This lesson will help you practice pronouncing words with certain prefixes. In most cases the prefix is not stressed however, there are some exceptions. Begin by listening to the audio and repeat the phrases after the speaker. Then, go through the first section of phrases and read them aloud. Notice that the prefixes are not stressed. Next, go through the second section of phrases. In this section, the prefixes are stressed. For added practice, record yourself reading the phrases and listen to see if your pronunciation sounds like the audio.

LISTEN

Listen to the audio recording below.

PRACTICE

A prefix is an element of a word that is added to change its meaning. Prefixes are letters
like this: a, un, be, in, pro, ex, ob, dis, ex. Prefixes are not usually stressed. The first
syllable of the base word is stressed, no matter if the word is a noun, verb or adjective.

award
proposal
progressive
unaltered
obtained
unsocial
discuss
expand

However, the prefix rule changes when a word has a prefix such as ex, fore, out, over,
under, or up and functions as a noun.

expert
forecast
outcry
overlook
underdog
update

More Practice
Try these related pages to help you practice syllable stress for Prefixes and Suffixes:
Syllable Stress for Prefixes and Suffixes Practice B
Syllable Stress for Prefixes and Suffixes Practice C
Syllable Stress for Prefixes and Suffixes Practice D

If you are a MyOvient PLUS or PRO member, you can ask questions or leave comments about this page. You can also download the audio file. Click here to learn more about MyOvient Membership.