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Oral English

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Question 361Question →

Which International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) symbol represents the pure vowel sound in the underlined letter of the word below?

Fill in the blanks below

The underlined letter in the word b<u>u</u>ry represents the monophthong sound .
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Answer

The monophthong sound in 'bury' is /e/.
In Standard Received Pronunciation (RP) tested by JAMB UTME, the word 'bury' is pronounced /ˈberi/. The underlined letter 'u' corresponds to the short monophthong sound /e/.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Examine the phonetic transcription of the target word 'bury'.
The Received Pronunciation (RP) transcription of 'bury' is /ˈberi/.
The orthographic letter 'u' in this word represents a short front unrounded monophthong.
2
Identify the specific pure vowel (monophthong) symbol for this sound.
The sound is represented by the IPA symbol /e/.
This is the same short vowel sound found in words such as 'head', 'bed', and 'many'.

Key Concept

Monophthongs (Pure Vowels)
Estimated Time:45s
Question 362Question →

Which of the following words produces an exact phonetic rhyme with corps?

Show answer & explanation

Answer: core

Answer

The word 'core' produces an exact phonetic rhyme with 'corps'.
The target word 'corps' is pronounced /kɔː/ because the final letters 'p' and 's' are silent. The word 'core' is also pronounced /kɔː/, making them homophones and exact phonetic rhymes.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Determine the phonetic transcription of the target word
The word 'corps' contains silent final letters 'p' and 's' and is transcribed as /kɔː/.
Identifying silent letters is essential for establishing correct pronunciation.
2
Analyze the pronunciations of the available choices
'core' is pronounced /kɔː/, 'corpse' is /kɔːps/, 'crops' is /krɒps/, and 'chord' is /kɔːd/.
Phonetic transcription isolates the ending vowel and consonant sounds.
3
Match the ending sound to identify the exact rhyme
'core' (/kɔː/) matches 'corps' (/kɔː/) perfectly.
An exact rhyme requires matching final vowel and consonant phonemes.

Key Concept

Rhymes and Sound Matching
Estimated Time:1m 0s
Question 363Question →

Complete the statement below by supplying the correct phonetic symbol for the consonant sound represented by the digraph in each word.

Fill in the blanks below

In the word 'character', the digraph 'ch' produces the consonant sound , whereas in the word 'charlatan', 'ch' produces the consonant sound .
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Answer

blank_1: /k/; blank_2: /ʃ/
The digraph 'ch' has different consonant pronunciations based on word origins: in 'character' (Greek origin), it represents the voiceless velar plosive /k/, while in 'charlatan' (French origin), it represents the voiceless postalveolar fricative /ʃ/.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the phonetic pronunciation of the digraph 'ch' in 'character'
The word 'character' is pronounced /ˈkærəktə(r)/, where 'ch' represents the voiceless velar plosive sound /k/.
In words of Greek origin such as 'character', 'chorus', and 'chemistry', the digraph 'ch' typically sounds as /k/.
2
Identify the phonetic pronunciation of the digraph 'ch' in 'charlatan'
The word 'charlatan' is pronounced /ˈʃɑːlətən/, where 'ch' represents the voiceless post-alveolar fricative sound /ʃ/.
In words borrowed from French such as 'charlatan', 'chef', and 'chiffon', the digraph 'ch' is pronounced as /ʃ/.

Key Concept

Phonetic Variations of Digraph 'ch' (/k/ vs /ʃ/)
Estimated Time:1m 0s
Question 364Question →

In standard English speech, if a speaker utters the sentence, 'You didn't see the teacher, did you?' using a falling tone on the tag question, which of the following best describes the communicative function of this intonation pattern?

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Answer: The speaker is confident about the statement and expects agreement.

Answer

The speaker is confident about the statement and expects agreement.
A falling intonation pattern on a tag question indicates that the speaker feels confident about the main statement and expects the listener to confirm or agree with it.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the utterance structure.
The sentence consists of a main declarative statement ('You didn't see the teacher') followed by a tag question ('did you?').
Identifying the grammatical construction helps determine standard Received Pronunciation intonation rules.
2
Determine the communicative function of a falling tone on a tag question.
In Received Pronunciation (RP), a falling pitch contour on a tag question signals that the speaker expects the listener to agree with the statement.
When the speaker is certain of the facts, the tag does not function as a genuine question but as a confirmation seeker.

