Stress: Identification of the Correct Points of Pauses in Different Words. – JSS2 English Lesson Note (Second Term)

Stress is the greater breath effort and muscular energy with which some syllables in a word are spoken.

• Loudness and length: stressed syllables are louder and longer than unstressed ones.
• Pitch: the pitch of the voice also rises on a stressed syllable.
• Meaning: in English, a change in stress can change a word’s meaning or class.

Behavioural objectives

By the end of the lesson, students should be able to:

1. explain what stress is in speech;
2. name the three degrees of stress in English;
3. mark the stressed syllable in a word;
4. identify the stressed syllable in common two-syllable words;
5. show how a change in stress changes a word from a noun to a verb.

Lesson one: Speech work, stress

Topic: Identification of the correct stress points in different words (’import/im’port, ’refuse/re’fuse).

What is stress?

Stress is the extra force with which a syllable is spoken, so that it sounds stronger than the syllables around it.

• Breath effort: some syllables are produced with greater breath effort and muscular energy than others.
• Stressed syllable: a syllable with greater energy is louder and longer, and the pitch of the voice rises.
• Unstressed syllable: a syllable produced with less effort is weaker, shorter and quieter.
• Why it matters: stress creates special problems for many Nigerian speakers of English, who may give every syllable the same weight.

What is a syllable?

A syllable is a unit of speech with one vowel sound, which may have consonants around it.

• One syllable: book, desk, go.
• Two syllables: ta-ble, doc-tor, be-hind.
• Three syllables: ba-na-na, hos-pi-tal.

How is stress shown in writing?

Stress is shown by a stroke before the stressed syllable or by capital letters on that syllable.

• Stroke: a high stroke is placed at the beginning of the stressed syllable, as in ’table and be’hind.
• Capital letters: the stressed syllable is written in capitals, as in TAble and beHIND.

How do you find the stressed syllable in a word?

1. Say the word aloud slowly.
2. Count the syllables, for example be-hind has two.
3. Say the word again and listen for the syllable that sounds loudest and longest.
4. Mark that syllable with a stroke before it or with capital letters.
5. Check the word in a dictionary, which shows the stress mark.

What are the degrees of stress in English?

There are three degrees of stress in English: primary stress, secondary stress and unstressed syllables.

• Note: a low stroke marks secondary stress and a high stroke marks primary stress, as in ˌeduˈcation.

What rules guide stress pattern?

There is no fixed rule guiding the stress pattern of a word in English, but some patterns are common.

• Prefix rule: if a word has two syllables and the first syllable is a prefix, the second syllable attracts stress and the first is unstressed.
• Other two-syllable words: many have stress on the first syllable, as in table and doctor.
• Dictionary: when unsure, check the dictionary.

In the table, the stressed syllable is in capital letters.

How does stress change meaning and word class?

A change in stress can change the meaning and the class of a word, so the same spelling can be a noun or a verb.

• Noun: the stress falls on the first syllable.
• Verb: the stress falls on the second syllable.

How are these words used in sentences?

• Noun: Ade broke the school REcord.
• Verb: Please reCORD the song.
• Noun: Nigeria’s IMport of rice is falling.
• Verb: Traders imPORT goods through the port.

Evaluation

1. What is stress?
2. Name the three degrees of stress in English.
3. How is a stressed syllable indicated?
4. Write the following words and put the stressed syllable in capital letters: table, pretend, doctor, behind.
5. Write the noun and the verb forms of “record” and show where the stress falls in each.

Assignment

Indicate the stressed syllable in each of the following words by writing it in capital letters. Example: Subject (n): SUBject.

1. Insult (n)
2. Suspect (v)
3. Desert (n)
4. Export (v)
5. Digest (v)
6. Project (n)

Lesson two: Grammar, reported command (speech) continues

Reference: Week Nine (9), First Term (page 160), New Oxford.

Lesson three: Reading and comprehension, dialogue

Recommended text: New Oxford Secondary English Course for Junior Secondary Schools 2.

Reference for comprehension: Unit 1, “How we spent the holiday”, a conversation between Emeka and Dara.

What are the words associated with ICT?

ICT means information and communication technology, the use of computers and related devices to handle and share information.

1. Keyboard
2. Computer
3. Mouse
4. Projector
5. Photocopy machine
6. Printer
7. Scanner
8. USB
9. Light pen
10. Internet
11. C.P.U system unit
12. Motherboard
13. Daughterboard
14. Memory unit
15. Monitor

Assignment

Use a dictionary to find the correct meaning of the above words.

Lesson four: Composition, formal letter

Title: Write to the Local Government Chairman about the bad road in your area.

What are the parts of a formal letter?

A formal letter is a letter written to an official or a person in authority, in polite and correct language.

1. Sender’s address: written at the top right, without the sender’s name.
2. Date: written below the sender’s address.
3. Receiver’s title and address: written at the left, below the date.
4. Salutation: for example, Dear Sir.
5. Subject heading: a short title in capitals, which may be underlined.
6. Body: the paragraphs that state the purpose of the letter.
7. Complimentary close: Yours faithfully, used after Dear Sir or Dear Madam.
8. Signature and name: the sender signs and writes the full name.

What does a sample formal letter look like?

8, Fagboola Street, Oko-Oba,
Agege,
Lagos.
23rd June, 2015

The Chairman,
Ile-Epo Oke-Odo,
Lagos.

Dear Sir,

BAD ROAD IN BORIPE ALIMOSHO AREA

I write to congratulate you on your recent electoral success, which paved the way for your rise to the office of Chairman of the newly carved local government council. Please accept my sincere congratulations on your well-deserved office and position.

I would like to seize this opportunity to inform you about a major problem confronting my local government. We need a well-constructed road. Boripe is the food basket of this local government and deserves a good network of well-tarred roads. These roads will ensure that the products of the local cottage industries and abundant farm produce get to buyers and consumers outside our town fast and cheaply. This dream can only materialise when new roads are constructed and the existing ones repaired to make them motorable in all seasons.

I will be grateful if my request is favourably granted.

Thank you.

Yours faithfully,

(Signature)
Adeolu Joel

Assignment

Write a letter (200 words) to your local government chairman requesting the provision of good materials for effective studies.

Lesson five: Literature-in-English

1. Use the recommended drama text, “Dangerous Reward”.
2. Discuss the language, setting and characterisation in the recommended text.

What do language, setting and characterisation mean?

• Language: the words and style the writer uses to tell the story.
• Setting: the time and place in which the action happens.
• Characterisation: the way the writer presents and describes the characters.

Assignment

Write a short note on each of the following characters:

1. Enny
2. Nkechi
3. Ayo
4. Nelson
5. Ben