Sentence Stress: Content and Function Words

Learning the rhythm of English is important for sounding natural. English is a stress-timed language. Some syllables have more stress than other syllables. This video is full of examples and activities for you to practice.
Download free worksheet: docs.wixstatic...
1:08 Content words and function words
4:10 Content/function examples: call doctor & lost wallet
6:15 Timed sentences: Cats chase mice & Birds fly south.
8:10 Stressed and unstressed syllables (oOOo) EXPLANATION
9:12 Matching patterns in sentences ACTIVITY
11:00 Answers
11:38 DA DA guessing game #1
13:30 DA DA guessing game #2
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[@rajashekharns1607]

Great way to explain stress in words. Love your videos. They are so much fun to watch. Thanks

[@ExtraEnglishPractice]

Thanks so much! We're glad you like them.

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Thanks 👍

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Even in language schools, they use your videos for education.. You are really amazing

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+1 subscriber

[@ExtraEnglishPractice]

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Dear Mrs. I am a sophomore. I was looking for a video for a big assignment of mine in class. And I stumbled across your video. It's really cool and the way you convey your knowledge to people is really amazing. This is exactly the video I was looking for. So I am writing this comment to ask you if I can use this video to use in my schoolwork. It is purely for my learning purposes. Thank you very much.

[@lazumphyuzinmai5535]

Why you two guys often laugh in videos, I think it doesn't sound professional, it is so weird to hear laughing, it is not ridiculous.

[@heureusemaman452]

I'm so proud of your work!! Happy for your help! i clearly understand this lesson despite the fact that i'm not a native speaker🤗🤗🤗

[@ExtraEnglishPractice]

That's great, thanks!

[@fredericroy]

Hello, why is this sentence grammatically incorect? "You should call the doctor because my leg is broken"

[@ExtraEnglishPractice]

It looks good to me!

[@douglasmarinho3653]

This is the best class ever to learn native speakers and to speak English like a one

[@ExtraEnglishPractice]

😊😊

[@VaalePaaz12]

Thank you so much for making this video, I have a test tomorrow and this really helped me.

[@ExtraEnglishPractice]

Glad to hear it! Good luck with your test.

[@madham3919]

It helped me on my test too

[@ahmedalhakem]

We need Vedeo about (shaken up) and shake out

[@dara_1989]

TIME part was good .. click click

[@HienNguyen-ei7iy]

I like your teaching method.

[@ExtraEnglishPractice]

Thanks!

[@marlyn9nov]

I love Learning the rhythm of english.

[@ExtraEnglishPractice]

Great!

[@laifun2174]

I just love learning from both of you so much. Learning with a smile!!!

[@ExtraEnglishPractice]

Thanks! We love teaching!

[@geraldosimoes8875]

Thanks for answering,un abrazo.

[@Darren_W.]

Your voices are small, cuz you''re far from the microphone.

[@ExtraEnglishPractice]

In our older videos, our recording skills weren't quite as good! We think we've improved since then.

[@rabeemotar8007]

Awesome But the sound is low If you can it higher than in video

[@ExtraEnglishPractice]

Thanks for the feedback! We think we've solved this problem in our more recent videos.

[@begumislam6212]

I have one question! Why do not 'what' have stress in this sentence ' what's your favourite food?'... you said at the beginning of the video question words are content words, but at 14:06, What does not have any stress? if you do not mind, could you clarify for me? Thank you!

[@robertocardenas5006]

I love your teaching method, thanks for sharing all these videos

[@ExtraEnglishPractice]

You're welcome! Thanks for the encouragement!

[@emersonarsy]

I've just subscribed in your channel last night, I really enjoy watching your lessons, Stretch syllable, and the English rhythm it doesn't easier to native Portugues speaker, however, I wanna feel it out, I can get by it.

[@ExtraEnglishPractice]

We're glad you like our videos! And yes, if you keep learning and practicing, you'll get there!