Key Concept

Intonation Patterns in Tag Questions
Question 365Question →

Which of the following words contains the same pure vowel sound as the letter underlined in w<u>o</u>man?

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Answer: wool

Answer

wool
The underlined letter 'o' in 'woman' is articulated as the short monophthong /ʊ/. The word 'wool' (/wʊl/) shares this exact short pure vowel sound.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the phonetic sound of the underlined letter in the target word
The letter 'o' in 'woman' represents the short pure vowel sound /ʊ/.
Correctly identifying the target monophthong phoneme is necessary before comparing options.
2
Transcribe the primary vowel sound in each option word
'wool' has /ʊ/, 'pool' has /uː/, 'dull' has /ʌ/, and 'tomb' has /uː/.
Distinguishing short /ʊ/ from long /uː/ and central /ʌ/ identifies the exact match.
3
Select the option with the matching monophthong sound
The word 'wool' matches the /ʊ/ sound in 'woman'.
Both words feature the identical short rounded back monophthong /ʊ/.

Key Concept

Monophthongs (Pure Vowels) - /ʊ/ vs /uː/
Question 366Question →

Match each target word in the left column with the word in the right column that produces an identical ending phonetic rhyme sound.

Click a left item, then click its matching right item

Items

subtle
gauge
choir
quay

Matches

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Answer

Subtle matches with scuttle; gauge matches with stage; choir matches with wire; quay matches with key.
Matching is based on exact spoken phonetic sound rather than spelling: 'subtle' (/ˈsʌt.əl/) pairs with 'scuttle', 'gauge' (/ɡeɪdʒ/) pairs with 'stage', 'choir' (/ˈkwaɪər/) pairs with 'wire', and 'quay' (/kiː/) pairs with 'key'.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Determine the exact International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) transcription for each word in the left column.
'subtle' is pronounced /ˈsʌt.əl/, 'gauge' is pronounced /ɡeɪdʒ/, 'choir' is pronounced /ˈkwaɪər/, and 'quay' is pronounced /kiː/.
Phonetic rhymes depend entirely on spoken pronunciation rather than conventional orthography (spelling).
2
Match each target word with the word from the right column that shares the same terminal vowel and consonant sound pattern.
'subtle' (/ˈsʌt.əl/) matches 'scuttle' (/ˈskʌt.əl/); 'gauge' (/ɡeɪdʒ/) matches 'stage' (/steɪdʒ/); 'choir' (/ˈkwaɪər/) matches 'wire' (/ˈwaɪər/); 'quay' (/kiː/) matches 'key' (/kiː/).
Each pair produces an exact phonetic end-rhyme when spoken.

Key Concept

Rhymes and Sound Matching
Question 367Question →

From the words lettered A to D, choose the word that has the SAME CONSONANT SOUND as the one represented by the letter(s) underlined in the word below:

casualty

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Answer: precision

Answer

precision
In the target word 'casualty', the underlined letter 's' represents the voiced postalveolar fricative consonant sound /ʒ/. The word 'precision' also uses the letter 's' to represent this exact phonetic sound (/ʒ/).

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the target consonant sound in the stem word.
In the word 'casualty', the underlined letter 's' is pronounced as the voiced postalveolar fricative sound /ʒ/.
Determining the exact phonetic transcription of the target sound is necessary before evaluating options.
2
Analyze the phonetic pronunciation of each option to locate the /ʒ/ sound.
The word 'precision' contains the /ʒ/ sound represented by the letter 's' (prɪˈsɪʒn), whereas 'passion' and 'session' contain /ʃ/, and 'casserole' contains /s/.
Comparing phonetic transcriptions isolates the matching consonant sound regardless of spelling differences.

Key Concept

Voiced Postalveolar Fricative Consonant Sound (/ʒ/)
Estimated Time:45s
Question 368Question →

Match each given English word on the left with the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) symbol on the right that represents its main monophthong (pure vowel) sound.

