nedæn bal . ai asdəm tə briŋəm rli n sedəm ʌp ]

Stacy and Mary

Stacy and Mary were talking about the trouble Stacy has at her job.
Mary

Anyway, haven’t you thought about another job? I mean, it would be so much better if you could do something you actually enjoy.

[ eniwei hævnʧə θadəbæʊdənʌðr ʤab . ai min ıwʊd bi so mʌʧ bedr ıf jə kʊd du sʌmθiŋ jə ækʃli enʤoi ]

Stacy

I thought about it a lot. But I can’t figure out a way to make time to search for a job.

[ ai θadəbæʊdıdəlat . bʌdai kæn fıgiʊr æʊdə weidə meik taim tə srʧ fr ə ʤab ]

Mary

What about a job placement agency? A friend of mine got a great job where her talents are valued. And she didn’t have to spend a lot of time looking, either. The agency did everything for her. All she had to do was give them a percentage of her pay for the first few months.

[ hwʌdəbæʊdə ʤab pleismen eiʤensi . ə frendə main gadə greiʔʤab hwer ər tælensr væliud . ænʃi dıdn hæftə spendə ladə taim lʊkiŋ iðr . ðə eiʤensi dıd evriθiŋ fr ər . al ʃi hædtə du wʌz gıvəm ə prseneʤ ʌvr pei fr ðə frs fiu mʌns ]

Stacy

Yeah, I have to look into that. Could you ask her what her agency was?

[ jæ ai gadə lʊk ıntu ðæt . kʊʤə æskər hwʌdr eiʤensi wʌz ]

Mary

Sure. I’ll do that as soon as possible. I want to see you happy.

[ʃʊr . ail du ðædæz sun æs pasəbl . ai wanə si jə hæpi ]

Stacy

Thank you so much. I’m sorry I’ve been complaining so much.

[ θeiŋkju so mʌʧ . aim sari aivbın kʌmpleiniŋ so mʌʧ ]

Mary

No problem! That’s what friends are for!

[ no prabləm . ðætshwʌ frenz r for ]
Gary and Jim

Gary and Jim are strangers waiting at the bus stop.
Gary

Beautiful day, huh?

[ biudıfl dei, hʌ↘ ]

Jim

Huh?

[hʌ↗]

Gary

It’s a beautiful day, huh?

[ its ə biudıfl dei, hʌ↘ ]

Jim

Uh-huh. It sure is! Looks like spring is finally here.

[ ʌhʌ↗ . ıʃʊr ız . lʊks laik spriŋz fainəli hır ]

Gary

Yup. And the weather forecast calls for more sun all week.

[ jʌp . ænðə weðr forkæs kalz fr mor sʌn al wik ]

Jim

That’s good news. I was starting to think winter would last forever.

[ ðæts gʊd nuz . ai wʌz stardiŋ tə θiŋk wınər wʊd læs frevr ]

Gary

So, are you going downtown?

[ so jə goın dæʊntæʊn ]

Jim

Huh-uh. I have to go to the hardware store just up the road.

[ hʌʔʌ↘ . ai gadə godə ðə hardwer stor jʌs ʌp ðə rod ]