The stressed syllables are written in capital letters. declamation

Analyze the question: You are asked where the primary stress falls in the word declamation (noun, meaning a forceful, formal speech).

Explain the concept: In English, words ending in -ation usually carry the primary stress on the syllable just before -tion, which is the "-a-" of -ation. Examples:

• eduCAtion
• inforMAtion
• pronunciAtion
• demonstrAtion

The suffix -tion itself is never stressed. The stress falls on the syllable immediately before it.

Solution:

Split the word into syllables: dec-la-ma-tion (4 syllables)

1. Syllable 1: dec
2. Syllable 2: la
3. Syllable 3: ma, the syllable right before -tion
4. Syllable 4: tion

By the -ation rule, the stress goes on the third syllable: dec-la-MA-tion.

Check against the options:

• A. DEclamation: stress on syllable 1 (wrong)
• B. deCLAmation: stress on syllable 2 (wrong)
• C. declaMAtion: stress on syllable 3 (correct)
• D. declamaTION: stress on syllable 4 (wrong, because -tion is never stressed)

Note that the verb declaim is stressed on the second syllable (deCLAIM), but the noun declamation follows the -ation pattern. This is the same as exclaim → exclaMAtion.

Answer: Option C, declaMAtion.

Exam tip: For words ending in -tion, -sion, -ic, -ical, the stress usually falls on the syllable just before the ending. Look at the ending first and you can answer in seconds.