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Question

Difficulty: EasyWord and Syllable Stress

Which of the following options indicates the correct primary stress placement for the word photographic?

  1. A
    PHO-to-graph-ic
  2. B
    pho-TO-graph-ic
  3. pho-to-GRAPH-icAnswer
  4. D
    pho-to-graph-IC

Answer

The correct primary stress placement for 'photographic' is pho-to-GRAPH-ic, with the stress placed on the third syllable.
The option 'pho-to-GRAPH-ic' is correct because English words ending with the adjectival suffix '-ic' consistently carry primary stress on the penultimate syllable (the syllable directly before the suffix).

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the base word and the suffix attached to it.
The word 'photographic' consists of the root 'photograph' and the adjectival suffix '-ic'.
Suffixes in English determine specific syllable stress placement rules.
2
Apply the stress rule for words ending in '-ic'.
Words ending in '-ic' attract primary stress to the penultimate (second-to-last) syllable: 'GRAPH'.
The suffix '-ic' causes a stress shift to the syllable immediately preceding it.

Key Concept

Penultimate Syllable Stress Rule for '-ic' Suffixes
Estimated Time:45s
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Topics

Word and Syllable Stress

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