Valedictory. — choose the most appropriate stress pattern from the options

Analyze the question: You are asked where the primary stress falls in the word valedictory (an adjective meaning "relating to a farewell", as in a valedictory speech).

Concept: In English, longer words ending in -ory often have the main stress earlier in the word, and the -ory ending is weak. Syllables are counted first, then stress is placed.

Step by step:

1. Break the word into syllables: val-e-dic-to-ry (5 syllables).
2. Standard British pronunciation (as in the Oxford and Cambridge dictionaries): /ˌvælɪˈdɪktəri/.
3. The primary stress is on the third syllable, -dic-. The first syllable, val, carries a secondary stress.
4. The pronunciation is therefore: val-e-DIC-to-ry.

Checking the options:

• A. vaLEdictory: stress on le. Wrong.
• B. valeDICtory: stress on dic. Correct.
• C. valedicTOry: stress on to. Wrong, because -ory is weak here.
• D. VALedictory: stress only on the first syllable. This is wrong because the primary stress is on dic, though val has a secondary stress.

Answer: B

Tip: Words ending in -ictory or -ict usually take stress on the -dic- or -ic- syllable. Compare contradictory (con-tra-DIC-to-ry) and predictory. Also note the related word valediction, which is stressed on -DIC-. Pair the words together in your memory, and you will get this right in the exam.