Click a left item, then click its matching right item

Items

suite
tomb
wolf
friend

Matches

Show answer & explanation

Answer

'suite' matches /iː/, 'tomb' matches /uː/, 'wolf' matches /ʊ/, and 'friend' matches /e/.
Each word maps directly to its corresponding IPA monophthong based on standard Received Pronunciation: 'suite' contains /iː/, 'tomb' contains /uː/, 'wolf' contains /ʊ/, and 'friend' contains /e/.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Transcribe the pronunciation of each target word to isolate its pure vowel sound.
'suite' -> /swiːt/, 'tomb' -> /tuːm/, 'wolf' -> /wʊlf/, 'friend' -> /frend/.
English orthography is irregular, so phonetic transcription is necessary to identify the exact monophthong quality.
2
Map each word's core vowel sound to its appropriate IPA symbol.
/iː/ for 'suite', /uː/ for 'tomb', /ʊ/ for 'wolf', /e/ for 'friend'.
Distinguishing long vs. short pure vowels ensures correct pairing with standard IPA notation.

Key Concept

Phonetic Symbol to Monophthong Sound Matching in English Orthography
Question 369Question →

Which of the following words produces an exact phonetic rhyme with drought?

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Answer: doubt

Answer

The word that produces an exact phonetic rhyme with 'drought' is 'doubt'.
The word 'drought' is pronounced /draʊt/, ending with the diphthong and consonant combination /aʊt/. The word 'doubt' is pronounced /daʊt/ (with a silent 'b'), ending in the exact same phonetic sequence /aʊt/. Therefore, they form a perfect phonetic rhyme.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Determine the phonetic transcription and ending sound of the target word.
The word 'drought' is transcribed as /draʊt/, ending in the sound combination /aʊt/.
Rhyming in English depends strictly on matching final vowel and consonant phonemes, regardless of orthographic spelling.
2
Transcribe and analyze each given option.
'bought' = /bɔːt/, 'doubt' = /daʊt/, 'route' = /ruːt/, 'thought' = /θɔːt/.
Comparing IPA transcriptions reveals which option shares the identical final phonemes /aʊt/.
3
Match the target word with the phonetically identical ending.
'doubt' (/daʊt/) matches 'drought' (/draʊt/) perfectly.
Both words end with the /aʊt/ diphthong-consonant cluster.

Key Concept

Phonetic Rhyming and Eye-Rhyme Distinctions
Question 370Question →

Which of the following words contains the same pure vowel sound as the underlined section in qu<u>ay</u>?

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Answer: chief

Answer

The word 'chief' contains the same pure vowel sound (/iː/) as the underlined section in 'quay'.
The word 'quay' is phonetically transcribed as /kiː/, in which the letter combination 'ay' represents the long pure vowel sound /iː/. Among the choices, 'chief' (/tʃiːf/) also contains the long monophthong /iː/, making it the exact sound match.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the phonetic pronunciation of the target word
The word 'quay' is pronounced as /kiː/, where the underlined letters 'ay' produce the long pure vowel sound /iː/.
Recognizing rare spelling patterns is necessary to determine the exact monophthong sound.
2
Analyze the primary vowel sound in each option
'chief' has /iː/, 'day' has /eɪ/, 'pin' has /ɪ/, and 'quite' has /aɪ/.
Comparing phonetic transcriptions isolates the option sharing the target monophthong.
3
Select the option with the matching long monophthong sound
'chief' is the correct match as both 'quay' and 'chief' feature the /iː/ sound.
Both words contain the long front unrounded pure vowel /iː/.

Key Concept

Monophthongs (Pure Vowels)
Question 371Question →

Complete the following sentence by providing the syllabified word forms with primary stress indicated in UPPERCASE letters that correctly match the required grammatical category for each blank.

Fill in the blanks below

The board members decided to the proposed budget revisions, even though the financial was likely to create conflict among department heads.
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Answer

The first blank requires the verb form with primary stress on the second syllable ('re-JECT'), while the second blank requires the noun form with primary stress on the first syllable ('RE-ject').
In standard English phonology, disyllabic words functioning as verbs place primary stress on the second syllable ('re-JECT'), while the corresponding noun form places primary stress on the first syllable ('RE-ject').

