American English Word Stress: Unstressed vs Reduced syllables
A1 A2 B1 B2 C1 C2
schwa
US / ʃwɑ: /
•UK / ʃwɑ /
- other
- A neutral middle vowel; occurs in unstressed syllables
here
US / hɪə(r) /
•UK / hɪr /
- adverb
- In this place; at this location, position or time
quick
US / kwɪk /
•UK / kwɪk /
- adjecitve
- Using very little time; moving far in little time
- Learning and understanding rapidly and easily
either
US / ˈaɪðə(r) /
•UK / ˈiðɚ, ˈaɪðɚ /
- adjecitve
- One of two (used when there is a choice of two)
- adverb
- (After negative statements) likewise, in addition
- conjunction
- Used as the first of two connected things
- determiner
- Used as the first of two connected things
- pronoun
- The one or the other
always
US / 'ɔ:lweɪz /
•UK / ˈɔlwez,-wɪz,-wiz /
- adverb
- For a very long time
- At all times; in every situation
- For ever
the
US / ðə /
•UK / ðə /
- article
- Used to refer to something already mentioned
- Used to show there is only one of something
- determiner
- Used to describe all of a family
than
US / ðən /
•UK / ðən /
- conjunction
- Used to compare two things that are not equal
you
US / jʊ /
•UK / ju /
- pronoun
- Person someone is speaking or writing to
- Person or people in general
one
US / wʌn /
•UK / wʌn /
- pronoun
- You; we; people in general; someone
- The thing or person previously referred to
- adjecitve
- Used to refer to people generally
- Being a strong example of (something mentioned)
- number
- Number 1
unaccented
US / ʌnˈæksentɪd /
•UK / ʌnˈæksɛntɪd /
- adjecitve
- Pronounced with little or no stress
let
US / let /
•UK / lɛt /
- verb
- To allow someone to do something
- Introducing a suggestion to do something together
- To rent a house, etc. to others
stress
US / stres /
•UK / strɛs /
- noun
- Emphasis on part of a word or sentence
- Pressure on something or someone
- A state of mental tension, worry due to problems
- verb
- To emphasize one or more parts of a word, sentence
- To put pressure on something or someone
- To say your opinion strongly
- To be in a state of mental tension due to problems
make
US / meɪk /
•UK / mek /
- noun
- Product made by a particular company; brand
- verb
- To arrange or prepare something e.g. dinner
- To get to (a place) on time
- To gain the status of (teacher, lawyer, etc.)
- To create something by putting things together
- To earn a certain amount of money at a job
- To cause or force a person to do something
- To cause something to happen or be formed
this
US / ðɪs /
•UK / ðɪs /
- adjecitve
- Used to indicate something already been discussed
- Used to indicate something happening around now
- adverb
- An indication by a physical motion or gesture
- A specific amount of
- determiner
- Person, thing, or idea near you
- pronoun
- Person, thing that has already been discussed
word
US / wɜ:d /
•UK / wɚd /
- noun
- Unit of language that has a meaning
- Promise
- Short remark or piece of information
- verb
- To express something by choosing particular words
pepper
US / ˈpepə(r) /
•UK / ˈpɛpɚ /
- verb
- To spread around randomly, as with bullets
- noun
- Green, red, or yellow vegetable with hollow center
- Hard covering of berries used as spices
fast
US / fɑ:st /
•UK / fæst /
- adjecitve
- In a way that is difficult to move or change
- Moving or able to move quickly
- Showing time that is later than the actual time
- adverb
- With a great deal of speed
- noun
- Period of time when a person chooses not to eat
- verb
- To refuse food for a long time
very
US / 'verɪ /
•UK / ˈvɛri /
- adjecitve
- Concerning a large degree or amount
- adverb
- A lot; much; many
- Used to stress or emphasize a noun
all
US / ɔ:l /
•UK / ɔl /
- adverb
- Completely; totally
- determiner
- Being every one of something
- pronoun
- 100% of something; the complete amount
take
US / teɪk /
•UK / tek /
- noun
- Filming of a single scene for TV or the movies
- verb
- To accept something that is offered
- To use a method of traveling, e.g. a bus or train
- To use a camera to make (a photo)
- To pick up something and go away with it
- To study a subject in school
- To attempt to pass (an exam)
- To require a certain amount of time, money, space
