For these questions, choose the most appropriate stress pattern from the options. The Stressed syllable are written in capital letter (s) disagreement

Analyze the question: You are asked to pick the correct stress pattern for the word "disagreement". The stressed syllable is the one pronounced with the most force, and it is written in capitals.

Explain the concept: Break the word into syllables first. Then remember that when a word is built from a root plus prefixes and suffixes, the stress usually stays on the root word.

• Prefixes like dis- are usually unstressed.
• Suffixes like -ment are usually unstressed.
• The stress falls on the root, which here is agree.

Show the solution:

1. Syllables: dis-a-gree-ment (4 syllables)
2. Root word: agree = a-GREE (stress on the second syllable of the root)
3. Add the prefix dis- and suffix -ment. Neither changes the stress of the root.
4. The stress therefore falls on gree: dis-a-GREE-ment

Checking the options:

• A. disAgreement: stress on "a", which is wrong
• B. disaGREEment: stress on "gree", which is correct
• C. DISagreement: stress on the prefix, which is wrong
• D. disagreeMENT: stress on the suffix, which is wrong

Answer: The correct stress pattern is disaGREEment, which is option B.

Tip: For words with prefixes and suffixes, strip them off and find the stress in the root. Compare agree → aGREE, disagree → disaGREE, disagreement → disaGREEment. Similar examples are employ → emPLOY → emPLOYment and enjoy → enJOY → enJOYment.