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

Analyze the question: You are asked to pick the option that places the main stress on the correct syllable of "circumstances".

Concept: In English, stress placement follows patterns. Many nouns with the "-stance" ending keep stress on the root's first syllable when the word is built from a Latin prefix like "circum-". The word is also commonly pronounced with the first syllable stressed in standard dictionaries.

Working:

1. Break the word into syllables: cir-cum-stan-ces (4 syllables).
2. The standard British pronunciation (as used in Nigerian exams) is /ˈsɜːkəmstənsɪz/.
3. The main stress falls on the first syllable: CIR-cum-stan-ces.
4. The suffix "-es" (plural) never takes the main stress here, so D is wrong.
5. "-cum-" and "-stan-" are unstressed or weak in the standard pronunciation, so B and C are wrong.

Answer: A. CIR-cum-stan-ces

Tip: Words of this type (circumference is an exception, with stress on -CUM-) need to be learned individually. A helpful pattern: "circumstance", "circumstances" and "circumstantial" start with a strong first syllable in the noun forms, while "circumference" and "circumspect"-type words have their own patterns. When you are unsure, remember that plural endings like "-es" almost never carry the main stress.