introduce
US / ˌɪntrəˈdju:s /
•UK / ˌɪntrəˈdus, -ˈdjus /
- verb
- To open an essay to set the scene
- To guide or explain something, e.g. a town
- To begin the use of a new thing or practice
- To make someone known to another by name
- To insert or put something inside another thing
onion
US / ˈʌnjən /
•UK / ˈʌnjən /
- noun
- Strong-smelling, strong-tasting vegetable
both
US / bəuθ /
•UK / boθ /
- determiner
- Used to refer to two things at the same time
- pronoun
- Used to refer to two things at the same time
they
US / ðeɪ /
•UK / ðe /
- pronoun
- Two or more people, animals, or things
change
US / tʃeɪndʒ /
•UK / tʃendʒ /
- noun
- Exchange of one set of clothes for another
- Money in the form of coins instead of paper
- Money returned after giving too much
- Act of making or becoming something else
- verb
- To exchange one set of clothes for another
- To exchange one kind of money for another
- To replace something with another thing
- To make or become something else
- To go from one train, bus, etc. and go to another
review
US / rɪˈvju: /
•UK / rɪˈvju /
- noun
- Examination of soldiers and supplies
- Opinion, as in a paper, about movie, book, or play
- Studying again to remind yourself about something
- verb
- To carefully look at the quality of something
- To formally examine something in the military
- To write an opinion about movie, book, or play
- To study again to remind yourself about something
hear
US / hɪə(r) /
•UK / hɪr /
- verb
- To be aware of sound; to perceive with the ear
- To be told or find out information or facts
- To consider or listen to a court case
with
US / wɪð /
•UK / wɪð, wɪθ /
- preposition
- As an employee of a certain company
- Against something or someone
- By using something as a means
- Due to; because of
- Including
- Possessing as a feature
- Related to
- (Of the manner/attitude by which you do something)
- Used to express that people or things are together
low
US / ləʊ /
•UK / lo /
- adjecitve
- Having a small quantity, supply, or amount
- Being unhappy or unpleasant in attitude
- Not high; being near the ground, or bottom
- (Of a voice, sound) being soft; quiet
- noun
- Situation of not having a lot of something
before
US / bɪˈfɔ:(r) /
•UK / bɪˈfɔr,-ˈfor /
- adverb
- At a time earlier than the present; previously
- conjunction
- In advance of something happening
- preposition
- In front of someone or something
know
US / nəʊ /
•UK / noʊ /
- verb
- To be familiar with a person or place, thing
- To feel sure or be convinced about something
- To discover or be aware of something
- To be able to distinguish
- To have knowledge of things
but
US / bət /
•UK / bʌt,bət /
- conjunction
- Used before you say something different, opposite
want
US / wɔnt /
•UK / wɑnt, wɔnt /
- noun
- Something you desire or wish for
- State or condition of poverty
- verb
- To desire or wish for something; hope for a thing
syllable
US / 'sɪləbl /
•UK / ˈsɪləbəl /
- noun
- Part of a word containing a vowel
diphthong
US / ˈdɪfθɒŋ /
•UK / ˈdɪfθɔ:ŋ /
- noun
- Union of two vowel sounds or vowel letters, e.g. the sounds , ai; ai, in pipe , paip; paip, , the le
not
US / nɒt /
•UK / nɑt /
- adverb
- Word indicating the negative
- (Used to form the negative of verbs)
mean
US / mi:n /
•UK / min /
- adjecitve
- Being good at
- Nasty; unkind
- Not liking to spend money; cheap; stingy
- noun
- Average of a set of numbers
- verb
- To express a particular idea or thought
- To intend to do something in particular
- To have a particular meaning or value
that
US / ðæt /
•UK / ðæt, ðət /
- adjecitve
- The person or thing being talked about
- Used to identify something both the speakers know
- adverb
- Used to reinforce adjectives and adverbs
- To such a degree
- conjunction
- Used to connect a noun clause
- Used to introduce an adverbial clause
- Used to introduce a noun clause
- determiner
- Used as a noun to refer to something
- pronoun
- Referring an object far away
- Used to refer to the relative pronoun ‘which’
get
US / ɡet /
•UK / ɡɛt /
- verb
- To become affected by illness or disease
- To begin to feel or understand an emotion or idea
- To send or bring someone or something home, etc.
