Syllable Stress + Pronunciation Practice

Months of the Year

Part 7 English Pronunciation Lesson

Series on Stress and Rhythm in English

Part 1: Stress and Rhythm in English Pronunciation
Part 2: Stress and Rhythm in English | A Quick Overview
Part 3: De-stressed Function Words
Part 4: Pausing within Sentences
Part 5: Emphasis in English
Part 6: Same Verbs and Nouns + Syllable Stress
Part 7: Syllable Stress & Pronunciation Practice | Months of the Year

Introduction

There are twelve (12) months of the year in the U.S. calendar, and the names of these twelve months offer a good opportunity to practice syllable stressing and de-stressing.

To speak with the music of English in your speech, you must stress certain syllables in words.

Stress

Word stress means that one syllable in each word will be:

• louder

• longer

• higher in pitch

De-Stress

In addition to stressing, we also de-stress certain syllables in words. That means, we say them:

• more relaxed

• weaker

Secondary Stress

Some syllables are have a secondary stress, somewhere in the middle of stressed and de-stressed.

Examples

We don’t give equal strength to all of the syllables when say the month

“December” [də SɛM bɝr]

But we:

de-stress the first syllable [də]
stress the second syllable [SɛM]
and pronounce the third syllable somewhere in the middle [bɚr]

Listen and Repeat

“December” [də SɛM bɝr] (2x)

Did you hear how my voice was louder and higher on the second syllable?

“December” [də SɛM bɝr]

Got it?

Let’s practice stressing and de-stressing syllables.

Listen and Repeat

January [DʒÆN nyə wey riy]
February [FɛB bruw ey riy] or sometimes said [Fɛ byuw ey riy]
March [mɑrtʃ]
April [eY prəɫ]
May [mey]
June [dʒuwn]
July [dʒə LɑIY]
August [ɑW gəst]
September [sɛp TɛM bɚr]
October [ɑwk TOW bɚr]
November [now VɛM bɚr]
December [də SɛM bɚr]

Series on Stress and Rhythm in English

ElementalEnglish.com provides free English language and pronunciation lessons, 無料オンライン英語教材, 免费在线英文课程, 免費在線英文課程, मुफ़्त ऑनलाइन अंग्रेज़ी, آنلائن مفت میں انگریزی سیکھئے, Kostenloser Englisch-Unterricht Online, Język angielski online, Học tiếng anh miễn phí, Libreng Pag-aaral ng Wikang Ingles sa Internet, Libreng Pag-aaral ng Wikang Ingles Online, دروس في اللغة الانجليزية على الانترنت مجانا, American English pronunciation, アメリカ英語の発音, 纯正美语发音, 純正美語發音, अमरीकी अंग्रेज़ी, امریکی انگریزی کا تلفّظ سیکھئے, Amerikanisches Englisch Aussprache, wymowa język angielski, Học tiếng anh miễn phí, Wastong Pagbigkas ng American English sa Internet, astong Pagbigkas ng, تعلم اللهجة الامريكية على الانترنت, American English Online