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Determine the grammatical category required for each blank in the sentence.
The first blank follows the infinitive marker 'to' and requires a verb; the second blank follows the modifier 'financial' and requires a noun.
English stress rules for disyllabic homographs depend directly on grammatical category.
2
Apply the stress placement rule for two-syllable noun/verb pairs.
Two-syllable verbs place primary stress on the final/second syllable ('re-JECT'), whereas two-syllable nouns place primary stress on the initial/first syllable ('RE-ject').
Phonological accentuation shifts systematically between verb and noun functions.

Key Concept

Grammatical Category Syllable Stress Shift
Question 372Question →

Match each of the following spoken English utterances to its correct pitch contour pattern based on standard Received Pronunciation (RP) intonation rules.

Click a left item, then click its matching right item

Items

"Why did the board cancel the annual conference?"
"Have you verified the financial figures for this quarter?"
"We need to buy paper, pens, folders, and paperclips."
"The principal has already signed the document, hasn't he?" (expressing certainty and seeking confirmation)

Matches

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Answer

1. "Why did the board cancel the annual conference?" matches with Falling intonation contour on the nuclear syllable.
2. "Have you verified the financial figures for this quarter?" matches with Rising intonation contour on the nuclear syllable.
3. "We need to buy paper, pens, folders, and paperclips." matches with Rising pitch on non-final listed items, terminating with a falling tone on the final item.
4. "The principal has already signed the document, hasn't he?" matches with Falling intonation contour specifically on the auxiliary tag segment.
In standard Received Pronunciation (RP), intonation patterns follow defined grammatical rules: Wh-questions conclude with a falling tone, polar Yes/No questions end with a rising tone, listed items maintain rising pitch until the final falling item, and tag questions expressing confidence/certainty end with a falling tone on the tag.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the structural type of each utterance.
Identify utterance 1 as a Wh-question, utterance 2 as a polar (Yes/No) question, utterance 3 as a series/enumeration list, and utterance 4 as a confirmation-seeking question tag.
Intonation contours in Received Pronunciation are directly governed by clause type and pragmatic intent.
2
Apply RP intonation rules to each identified structural category.
Wh-questions require a falling pitch; Yes/No questions require a rising pitch; lists require rising tones on incomplete elements followed by a final fall; tags expecting agreement take a falling tone.
Standard phonology establishes precise default contours for grammatical patterns in speech.
3
Pair each utterance with its corresponding pitch description.
Construct the exact correct matches between left and right elements.
Ensures complete alignment between utterance category and intonational rule.

Key Concept

Basic Intonation Rules in Received Pronunciation (RP)
Question 373Question →

Identify the monophthong vowel sound in the word provided below.

Fill in the blanks below

In the word br<u>oa</u>d, the underlined letter combination 'oa' produces the pure vowel sound .
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Answer

The correct International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) symbol for the underlined monophthong sound in 'broad' is /ɔː/.
The letter sequence 'oa' in the word 'broad' is pronounced as the long pure vowel /ɔː/. Unlike regular 'oa' words such as 'load' /ləʊd/ or 'toad' /təʊd/, 'broad' /brɔːd/ does not contain a gliding diphthong sound.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the pronunciation of the word 'broad'.
The word 'broad' is pronounced /brɔ��d/ in standard Received Pronunciation (RP).
Although the orthographic pattern 'oa' usually represents the diphthong /əʊ/ (as in 'road' or 'boat'), in 'broad' it forms an exception and represents a pure vowel sound.
2
Determine the exact monophthong phonetic symbol.
The sound produced is the long open-mid back rounded vowel, represented by the symbol /ɔː/.
A monophthong is a single, unchanged vowel sound produced without movement of the articulators from one position to another.

Key Concept

Monophthongs (Pure Vowels) - Exceptional Spelling Patterns (/ɔː/)
Estimated Time:45s
Question 374Question →

From the words lettered A to D, which word has the same consonant sound as the one represented by the underlined letter in the word business?

