Word stress in two-syllable words: TAble or taBLE?
Short answer: In English words with more than one syllable, one syllable is stressed: it is longer, louder and higher in pitch. Most two-syllable nouns and adjectives are stressed on the first syllable (TAble, HAppy), and many two-syllable verbs are stressed on the second (beGIN, reLAX). The other syllable is short and often has the weak vowel /ə/.
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At a glance
| Type | Usual stress | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| noun | first syllable | TAble, DOCtor, PEPper |
| adjective | first syllable | HAppy, SIMple, CLEVer |
| verb | second syllable | beGIN, reLAX, deCIDE |
| noun and verb pairs | noun first, verb second | REcord (noun), reCORD (verb) |
How to make the sound
- Say the word and find the syllable that is longest and loudest. That is the stressed syllable.
- Use the patterns as a first guess: nouns and adjectives on the first syllable, verbs on the second.
- Check a dictionary. The mark ˈ comes before the stressed syllable: begin /bɪˈɡɪn/.
- Make the unstressed syllable short and weak. Say it quickly and softly.
Same spelling, different stress
| Word | As a noun | As a verb |
|---|---|---|
| record | REcord | reCORD |
| present | PREsent | preSENT |
| object | OBject | obJECT |
| permit | PERmit | perMIT |
| increase | INcrease | inCREASE |
Examples in sentences
- Please sit at the TAble.
table: stress on the first syllable /ˈteɪbəl/. - I will beGIN at nine.
begin: stress on the second syllable /bɪˈɡɪn/. - This is my new PREsent.
present as a noun: first syllable. - I will preSENT my idea.
present as a verb: second syllable. - My DOCtor is HAppy.
doctor and happy: both stressed on the first syllable. - Let’s reLAX for a minute.
relax: stress on the second syllable /rɪˈlæks/. - I need a PERmit.
permit as a noun: first syllable. - They did not perMIT it.
permit as a verb: second syllable.
Common problems
- Equal stress: Saying both syllables with the same weight sounds flat to English listeners.
- Stressing by spelling: Stress is not shown in spelling. Check a dictionary.
- A full vowel in the weak syllable: The unstressed syllable usually has a short, weak vowel: teacher /ˈtitʃɚ/, not “teech-air”.
For Vietnamese speakers
- Vietnamese is a tonal language: each syllable has its own tone and a similar weight. In English, make the stressed syllable longer, louder and higher, and make the other syllable short.
- A stress mistake can change the word for a listener: PREsent (a gift) and preSENT (to show) are different words.
Word stress and sentence stress
Word stress is about one word. Sentence stress is about which words in a sentence carry the beat. Both use the same signals: length, loudness and pitch.
| Level | Question | Example |
|---|---|---|
| word | which syllable is strong? | beGIN |
| sentence | which words are strong? | I will beGIN at NINE. |
Check yourself
- Where is the stress in “happy”?
Show the answer
The first syllable: HAppy. Most two-syllable adjectives are stressed on the first syllable.
- Where is the stress in the verb “decide”?
Show the answer
The second syllable: deCIDE. Many two-syllable verbs are stressed on the second syllable.
- Is “REcord” the noun or the verb?
Show the answer
The noun. The noun has stress on the first syllable.
Questions
Are there rules for all words?
No, but patterns help. Two-syllable nouns and adjectives usually take first-syllable stress and verbs second-syllable stress, with many exceptions. For example, visit is a verb stressed on the first syllable.
How do I find the stress in a dictionary?
Dictionaries mark it with ˈ before the stressed syllable, for example begin /bɪˈɡɪn/.
Does stress change the vowel?
Often, yes. The unstressed vowel becomes short or weak, as in about /əˈbaʊt/.
More lessons in this part
Part of the 👄 Pronunciation tool: Word Pronunciation Rules. See also the English pronunciation guide. Đọc bằng tiếng Việt.
Written for English learners by the English for Fun team. How we write our lessons · Last updated 2026-11-05.
Reviewed by Chinh Q. Hoang, PhD, founder, English for Fun · 2026-10-30