NECO 2008 English Language · Question 39

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

Question

Choose from the options lettered A - E the one that has the same stress with the word given. In each word, only one syllable has the main/primary and the syllable is written in capital letters Impenetrability

A.IM-pe-ne-tra-bi-li-ty
B.im-PE-ne-tra-bi-li-ty
C.im-pe-ne-TRA-bi-li-ty
D.im-pe-NE-tra-bi-li-ty
E.im-pe-ne-tra-BI-li-ty

Answer: E. im-pe-ne-tra-BI-li-ty

Explanation written with AI and checked against the answer key

Analyze the question: The word is impenetrability. The question asks which option places the primary stress on the correct syllable. (The question's wording is a bit garbled, but this is what it means.)

Concept: Words ending in -ity take primary stress on the syllable just before the suffix. Examples: abILity, pos-si-BIL-i-ty, ca-pa-BIL-i-ty. Words ending in -ability or -ibility follow the same pattern and stress the -BIL- syllable.

Syllable breakdown: im-pe-ne-tra-bi-li-ty (7 syllables)

The stress falls on the syllable right before -li-ty, which is bi.

Compare with penetrate (PEN-e-trate) and penetrable (PEN-e-tra-ble). The prefix and the suffix change the stress pattern. In impenetrability, the -ity rule dominates, and the primary stress moves to -BI-: im-pe-ne-tra-BI-li-ty.

Checking the options:

A. IM-pe-ne-tra-bi-li-ty: stress on the first syllable. Wrong.
B. im-PE-ne-tra-bi-li-ty: stress on the second syllable. Wrong.
C. im-pe-ne-TRA-bi-li-ty: stress on "tra". Wrong.
D. im-pe-NE-tra-bi-li-ty: stress on "ne". Wrong.
E. im-pe-ne-tra-BI-li-ty: stress on "bi". Correct.

Tip: For words ending in -ity, -ety, -ical, -ic, -ion, stress usually falls on the syllable just before the suffix. Examples: ne-CES-si-ty, ci-VIL-i-ty, ed-u-CA-tion. Apply this quickly in the exam.

AI can make mistakes. Report anything that looks wrong.