[@emersonarsy]

Yes, ï'd like to say thank you again, for sure I'm doing it, practicing over and over again... catch you on youtube.@@ExtraEnglishPractice

[@مریمخرم-ح5ي]

That was perfect and i enjoyed and got it well. thanks❤ I've been learning english for two years but my accent isn't good😢 keep going

[@invariablyliveliness8278]

I wish You would know one thing after teaching thought groups video. Maybe you should not have made this just because this is how teachers like you confuse students. you know, when we speak in chunks, and why in turn, we should think about these single words? Isn't it perturbing learners? I wish would delete this video.

[@ramamonato5039]

/aɪ ˈlaɪk jə ˈvɪdɪəʊ. hɪə, ɪn ɪndəʊˈniːzɪə, wiː ˈdəʊnt ˈlɜːn ˈstres ˈpætnz. hɪə, ɪn ðɪs ˈkʌntrɪ, wiː ˈtreɪtɪd ˈɪŋglɪʃ əz ɪf ɪt wə ə ˈsɪləbl taɪmd ˈlæŋgwɪdʒ dʒʌst laɪk ɪndəʊˈniːzɪən. aɪ səbˈskraɪbt tə jə ˈtʃænl. ˈθæŋk juː/

[@ExtraEnglishPractice]

😄😄 Love this! We're glad you like our channel and found this video useful. Learning the rhythm of English is so important. Good luck!

[@invariablyliveliness8278]

They are reading what is written in some standard books, I can say that if anybody can hear what they just can speak like them. one more secret I just wanna tell all the learners from my experience, these all classes are made up before videos are not available to the students so having that in mind, these lessons were made up and these are not at all required to become a fluent speaker. Just touch with language by watching Native speakers and use their dialogues as often as possible as chunks. Within 12 weeks, you would be a fluent speaker. All the best

[@Uncanny_Silence]

Err...you spelled 'negatives' wrong.

[@ExtraEnglishPractice]

That's true!

[@geraldosimoes8875]

Kisses girls!❤❤

[@ahmadaliesmalyoun3400]

So good I like it.

[@rahmiastuti2652]

Thank you for your kindness explain this lesson. This is very helpful btw if I wanna say noun phrase example: beautiful girl, Should I stress the both of them?

[@小倉男]

Thank you!!!✨ It helps me a lot. Games make me understand it quickly.

[@ExtraEnglishPractice]

We agree! That's why we love games so much.

[@小倉男]

Extra English Practice Thank you again because your video really helped me passed my final exam!!!

[@MarieLoic]

first

[@RG-un7cv]

Thank uuuuu

[@medrikrahimi3641]

Fantastic

[@azimahmad9314]

This the shortest way for beginners to sound like native.

[@marydc6147]

I would like you make a video about thoughts groups or chunking like some people call it.

[@ExtraEnglishPractice]

Great suggestion. We would love to. Look for it in the new year.

[@alaurrahmanhabibur8501]

Take love from Bangladesh 😍❤️ I'm trying to achieve american accent. It’s very important to my journey. Take love from my Heart ❤️

[@ExtraEnglishPractice]

Thanks, and good luck!

[@geraldosimoes8875]

I love you girls and thanks so much!

[@ExtraEnglishPractice]

We're glad you like it!

[@ExtraEnglishPractice]

😊😊

[@zohrehtaleghany2578]

It is full of fun. You are great

[@ExtraEnglishPractice]

Thanks!

[@deegayudeegayu1963]

Very nice sisters.. Da da da Da Da 😂

[@amiraabdulaziz5412]

I love this technique, thanks loads.

[@ExtraEnglishPractice]

You're welcome, Amira!

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Genius way of teaching I solute you ma'ams

[@vilsonlopez8059]

I love your videos guys🥺🥺

[@ExtraEnglishPractice]

Thanks!

[@USA_365]

Awesome video. Great techniques. You reminded me of the dancing lessons. slow Quick Quick slow, etc. Haha...

[@ExtraEnglishPractice]

Ha ha, it is like that!

[@elizabethg]

Please correct the spelling of "negatives." It's embarrassing to have that misspelling on the screen the entire time. And learn how to pronounce "superfluous." These mistakes are killing your credibility.

