Savvy 10第十招
Sentence Stress 语句重音

When several words are spoken together in a sentence, certain words are stressed and others are spoken more softly and quickly.
由几个单词组成一个句子时，有些单词要重读，而其它的就要念得较轻和较快。

1. Most content words, nouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs, are stressed.
大多数实义词，也就是名词、动词、形容词和副词等都要重读。

Charles Jones taught English.
Shirley reads aloud every day.
Aunt Janet always makes long-distance calls.
Jason plays basketball.

2. Interrogatives words when beginning sentence are stressed: who, whose, when, where, why, what, and how.
Who、whose、when、where、why、what和how等在句首的疑问词要重读。

Where's Mary's school?
Why's Charlie leaving?
When's Sally's party?
Who's coming?

3. Demonstrative pronouns when not followed by a noun are stressed: this, that, these, and those.
this、that、these和those等指示代词在后面不跟名词时要重读。

What's this?
That's Jessica's ball.
Why're these here?
We wanted those.

4. Possessive pronouns, mine, yours, his, hers, ours, theirs, are stressed.
mine、yours、his、hers、ours、theirs等名词性物主代词要重读。

That ticket's mine.
This's yours.
Barbara got hers.
David sold his.
We bought ours yesterday.
They gave theirs away.

5. Don't stress the articles: a, an, the.
冠词a、an和the不重读。

a dog, an apple, the chair

6. Don't stress preposition, to, from, with, in, on, through, for, by, over, under, etc.
介词to、from、with、in、on、through、for、by、over和under等等不重读。

for a dog, with an apple, on the chair, in the house, through the door, of a family, to the hospital, around the room, over the hill, after the concert, before the show

7. Don't stress the subject pronouns: I, your, he, she, it, we and they.
主语人称代词I、you、he、she、it、we和they不重读。

I know the lesson.
You found the book on the shelf.
She tells secrets to everybody.
He talks on the phone too much.
We eat fish on Fridays.
They travel to Europe a lot.

8. Don't stress the possessive pronouns: my, your, his, her, our, their.
形容词性物主代词my、your、his、her、our和their不重读。

my car, your friend, her dress, his brother, our house, their camera

9. Don't stress the object pronouns: me, you, her, him, us, and them.
人称代词me、you、her、him、us和them不重读。

I saw him.
They told me.
We asked her.
They warned you.
My dad helped us.
Put them on the table.

10. Don't stress the demonstrative adjectives when followed by a noun: this, that, these, and those.
形容词性的指示代词this、that、these和those后面跟名词时不重读。

This book is interesting.
She bought that house.
We like these shoes.
Those boys talk too loud.

11. Don't stress forms of the verb be: am, are, is, was, were, aren't, isn't, wasn't, weren't.
动词be的不同形式不重读：am、are、is、was、were、aren't、isn't、wasn't和weren't。

I am here.
He is a tall man.
They are all sick.
We were in the garden.
He wasn't late.

12. Don't stress the expressions there is and there are.
There is和there are不重读。

There is a car in the driveway.
There is one apple in the basket.
There is jewelry in that box.
There are too many cars on the road.
There are five people in the family.

13. Don't stress to before a verb.
在动词前的to不重读。

He needs to work.
I like to eat early.
My mother loves to cook.
We want to see the whole movie.

14. Don't stress auxiliary verbs: am, is, are, was, were, do, does, did, have, has, had, isn't, wasn't, didn't.
助动词am、is、are、was、were、do、does、did、have、has、had、isn't、wasn't和didn't不重读。

I am working in the house.
She is talking on the phone.
He was helping them.
When do we start school?
Why does he travel so much?
Have you done your work?
We have been working all day.
He had always told the truth.
They had had a bad day.

15. Don't stress modal auxiliaries: can, must, have to, should, could, and would.
情态助动词can、must、have to、should、could和would不重读。

John can come.
Joe has to work.
Sam should leave.
We would like to help.
You mustn't go in the street.
Kathy doesn't have to work.

16. Don't stress who, whose, when, where, why, what, and how in the middle of a sentence.
在句子中间的who、whose、when、where、why、what和how不重读。

Jenny has a cousin whose name is Smith.
Do you know where she lives?
Only Courtney knows why she said that.
He didn't tell me when to come.
I can figure out how to do it.

17. Don't stress other short function words: and, but, or, so, not, if, as, because, whether, since, until, thought, although.
短的功能词and、but、or、so、not、if、as、because、whether、since、until、thought和although不重读。

Mary and Bob have plenty of food, such as sandwiches, cakes, and cookies.
Joe, not John, has been here since noon.
Scot was worried because his wife was so late.
I'll stay until he calls, then I'll leave so you can study.
Although you're sick, you can eat with Carolyn or Sue.
I don't know whether he was late or not.
If you eat that much, you'll be as sick as a dog.

