Stress in compound words

1. STRESS IN COMPOUND WORDS

HANCOCK, MARK. ENGLISH PRONUNCIATION IN USE INTERMEDIATE
WITH ANSWERS. CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY PRESS, 2012.

2. STRESS IN COMPOUND WORDS

Compound words are made of two smaller words put together (they are not
always written as one word). In most compound words, the stress in on the first
part.
e.g. book + shop = bookshop – Oo
shoe + shop = shoe shop – Oo
If the first part of the compound is na adjective, there may be stress on
the second part too.
e.g. double room OO

3. STRESS IN COMPOUND WORDS

There may be stress on the second part of the compound noun when:
• the object in the second part is made out of the material in the first:
e.g. glass jar – OO
• the first part tells us where the second part is:
e.g. car door – OO

4. STRESS IN COMPOUND WORDS

Sometimes a compound word looks the same as:
• a normal adjective and a noun;
• a normal noun and verb.
But the Pronunciation is diferent. Compare:
Compound Word Oo
Adjective and Noun OO
Noun and Verb OO
We keep these plants in a greenhouse Mr. Olsen lives in a small, green house next
during the winter months.
to the river.
I saw her bus pass.
I saw her bus pass.