In each word, only one syllable has the main/primary and the syllable is written in capital letters…

Analyze the question: You are asked to pick the option with the same stress pattern as the word "desegregate". The question is about where the primary stress falls.

Explain the concept: Many English verbs ending in -ate put the primary stress on the third syllable from the end (the antepenultimate syllable). Examples are SEG-re-gate, ED-u-cate, CEL-e-brate, DEM-on-strate.

Show the solution:

1. Split the word into syllables: de-seg-re-gate (4 syllables).
2. The base word is "segregate", which is stressed as SEG-re-gate, with stress on the first syllable of the base.
3. The prefix de- is a prefix meaning "undo" or "reverse". It usually does not take the main stress here, because the stress stays on the base word's stressed syllable.
4. So "desegregate" is pronounced de-SEG-re-gate, with the stress on the second syllable, "seg".

The dictionary pronunciation, /diːˈsɛɡrɪɡeɪt/, confirms the stress on "seg". Some dictionaries also show a secondary stress on "de", but the primary stress is on "seg".

Check the other options:

• A: DE-seg-re-gate puts the stress on the prefix, which is wrong.
• C: de-seg-RE-gate puts the stress on "re", which is wrong.
• D and E: stress on "gate" is wrong. The -ate verb ending is not normally stressed in a word like this.

Answer: B, de-SEG-re-gate.

Tip: For verbs ending in -ate with 3 or more syllables, count back three syllables from the end to find the primary stress. When a prefix like de-, un-, or re- is added, the stress usually stays on the base word's stressed syllable.