Show answer & explanation

Answer: breeze

Answer

The word 'breeze' contains the same consonant sound (/z/) as the underlined letter 's' in 'business'.
The underlined letter 's' in 'business' is pronounced as the voiced alveolar fricative /z/. The word 'breeze' also features the voiced alveolar fricative /z/, making it the exact phonetic match.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the phonetic consonant sound produced by the underlined letter in the prompt word.
In the word 'business' (/ˈbɪznəs/), the underlined letter 's' is pronounced as the voiced alveolar fricative /z/.
The orthographic letter 's' occurring between a vowel and a voiced consonant in this position is articulated as /z/.
2
Analyze the consonant sound produced in each option.
'price' contains /s/, 'breeze' contains /z/, 'dense' contains /s/, and 'precious' contains /ʃ/ and /s/.
Evaluating each option's phonetic structure allows isolation of the target /z/ sound.
3
Select the option that matches the target consonant sound.
'breeze' is the correct match.
Both the underlined letter in 'business' and the word 'breeze' share the identical voiced consonant sound /z/.

Key Concept

Voiced vs. Voiceless Consonant Contrast (/z/ vs /s/)
Question 375Question →

From the options lettered A to D, choose the word that has the same pure vowel sound as the one represented by the underlined letters in the word s<u>ay</u>s.

Show answer & explanation

Answer: friend

Answer

The word containing the same pure vowel sound is 'friend'.
In standard English phonetics, the word 'says' is transcribed as /sez/, meaning the underlined spelling 'ay' represents the short monophthong sound /e/. Among the options, the word 'friend' (/frend/) is the only word that contains this exact pure vowel sound.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the phonetic transcription and monophthong sound of the target word 'says'.
The word 'says' is transcribed phonetically as /sez/, where the underlined 'ay' represents the short pure vowel sound /e/.
English spelling rules often make 'ay' appear as a diphthong /eɪ/, but in the irregular third-person singular 'says', it is pronounced as the monophthong /e/.
2
Analyze the vowel sound present in each of the given options.
'friend' is pronounced /frend/ (contains /e/); 'days' is pronounced /deɪz/ (contains /eɪ/); 'sees' is pronounced /siːz/ (contains /iː/); 'sighs' is pronounced /saɪz/ (contains /aɪ/).
Comparing phonetic representations isolates the exact matching monophthong.
3
Match the target monophthong sound /e/ with the correct option.
'friend' matches the target vowel sound /e/.
Both 'says' and 'friend' share the identical pure monophthong sound /e/.

Key Concept

Identifying monophthong (pure vowel) sound equivalences in irregular English orthographic patterns.
Question 376Question →

Complete the statement by supplying the correct phonetic symbol for the consonant sound represented by the underlined letters.

Fill in the blanks below

The digraph 'th' in the word 'clothing' represents the voiced dental fricative consonant sound transcribed phonetically as //.
Show answer & explanation

Answer

The consonant sound represented by 'th' in 'clothing' is the voiced dental fricative /ð/.
In Oral English, the digraph 'th' in 'clothing' produces a voiced dental fricative sound, which is transcribed phonetically using the symbol /ð/.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the pronunciation of the digraph 'th' in the word 'clothing'.
The vocal cords vibrate during the articulation of 'th' in 'clothing', making it a voiced sound.
This contrasts with the voiceless 'th' sound found in words like 'cloth' or 'thought'.
2
Determine the corresponding International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) symbol.
The symbol for the voiced dental fricative is /ð/.
In standard phonetic transcription, /ð/ represents the voiced dental fricative, whereas /θ/ represents the voiceless dental fricative.

Key Concept

Voiced vs. Voiceless Dental Fricatives (/ð/ vs /θ/)
Estimated Time:1m 0s
Question 377Question →

Match each four-syllable English word on the left with its correct primary stress placement pattern on the right.

Click a left item, then click its matching right item

Items

efficacy
participate
scientific
misunderstand

Matches

Show answer & explanation

Answer

efficacy matches First syllable stressed (EF-fi-ca-cy); participate matches Second syllable stressed (par-TIC-i-pate); scientific matches Third syllable stressed (sci-en-TIF-ic); misunderstand matches Fourth syllable stressed (mis-un-der-STAND).
Each word is correctly matched to its primary stressed syllable: 'efficacy' has primary stress on the first syllable (EF-fi-ca-cy), 'participate' on the second syllable (par-TIC-i-pate), 'scientific' on the third syllable due to the '-ic' suffix rule (sci-en-TIF-ic), and 'misunderstand' on the fourth syllable (mis-un-der-STAND).

