[Grammar] unstressed syllables

[vrk]

I am confused about how to find unstressed syllables for a course I am taking. Here are four sentences I am working on finding the unstressed syllables in. I underlined what I think are the stressed syllables, but wonder if there are more or less or if what I underlined is right. Advice would be most helpful. Thank you.


a) Once upon a time, there was an old woman…

b) In the light of the above statement, I shall abstain from voting.

c) Good morning. How can I help you?

d) I’m away for the rest of the week.
.

[Raymott]

Originally Posted by vrk

I am confused about how to find unstressed syllables for a course I am taking. Here are four sentences I am working on finding the unstressed syllables in. I underlined what I think are the stressed syllables, but wonder if there are more or less or if what I underlined is right. Advice would be most helpful. Thank you.


a) Once upon a time, there was an old woman…

b) In the light of the above statement, I shall abstain from voting.

c) Good morning. How can I help you?

d) I’m away for the rest of the week.
.

See my reply to your above question. You are confusing words with syllables. For examples there are two syllables in 'upon' and only one is stressed. There are also unstressed syllables in woman, statement, abstain, voting, morning.

Do you want to have another go?

[vrk]

Ok that makes sense. Let me try again.

a) Once upon a time, there was an old woman…

b) In the light of the above statement, I shall abstain from voting.

c) Good morning. How can I help you?

d) I’m away for the rest of the week.

I read the sentences out loud, but I find it really difficult to figure out where the unstressed syllables are. Any types for how to read the sentences so I can more easily find them?

[Raymott]

Originally Posted by vrk

Ok that makes sense. Let me try again.

a) Once upon a time, there was an old woman…

b) In the light of the above statement, I shall abstain from voting. Yes

c) Good morning. How can I help you? Yes

d) I’m away for the rest of the week. Yes

I read the sentences out loud, but I find it really difficult to figure out where the unstressed syllables are. Any types for how to read the sentences so I can more easily find them?

Well, you've got everything right here, but one. I wouldn't put a stress on 'there'. Naturally, you could find the unstressed syllables by finding the stressed ones first then inverting the answers. (All syllables are going to be either stressed or unstressed at this level).
You could trying overstressing the syllables you think should be stressed when you're reading aloud, and perhaps nodding your head slightly on a stressed syllable. If you've already tried tapping a pencil, etc. you're probably doing everything practical.
But you've done okay here.