- To go somewhere to obtain something
- To (cause to) do a particular thing
- To obtain, receive or be given something
- To currently have
- To prepare for use
- To understand something being said or read
example
US / ɪgˈzɑ:mpl /
•UK / ɪɡˈzæmpəl /
- noun
- Thing, person which represents a category
noun
US / naʊn /
•UK / naʊn /
- noun
- The subject or object of a sentence
accented
US / ækˈsentɪd , ˈæksentɪd /
•UK / ækˈsentɪd , ˈæksentɪd /
- adjecitve
- Marking a design e.g. on a shirt
- verb
- To give emphasis to (a point you are making)
she
US / ʃɪ /
•UK / ʃi /
- pronoun
- Female person or animal mentioned before
- (Refers to female person mentioned before)
different
US / ˈdɪfrənt /
•UK / ˈdɪfrənt /
- adjecitve
- Not of the same kind; unlike other things
just
US / dʒʌst /
•UK / dʒʌst /
- adjecitve
- Proper or appropriate; as is deserved
- Doing or being what is right or fair
- Legally correct; having enough evidence
- adverb
- Almost; nearly
- Exactly at the time of
- Exactly (the same as, like)
pitch
US / pɪtʃ /
•UK / pɪtʃ /
- adjecitve
- Very dark black color
- noun
- Act of throwing a baseball for someone to hit
- Playing fields in sports, e.g. for soccer
- Attempt to sell/persuade someone of the value of
- Degree of slope on e.g. a plane's wing
- Measure of how high or low a sound is
- Black substance that is very stick when heated
- verb
- To suggest a product, idea to make someone buy
- To throw a baseball to a batter
- To plunge or fall forward or headlong
- To set up a camp or tent for a length of time
- To attempt to sell something to someone
- To set a sound to a certain level
unstressed
US / ʌnˈstrest /
•UK / ʌnˈstrɛst /
- adjecitve
- Having no accent or stress when spoken
for
US / fə(r) /
•UK / fɔr,fə /
- preposition
- Used to show the purpose, or need of something
consonant
US / ˈkɒnsənənt /
•UK / ˈkɑnsənənt /
- adjecitve
- Music (of a note) in harmony
- noun
- A speech sound or letter that is not a vowel
- Spoken sound made by stopping the flow of air
- Sound in a word that is not a vowel, e.g. t or n
sound
US / saʊnd /
•UK / saʊnd /
- adjecitve
- Sensible, dependable and reliable
- Unbroken or undisturbed, as of sleep
- Firm or solid in structure
- Sane; not mentally ill
- Clearly reasoned; involving sense, good judgment
- noun
- Unique quality that characterizes a style of music
- Waves traveling in air or water that can be heard
- verb
- To seem or appear to be, from what was said
- To say in a clear deliberate manner
- To make a noise, e.g. to ring a bell
lower
US / 'ləʊə(r) /
•UK / ˈlaʊɚ, laʊr /
- adjecitve
- In a position more near the bottom
- verb
- To move something downward to the ground
concept
US / 'kɒnsept /
•UK / ˈkɑnˌsɛpt /
- noun
- Abstract idea of something or how it works
leave
US / li:v /
•UK / liv /
- noun
- Permission to do something
- Vacation time; time off work
- verb
- To go away from; depart
- To gift property to someone after you die
- To allow something to continue happening
- To let something remain unused or available
- To let something or someone remain somewhere
from
US / frəm /
•UK / frʌm, frɑm,frəm /
- preposition
- Starting at a particular place, time or level
out
US / aʊt /
•UK / aʊt /
- adverb
- No longer stylish (e.g. fashion)
- Away from home, business, or the usual place
- In a direction/movement away from inside or center
- noun
- Act when a batter cannot continue playing
- verb
- To tell people a secret
something
US / ˈsʌmθɪŋ /
•UK / ˈsʌmθɪŋ /
- adverb
- In some degree or measure
- noun
- a person or thing of some value or consequence
- pronoun
- Thing that is not yet known or named
- Approximately
sentence
US / 'sentəns /
•UK / ˈsɛntəns /
- noun
- Official punishment given by a court of law
- Set of words that make a whole statement
- verb
- (Of a judge) to decide the punishment of
reduce
US / rɪ'dju:s /
•UK / rɪˈdus, -ˈdjus /
- verb
- To try to decrease, e.g. your weight if overweight
- To boil a liquid until it has decreased in amount
- To make something smaller in size, amount, level
and
US / ənd /
•UK / ənd, ən,ænd /
- conjunction
- Used to refer to two or more things
- Plus; in addition; on top of that
- Used to introduce an action that follows another