Which statement about stress is true?

Which statement about stress is true?

• A. Stress does not affect meaning.
• B. Stressing different syllables can modify meaning or part of speech.
• C. Stress only appears in written text.
• D. Stress is random and cannot be predicted.

Answer: (B)

Stressed syllables signal meaning and word function in English. Where you place the emphasis can change what a word means or what part of speech it represents, even when the spelling stays the same. For example, consider a word used for both a noun and a verb. When the first syllable carries the stress, you’re talking about the thing itself—something you can hold or point to. When the second syllable is stressed, you’re describing an action, the act of recording something. This shift helps listeners immediately hear whether you’re naming something or describing an action. Another pair shows the same idea with a different word: when the first syllable is stressed, it tends to be a noun (or a thing you do or own), and when the second syllable is stressed, it tends to be a verb (an action or process). The stress pattern guides understanding in real time. Because of this, stressing different syllables can modify meaning or part of speech. Stress is a feature of spoken language, not just written text, and it follows patterns that can be learned, though English also has some irregularities.

Stressed syllables signal meaning and word function in English. Where you place the emphasis can change what a word means or what part of speech it represents, even when the spelling stays the same.

For example, consider a word used for both a noun and a verb. When the first syllable carries the stress, you’re talking about the thing itself—something you can hold or point to. When the second syllable is stressed, you’re describing an action, the act of recording something. This shift helps listeners immediately hear whether you’re naming something or describing an action.

Another pair shows the same idea with a different word: when the first syllable is stressed, it tends to be a noun (or a thing you do or own), and when the second syllable is stressed, it tends to be a verb (an action or process). The stress pattern guides understanding in real time.

Because of this, stressing different syllables can modify meaning or part of speech. Stress is a feature of spoken language, not just written text, and it follows patterns that can be learned, though English also has some irregularities.