Sentence Stress for Meaning
Moving stress changes meaning.
Examples
- SHE didn't take it.
Key rules
- Moving the stress in a sentence changes the meaning
- Contrastive stress emphasises the word that differs from what is expected
- Use stress to correct misunderstandings
Common mistakes
- SHE didn't take it (someone else did) vs She didn't TAKE it (she did not keep it) → Move the stress to the word you mean
Use cases
- Arguments and corrections
- Clear speaking in meetings
- Presenting contrasts
💡 Tip: Say the same sentence with stress on each word in turn to hear how the meaning changes.