Hello everybody. This is a continuation of my podcast about difficult sounds in English.

English often uses stress or emphasis on syllables within a word. Stress is sometimes used in spoken English as a language technique to change the meaning of what is being said and emphasise a certain thing or idea. Normally this doesn't show in written English unless the word is written differently. Here's an example:

1. He wants me to give her the book

2. HE wants me to give her the book

3. He wants ME to give her the book

4. He wants me to GIVE her the book

5. He wants me to give her the BOOK

Easy sentence - but stressed words make a big difference to meaning.

The first sentence just has a basic meaning. There is no extra stress on the first sentence - so someone listening would just hear it as a statement.

Number 2 is emphasising the person who wants me to give the book

Number 3 is emphasising that the person want me in particular (that is no one else but me) to give her the book

Number 4 is emphasising that the person wants me to give her the book - that is, not do something different with the book

Number 5 means the person wants me to give her a book and not something else instead

So, it's interesting how English uses this stress on words to change the meaning of the sentence without changing the words in the sentence. You'll notice that all the words are the same in each sentence.

Take care and see you next time