18. Exceptions: can't is usually stressed. When auxiliary verbs and modal auxiliaries are not followed by a verb, they have strong stress.
例外：can't通常重读。如果助动词和情态助动词后面不跟动词的话，也需重读。

She can't help him with the cooking.
I'll come to the party if I can.
We would lend you the car if we could.
Carol has a new car, but Margaret doesn't.
He doesn't know I'm unhappy, but I am.

Practice:

The money is in the bank.
He came over to talk to me.
She can help him with the cooking.
I should buy a new dress for the wedding.
We could lend you our car.
I will send you a letter tomorrow.
They're walking to the store.
He didn't work because he was sick.
Karen and Danny stayed until they knew whether or not Val was coming.

19. Note that the meaning of a sentence changes each time when you change the stress pattern. Any word or thought group can be given extra stress to emphasize or clarify a statement.
请注意，重音模式的改变会使句子的意思也随之发生变化。你可以重读句子中的任何单词或意群来强调或阐明问题。

He gave her the money. ( I didn't give her the money.)
He gave her the money. (He didn't lend her the money)
He gave her the money. (He didn't give the money to me.)
He gave her the money. (He didn't give her the car.)


1. I didn't say he stole the money. (I'm reporting the situation. I have no opinion on this subject.)
2. I didn't say he stole the money. (It's true that somebody said it, but I wasn't that person.)
3. I didn't say he stole the money. (Someone has accused me and I'm protesting my innocence.)
4. I didn't say he stole the money. (Maybe I hinted it. Maybe I wrote it. In some way, I indicated that he stole the money, but I didn't say it.)
5. I didn't say he stole the money. (I think someone stole the money, only not the person you suspect did it.)
6. I didn't say he stole the money. (I agree that he took it, but I think his motive was different.)
7. I didn't say he stole the money. (We agree that he stole some money, but I don't think it's this money.)
8. I didn't say he stole the money. (We agree that he's a thief, but we think he stole different things.)

What kind of movies do you prefer, science fiction or romance?
I like science fiction and romance movies.

What's the matter, don't you like chicken with rice?
I like chicken but I don't like rice.

I didn't think you could ride a horse.
I can ride a horse, just not very well.

I don't think you're going to finish on time.
Oh, yes, I will finish on time.

That isn't a new shirt, is it?
Yes, it is a new shirt.

You've never studied French, have you?
No, but I have studied Spanish.

I thought I left my book on my bed.
No, you left it next to the bed.

Is your friend in the pool?
Well, actually, he's just at the pool.

I thought she was supposed to do it.
They told me I had to do it.

Who turned off my computer?
I think he did it.

I feel so tired today.
We can sing.
How can you say that?
Where are you going?
Joseph ate all of them.
The accounts payable department will process that check.
Baton Rouge is the capital of Louisiana.
Have you ever visited China?
No, have you ever visited China?
I can't seem to get this right.
The octopus is an eight-legged sea creature.
Don't write him to thank him. Call him.
I think I'll walk to work today.
I ran all over town but I couldn't find what I wanted.
When you get to the stop sign, turn left.
If you think it's too hot, turn on the fan.
Can you open the oven and put the cake in?
The plants need to be watered or they'll die.


Review Practice: Listen to the following two paragraphs and pay close attention to the stress patterns. Then, repeat the paragraph after the speaker, one phrase at a time.
复习练习：仔细听以下两段文字，注意重音模式。然后，跟着朗读者念，每次一个词组。

Learning to speak a language is a little like learning to dance. They both take a long time to master, but are fun from the beginning. Both require interaction with another person, who is saying or doing something different. Fluent speakers and good dancers don't have to think about their skills. They perform them naturally. To acquire these skills, you need a lot of practice and patience. Encouragement from someone else helps a great deal.

Learning to speak
a language
is a little like
learning to dance.
They both take a long time
to master,
but are fun
from the beginning.
Both require interaction
with another person,
who is saying or doing
something different.
Fluent speakers
and good dancers
don't have to think
about their skills.
They perform them naturally.
To acquire these skills,
you need a lot of practice
and patience
Encouragement from someone else
helps a great deal.


Last May we had a surprise party at my house for one of my friends. It was his fiftieth birthday. We invited about thirty people, and most of them were able to come. One couple even traveled all the way from New Jersey. Several people who had been away for a long time were here. Most of the guests hadn't met each other before the party, but they were having a wonderful time talking during the half-hour before the birthday-man arrived. It seemed that a very special person was a magnet for other special people. When he got here, he was really surprised, and happy to see so many friends. It was a good party.

Last May
we had a surprise party
at my house
for one of my friends.
It was his fiftieth birthday.
We invited about thirty people,
and most of them
were able to come.
One couple even traveled
all the way from New Jersey.
Several people
who had been away
for a long time
were here.
Most of the guests
hadn't met each other
before the party,
but they were having
a wonderful time talking
during the half-hour
before the birthday-man arrived.
It seemed
that a very special person
was a magnet for other special people.
When he got here,
he was really surprised,
and happy to see
so many friends.
It was a good party.