Congratulation. — Choose the most appropriate stress pattern from the option

Analyze the question: You are asked to find where the main (primary) stress falls in the word congratulation (the question writes "Congratulation").

Explain the concept: In English, words ending in -tion usually take the primary stress on the syllable just before the suffix. Examples: eduCAtion, informaTION → inforMAtion, celebraTION → celeBRAtion.

Solution:

1. Break the word into syllables: con-grat-u-la-tion (5 syllables).
2. The suffix -tion is /ʃn/. The stress falls on the syllable immediately before it, which is la.
3. The pronunciation is /kənˌɡrætʃʊˈleɪʃn/ (or /kənˌɡrætjʊˈleɪʃn/), with primary stress on -LA- and secondary stress on -grat-.

So the stress pattern is: con-grat-u-LA-tion.

Checking the options:

• A. conGRAtulation: stress on "grat", which is only the secondary stress, so it is wrong.
• B. congraTUlation: stress on "tu", which is wrong.
• C. congratuLAtion: stress on "la", which is correct.
• D. CONgratulation: stress on "con", which is wrong.

Answer: C

Exam tip: For words ending in -tion, -sion, -ic, -ical, -ity, put the stress on the syllable just before the ending: ediTION → eduCAtion, ecoNOmic, ciVILity. Remember "the syllable before the -tion gets the push!"