Look at this example:

record (noun) - record (verb) and present (noun) - present (verb)

Word and sentence stress in English are not an optional, but an integral part of the language. English is a time-stressed language, which means that not every syllable is equally important.

The stressed syllables are longer and louder while the other syllables are pronounced faster. Sometimes the meaning of a word can even change when the stressed syllable changes, as the examples illustrate.

• The Headway and How now brown cow? course books in PUHUMO have sections and exercises on word and sentence stress.

• Easton English Pronunciation: Here you can learn about stress patterns (scroll down to find the pronunciation activities section), listen to some examples and practise your pronunciation. The topics include the stressing of acronyms, 2- and 3-syllable words, compound nouns and phrasal verbs, unstressed suffixes and sentence stress.

• ESL Pronunciation Work Page: In addition to word and phrasal stress, the page contains information about intonation, thought groups, emphasis, reduction, linking, consonants and vowels. There are also links and additional material on listening and practising.