The stressed syllable are written in capital letters(s). captivity?

Analyze the question: You are asked to find the correct stress pattern for the word "captivity". It has four syllables: cap-TIV-i-ty.

Explain the concept: In English, words ending in -ity usually take the primary stress on the syllable immediately before the suffix. This is the syllable just before "-ity", the antepenultimate syllable (third from the end). Other examples:

• ability → aBIlity
• electricity → electRIcity
• possibility → possiBIlity
• captivity → capTIvity

Step-by-step solution:

1. Break the word into syllables: cap · tiv · i · ty
2. Identify the suffix: -ity (the last two syllables: i · ty)
3. The stress falls on the syllable just before the suffix: tiv
4. So the pattern is: capTIvity

Checking the options:

• A. captiviTY: stress on the last syllable. Wrong.
• B. captiVIty: stress on the third syllable. Wrong, because the stress falls before "-ity", not on it.
• C. capTIvity: stress on the second syllable. Correct.
• D. CAPtivity: stress on the first syllable. Wrong.

Answer: C. capTIvity

Exam tip: For words ending in -ity, -ic, -ion, -ical and similar suffixes, the stress usually falls on the syllable just before the suffix. Remember it as "stress the syllable before -ity". Applying this one rule will help you with many JAMB stress questions.