What does stress do to a sentence?newbie here...

[viciousphrinz]

Hi! Can you tell me what stress do to a sentence?
It's my homework...

[xpert]

Simply, I can say that the wrong stress changes the meaning.

present = (v) I presented the topic nicely (stress the last syllable)
present = (n) My teacher gave a present. (stress the first syllable)


Phrase stress

paper knife (a knife made of paper)
paper knife (a knife used to cut paper)


Also remember to stress content words (nouns, adjective, adverbs etc)
not the function words (articles, preps etc)



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[Anglika]

Originally Posted by viciousphrinz

Hi! Can you tell me what stress does to a sentence?
It's my homework...

Stress on a word can indicate the intention of the speaker.

I told you not to do that >> emphasises the negative command

I told you not to do that >> "you" specifically were told

I told you not to do that >> emphasises the telling

I told you not to do that >> I am the person who told you , not anyone else.

Didn't I tell you not to do that? >> with a rising inflexion at the end, indicates a question expecting an answer. The same sentence with a downward inflexion at the end indicates a question that does not expect an answer.