10 Examples of how STRESS can change the meaning or part of speech of a word

It is crucial to know where to place the appropriate stress or intonation of many words in English, as the meaning of a word or its part of speech can change.

Pay close attention to which syllables (the first or second) carry the stress and what part of speech each word is (verb or noun).  Do you notice any pattern in these two syllable words?  Well, as you can see in these examples, if the stress is on the first syllable, it is a noun, and if the stress is on the second syllable, it is a verb. 

1.       Conduct

a.       conDUCT (v.):  We will conduct business as usual on Friday despite the federal holiday.

b.      CONduct (n.):  The conduct of the secret service personnel in Columbia was unacceptable.

2.       Conflict

a.       conFLICT (v.):  I am afraid that our meeting will conflict with the arrival of our partners, so we will have to reschedule. 

b.      CONflict (n.):  Peace negotiations have not led to any resolution of the conflict.    

3.       Decrease

a.       deCREASE (v.):  Birth rates around the world have decreased in the last several decaedes.

b.      DEcrease (n.):  The decrease we have seen in sales is a result of the nation's economy slowing down.

4.       Increase

a.       inCREASE: (v.)  As the baby boomer generation grows old, the demand for nurses has increased, along with the demand for health care.

b.      INcrease: (n.)  The dramatic increase in China's exports worries many politicians and business men alike.

5.       Object

a.       obJECT (v.): Surprisingly, the citizens did not object to the increase in taxes.

b.      OBject (n.): We saw dozens of tiny glass objects in the store arranged neatly in a row.

6.       Permit

a.       perMIT (v.): The law permits drivers to make a right turn on a red traffic light.

b.      PERmit (n.): Teenagers who work on family farms in the United States can acquire a special driving permit that allows them to operate vehicles at 13 years of age.

7.       Present

a.       preSENT (v.): We will present our findings to the committee next week.

b.      PREsent (n.): In our family we exchange presents on Christmas Eve. 

8.       Project

a.       proJECT (v.): Economists project that the employment rates will rise by June.

b.      PROject (n.): Our nonprofit organization has recently submitted a proposal to acquire a development project in Angola.

9.       Record

a.       reCORD (v.): The detectives recorded incriminating conversations with a simple wire tap.

b.      REcord (n.): The physician's office has converted all hard copy records to digital files.

10.   Recall

a.       reCALL (v.): I cannot recall the final numbers right now, so I'll call you right back.

b.      REcall (n.): Management has announced a recall of all meat products due to the E.coli outbreak.