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Question

Difficulty: MediumWord and Syllable Stress

When pronouncing the word indispensable, which pattern correctly reflects its primary stress?

  1. A
    IN-dis-pen-sa-ble
  2. B
    in-DIS-pen-sa-ble
  3. in-dis-PEN-sa-bleAnswer
  4. D
    in-dis-pen-SA-ble

Answer

The primary stress in 'indispensable' is placed on the third syllable: in-dis-PEN-sa-ble.
The word 'indispensable' is a five-syllable adjective. In standard British/RP English pronunciation, the primary accent falls on the third syllable, 'PEN'.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Divide the target word into its constituent syllables.
The word breaks down into five syllables: in - dis - pen - sa - ble.
Syllabification helps isolate each segment for stress assignment.
2
Determine stress placement rules for adjectives ending in the suffix '-able'.
The suffix '-able' does not draw stress to itself; primary stress remains on the root syllable 'pen'.
In standard English phonology, '-able' is a neutral suffix that leaves the root stress intact on the third syllable.

Key Concept

Polysyllabic Word Stress
Estimated Time:45s
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Topics

Word and Syllable Stress

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