interrogate — choose the one that has the correct stress

Analyze the question: You are asked to identify the correct stress pattern for the word "interrogate". Stress means the syllable that is pronounced with the most force.

Explain the concept: In English, verbs ending in -ate usually have the main stress on the syllable that is two or three syllables before the end, not on the last syllable. Words with the pattern "-ate" and three or more syllables often follow this rule: stress falls on the third syllable from the end (the antepenultimate syllable).

Examples:

• ed-u-cate → ED-u-cate
• de-ter-mine (different ending, but note the pattern of early stress)
• cel-e-brate → CEL-e-brate
• com-mu-ni-cate → com-MU-ni-cate

Show the solution:

Break the word into syllables: in-ter-ro-gate (4 syllables)

Dictionary pronunciation: /ɪnˈterəɡeɪt/

• Syllable 1: in (unstressed)
• Syllable 2: TER (primary stress)
• Syllable 3: ro (unstressed)
• Syllable 4: gate (carries a secondary, weaker beat, but not the main stress)

The stress falls on the antepenultimate syllable, "ter" (the third from the end), which gives in-TER-ro-gate.

Checking the other options:

• A. IN-ter-ro-gate: wrong, the first syllable is not stressed.
• C. in-ter-RO-gate: wrong, stress is not on "ro".
• D. in-ter-ro-GATE: wrong, the final "-gate" does not take the primary stress in this verb.

Answer: Option B, in-TER-ro-gate.

Tip: For longer verbs ending in -ate (such as interrogate, celebrate, demonstrate), count back three syllables from the end and stress that one. Also remember the related noun "interrogation" shifts the stress to -GA-: in-ter-ro-GA-tion.