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Determine the syllabification and primary stress placement of each word.
efficacy = EF-fi-ca-cy (1st syllable); participate = par-TIC-i-pate (2nd syllable); scientific = sci-en-TIF-ic (3rd syllable); misunderstand = mis-un-der-STAND (4th syllable).
English stress rules govern placement based on word origin, prefixes, and suffix stress assignment rules (e.g., the '-ic' suffix places stress on the preceding syllable).
2
Match each word to its corresponding stress pattern schema.
efficacy -> First syllable stressed; participate -> Second syllable stressed; scientific -> Third syllable stressed; misunderstand -> Fourth syllable stressed.
Aligning the capitalized primary stressed syllable with the numerical position yields the correct pair for each word.

Key Concept

Polysyllabic Word Stress Placement Rules
Question 378Question →

Complete the statement by identifying the correct phonetic symbol for the consonant sound in each word.

Fill in the blanks below

In the preposition 'of', the consonant letter 'f' represents the voiced labiodental fricative //, whereas in the word 'off', the double letter 'ff' represents the voiceless labiodental fricative //.
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Answer

The consonant sound in 'of' is represented by the phonetic symbol /v/, and the sound in 'off' is represented by /f/.
The letter 'f' in the word 'of' is realized phonetically as the voiced fricative /v/, whereas the double letter 'ff' in 'off' corresponds to the voiceless fricative /f/.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Examine the phonetic realization of the letter 'f' in the word 'of'.
The letter 'f' in 'of' is pronounced with vocal cord vibration, making it the voiced labiodental fricative /v/.
English orthography uses the letter 'f' in 'of' as an exceptional spelling for the voiced sound /v/.
2
Examine the phonetic realization of the letters 'ff' in the word 'off'.
The letters 'ff' in 'off' are pronounced without vocal cord vibration, producing the voiceless labiodental fricative /f/.
The digraph 'ff' reliably represents the voiceless consonant sound /f/.

Key Concept

Voiced vs. Voiceless Consonant Contrast and Orthographic Exceptions
Question 379Question →

Identify the option in which the primary stress of the word satisfactory is placed on the correct syllable.

Show answer & explanation

Answer: sat-is-FAC-to-ry

Answer

The correct stress pattern for the word is 'sat-is-FAC-to-ry', with primary stress on the third syllable.
The five-syllable adjective 'satisfactory' has its primary stress on the third syllable ('FAC'), giving the pronunciation sat-is-FAC-to-ry.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Divide the word 'satisfactory' into its five constituent syllables.
sat - is - fac - to - ry
Syllabification isolates potential stress placement targets.
2
Apply English suffix stress rules for words ending in '-tory'.
Primary stress falls on the syllable preceding the suffix area, specifically the antepenultimate accent point 'FAC'.
Adjectives derived with suffix patterns like '-tory' regularly place primary stress on the antepenultimate syllable relative to the ending.

Key Concept

Polysyllabic Word Stress Rules for Suffixes
Question 380Question →

Complete the sentence below by supplying the correct syllabified forms of the word 'conduct' with primary stress indicated in UPPERCASE letters for each blank.

Fill in the blanks below

The board authorized the manager to the investigation, ensuring that his professional remained above reproach.
Show answer & explanation

Answer

The first blank requires the verb form 'con-DUCT' with primary stress on the second syllable, while the second blank requires the noun form 'CON-duct' with primary stress on the first syllable.
In English phonology, many disyllabic words function as verbs when stressed on the second syllable and as nouns when stressed on the first syllable. In the given sentence, 'to conduct' is a verb requiring stress on the second syllable (con-DUCT), whereas 'his professional conduct' is a noun phrase requiring stress on the first syllable (CON-duct).

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Determine the grammatical category required for each blank in the context of the sentence.
Blank 1 follows the infinitive marker 'to' and functions as a verb. Blank 2 is preceded by the adjective 'professional' and functions as a noun.
English disyllabic words often shift stress based on their part of speech.
2
Apply the disyllabic noun-verb stress placement rule to the word 'conduct'.
As a verb, primary stress falls on the second syllable (con-DUCT). As a noun, primary stress falls on the first syllable (CON-duct).
Most two-syllable noun/verb pairs place primary stress on the final syllable for verbs and on the initial syllable for nouns.

Key Concept

Disyllabic Grammatical Category Stress Shift
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