The stressed syllables are written in capital letters. embodiment

Analyze the question: You are asked to pick the correct stress pattern for the word embodiment (/ɪmˈbɒdimənt/).

Explain the concept: In English, a word's primary stress usually falls on the root of the word. Suffixes like -ment are normally unstressed. They do not attract stress, which is why the stress stays on the root even after the suffix is added. Compare:

• em-BOD-y (verb), so em-BOD-i-ment (noun)
• a-GREE, so a-GREE-ment (here the root itself ends the word, so the root syllable is stressed)
• EN-joy-ment, a-MUSE-ment

Show the solution:

1. Break the word into syllables: em - bod - i - ment (4 syllables).
2. Identify the root: embody comes from body, so the root syllable is bod.
3. The suffix -ment is unstressed, and the prefix em- is unstressed (it is a weak prefix, pronounced /ɪm/).
4. Primary stress therefore falls on the second syllable: em-BOD-i-ment.

Check the options:

• A. EMbodiment: stress on the prefix. Wrong.
• B. emBODiment: stress on the second syllable. Correct.
• C. embodIment: stress on the third syllable. Wrong.
• D. embodiMENT: stress on the suffix. Wrong.

Answer: B. emBODiment

Tip: Suffixes such as -ment, -ness, -ful, -less, -ly do not change where the stress falls. Find the stress in the base word (embody → em-BOD-y), then add the suffix without moving it.