The Effect of Stress Pattern on Iranian English Language Learners' Pronunciation

Abstract

The present study investigated the stress pattern of Iranian English language learners’ pronunciation. Participants were 30 intermediate EFL learners studying English in Jouya English institute in Tehran. In order to measure the level of the ability of the students in pronouncing the correct words in terms of their stress, 80 words selected from participants’ text books. The words were divided into four groups according to the number of syllables and the place of stress; the first group consisted of 20 two-syllable words with stress on the first syllable, the second group was a 20 two-syllable words with stress is on the second syllable, the third group consisted of 20 three-syllable words with the stress was on the first syllable, and Lastly the fourth group included 20 three-syllable words with stress is on the second syllable. Participants were asked to read the words which were selected as a production test. Participants’ performance was audiotaped to find out on which syllable of the word the stress is put. The results revealed that participants were more successful in pronouncing the words whose stress was on the first syllable in comparison to those having stress on the second syllable.