[@ExtraEnglishPractice]

Thanks for the feedback. Though I think it's okay for learners to see that everybody makes mistakes. Our reputation will likely survive. 😉

[@alistercheng]

They’re DEfinately in LOVE.

[@ЮлияСоловьева-т7ж]

You are adorable! Thank you, girls!

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Excellent presentation ❤❤

[@MarieLoic]

noob

[@CesarPeron]

I enjoy so much this lesson 😂 Thank u!

[@artserrano7]

I love you girls's way of teaching and technique, I've strugling with my inglish accent and pronunciaton , I took ESL cleasses for few years ,I speak fluent inglish for the last 18 years but I notice somthing is not quite right in my speaking I'm trying very hard to inprube my inglish and I found your video very interesting ,simple and fun I wish I would've seen your video 18 years ago . I love your video Thank you..

[@ExtraEnglishPractice]

We're glad to hear this!

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Love it O like it video's

[@ExtraEnglishPractice]

Great, thanks!

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I like the girl with glasses when smiling or laughing. ❤️🌹

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Brave New World

[@ExtraEnglishPractice]

.. The book?

[@boroto7813]

I love you, you are a great team teaching, myyyy! I mean so.

[@ExtraEnglishPractice]

Thanks!

[@dannahilario279]

Good lesson but please speak louder. I can't upload more volume

[@ExtraEnglishPractice]

Thanks for the feedback. We are continuing to develop our technical skills, including audio production. We do all the production ourselves, and we're still beginners.

[@martinlizan6540]

What is your opinion about the exceptions to this rule?. Because there are many tendencies where the function words can be stressed in a sentence. like contrast, new information, adverbial in final position, etc. I think that tey are ridiculous rules because it always depends of the speaker context, it can alwas can vary. Im studing Phonetics and dont find the sense to these rules.

[@ExtraEnglishPractice]

English has many exceptions, unfortunately. This is true for both grammar and pronunciation rules, but it doesn't mean the rules aren't useful. But if you don't find them helpful, ignore them! 😉

[@martinlizan6540]

@@ExtraEnglishPractice regretably , I can't choose, I have to pass the exam haha! But as I said is for me is very subjective. Anyway, thanks for reply.

[@SLunau]

Fantastic! Thank you both.

[@ExtraEnglishPractice]

You're welcome!

[@adelasantos8196]

thank you

[@ExtraEnglishPractice]

You're welcome

[@peterbutter2054]

The method of using different size of dots, and the doing guess game by humming the sentence is fairly effective.

[@ExtraEnglishPractice]

We're glad you found it useful.

[@Whassevah]

I sometimes only use the stressed words when writing a text/sms. But only with close friends and family or in an emergency.

[@ExtraEnglishPractice]

Yes, we do that, too, sometimes.

[@deegayudeegayu1963]

Called the doctor

[@7oceans_821]

I’m a Japanese high school student . Thank you for sharing this video ✨

[@ExtraEnglishPractice]

You're welcome!

[@fazliddinimyaminov9392]

Best video ever for a sentence stress

[@ExtraEnglishPractice]

thanks!

[@benjaminencina1421]

This is very useful. Thank you. What happens when we have three content words in a row? For example: “I DON’T KNOW WHAT you’re saying.” Do we have to select the most important one(s) based on the context? Thank you! 🤓

[@ExtraEnglishPractice]

Yes, you could focus on the most important one. We also often blend words together (link words). In your example, we'd likely say: I dunno what you're saying."

[@folaranmiabosede5064]

😂❤

[@anitawalter328]

Really like your lessons but the volume is very low ! can you turn it up ?

[@ExtraEnglishPractice]

Sorry about that! In our more recent videos, it's better.

[@LaViedeRed]

Super useful video I liked it, thank to both of you

[@ExtraEnglishPractice]

You're welcome!

[@amjidali-Roy]

EEP team please tell me English is a__________ Language?

[@ExtraEnglishPractice]

Hmm, I'm sorry, we don't understand the question. What do you mean?

[@amjidali-Roy]

@@ExtraEnglishPractice Thanks for reply. Its a Google information. English is a stress-timed language. That means some syllables will be longer, and some will be shorter. Many languages, however, are syllable-timed, which means each syllable has the same length.

