In the following question, the main/primary stress is indicated by writing the sylable on which it occurs in…

Analyze the question: You are asked to pick the option that marks the primary stress correctly on the word indoctrinate (a verb meaning to teach someone to accept a set of beliefs uncritically).

Concept: English verbs ending in -ate with three or more syllables usually put the main stress on the third syllable from the end (the antepenultimate syllable). Examples: CEL-e-brate, dem-on-strate, e-DU-cate, in-VES-ti-gate. Words with a prefix like in- can behave differently, so it helps to check the actual pronunciation.

Solution:

1. Break the word into syllables: in – doc – tri – nate (4 syllables).
2. The dictionary pronunciation is /ɪnˈdɒktrɪneɪt/. The stress falls on the second syllable, "doc".
3. The final syllable "-nate" carries only secondary stress at most, and the pattern is in-DOC-tri-nate. This is the same pattern as in-CUL-cate and in-TER-ro-gate.
4. Check the options: • A. IN-doc-tri-nate: wrong, because the prefix is not stressed. • B. in-DOC-tri-nate: correct. • C. in-doc-TRI-nate: wrong, because the stress is not on "tri". • D. in-doc-tri-NATE: wrong, because the stress is not on the last syllable.

Tip: For long verbs ending in -ate, the stress usually moves back from the ending. Count back three syllables from the end: in-doc-tri-nate (nate = 1, tri = 2, doc = 3). That gives the stressed syllable "doc". Use this to check similar words like demonstrate and contaminate.