In the following options lettered A to D, all the words except one have the same stress pattern. Identify the…

Analyze the question: The question asks which word has a different stress pattern from the others. All of these are two-syllable words, so we check whether the stress falls on the first or the second syllable.

Concept: In two-syllable words, stress can fall on the first syllable (e.g. TAble) or the second (e.g. beGIN). Nouns and adjectives often take first-syllable stress, while many words with prefixes like con-, re-, de- take second-syllable stress.

Step-by-step solution:

• A. public → PUB-lic (stress on the 1st syllable)
• B. concern → con-CERN (stress on the 2nd syllable)
• C. centre → CEN-tre (stress on the 1st syllable)
• D. people → PEO-ple (stress on the 1st syllable)

Three words (public, centre, people) are stressed on the first syllable. Only concern is stressed on the second syllable.

Answer: B. concern

Tip: For two-syllable words that begin with a prefix such as con-, de-, re-, ex- or com- (e.g. concern, consent, repeat, decide), the stress usually falls on the second syllable. Words that end in an unstressed -le, -re or -ic sound, like people, centre and public, are usually stressed on the first syllable. In the exam, say each word aloud quietly and listen for the louder syllable.