[@ExtraEnglishPractice]

You got it! Remember you can turn on the CCs to read the transcript as you watch.

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Yeah I do my self study

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I love both of you ❤️

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i am groot like a baby 👍

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deberian hablar mas alto

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Wow what an explanation

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Very helpful thank you

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Oh my god! You help me a lot. Thank you so much😁

[@ExtraEnglishPractice]

You're welcome! 😊😊

[@mahaburrahman7960]

Thank you so much for this video!! I am watching from Bangladesh because your teaching method is extraordinary!!

[@CanonHartMovies]

Great informative video, but i couldnt figure out what was so funny that they kept laughing at each other

[@tulio7538]

Thank you!

[@dalruya2729]

I really love your classes. I am currently teaching English to some friend that need it for their university and I find your explanation really useful since I learned with practice but not theory. If I may ask for something or make a suggestion: I would really appreciate if you linked the other videos you mention, I can look for them but it would make my studying faster if you linked them. Thanks and keep up the good job!

[@ExtraEnglishPractice]

Thanks for the suggestion! We'll work on that.

[@saraahmed-ki4dp]

Thanks a lot

[@ExtraEnglishPractice]

You're welcome

[@vijayvaranad4889]

Awesome

[@josedanielvargasromero2002]

Can you please speak a little louder?

[@ExtraEnglishPractice]

The volume in our most recent videos is better!

[@mhadzandil4999]

now I learned a lot of differentiating content words and function words

[@hamed5635]

Why are you laughing this much?

[@ExtraEnglishPractice]

Because we're having fun.

[@williamb6845]

GREAT, PATIENT VIDEO. LOVE IT!

[@ExtraEnglishPractice]

Thanks!

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Your videos are immensely helpful 😃. Thank you!

[@ExtraEnglishPractice]

We are happy to hear this!

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This lesson is awesome.

[@ExtraEnglishPractice]

Thanks!

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That best video ever about that I saw in youtube!!! I really need to go deep in that subject. do you recommend me any book about that topic?

[@ExtraEnglishPractice]

Thank you for the encouragement. Sorry, we don't have a good book recommendation. Maybe someday we can make just the book you are looking for! :)

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These profs are so hot , I like them. Thank you so much for the video!

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the video makes sense to me. Thank you.

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Learning , thanks

[@ExtraEnglishPractice]

We're so glad!

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gracias me ha ayudado con los examenes de la universidad

[@vijayvaranad4889]

Topic Excellent

[@ExtraEnglishPractice]

Thanks!

[@vijayvaranad4889]

Low volume

[@ExtraEnglishPractice]

You're right. We have improved it in recent videos.

[@wendell5906]

Hello. I am trying to pronounce the word TO but I am trying to find some of the reasons why Americans pronounce TO with a clear vowel sometimes (especially when it must be reduced and it is not at the end of a phrase and you are not pacing stopping for thinking of the next word or using it as a single word or talking about that word) instead of a schwa vowel, for example, I AM GOING "TO" REPEAT IT. Is it clear to emphatize the verb TO REPEAT or just a pronunciation or a colloquial speech shift with friends?????????

[@ExtraEnglishPractice]

There is such a wide range of pronunciations for any sound or feature depending on an equally wide range of variables. Who is the person speaking to? What is the intent of the statement? What is his/her emotional state? Typically "going to" is reduced to "gonna", so if "going" is stated clearly, it is not completely surprising that the "to" is also unreduced in this case.

[@wendell5906]

@@ExtraEnglishPractice thanks

[@juanmejia-oq8ib]

bad audio

[@ExtraEnglishPractice]

Yes, we know. Sorry about that. We've improved our sound quality in later videos.

[@laifun2174]

Both of you make learning English so fun, easy and non-threatening. You are really great teachers!

[@ExtraEnglishPractice]

Thank-you!

[@michaelalves-englishlearne5392]

Thank you!

[@sayedabdel-baky9298]

Why your voice is so low

[@ExtraEnglishPractice]

We were having trouble with our audio settings. Our newer videos are better.