collocation — In each of the following questions, the main/ primary stress is indicated by writing the…

Analyze the question: You are asked to choose the option that shows the correct primary stress in the word collocation.

Explain the concept: In English, words ending in -tion usually carry the primary stress on the syllable just before the suffix. Examples:

• edu-CA-tion
• com-mu-ni-CA-tion
• pro-nun-ci-A-tion (here the stress falls on the vowel directly before -tion)

So the stress falls on the syllable immediately before -tion, not on -tion itself.

Solution:

1. Break the word into syllables: col-lo-ca-tion (4 syllables).
2. The suffix is -tion, so the stress goes on the syllable before it, which is ca.
3. The word is pronounced /ˌkɒləˈkeɪʃn/, with the main stress on "KAY".

Checking the options:

• A. COLL-o-ca-tion: stress on the first syllable. Wrong.
• B. coll-O-ca-tion: stress on the second syllable. Wrong.
• C. coll-o-CA-tion: stress on the third syllable, right before -tion. Correct.
• D. coll-o-ca-TION: stress on the suffix. Wrong, since -tion is never stressed in this pattern.

Answer: C

Tip: Remember the rule "the stress is on the syllable before -tion, -sion, -ic, -ity". Words like education, location, vacation, collocation all follow it. When you see a word ending in -tion, count one syllable back and stress that one.