Word Stress Changes Meaning

In English, stress placement isn't random — it carries real information. "PRESENT" with stress on the first syllable means a gift. "preSENT" with stress on the second means to show or demonstrate.

Two-syllable nouns usually stress the first syllable: REcord, PROject, OBject. The same words as verbs stress the second: reCORD, proJECT, obJECT. Learn this one pattern and dozens of tricky words click into the right place. The rule isn't perfect, but it covers most common pairs.