Emphasis words

[cubix]

Could somebody please tell me which words in the following sentence would be stressed if they were spoken.

If you work, do you think you'll get promotion/a pay rise in the next year? OR If you're a student or unemployed do you think you'll find a job soon/when you start looking?

I look forward to hearing from you.

[odyssey]

If you work, do you think you'll get promotion in the next year?

if you WORK, do you THINK you'll GET proMOtion in the NEXT YEAR?

If you're a student or unemployed do you think you'll find a job soon?

if you're a STUdent or unemPLOYed do you THINK you'll FIND a JOB SOON?

In simple terms, stressed words are content words like (main) verbs, nouns, adjectives and adverbs. Unstressed words are structure words like pronouns, prepositions and conjunctions. Auxiliary verbs and the verb to be even as a main verb are usually unstressed. This is for neutral stress. Any word can be stressed for emphasis in contrastive stress.

Check this out:
http://www.englishclub.com/pronunciatio ... stress.htm

[MattMaleham]

I agree with odyssey on that sentence stuff, but I also think it depends on who you are speaking to. If you are chatting to a mate about it, you can be a lot more casual and put emphasis (or more or less) on the words, while if you are talking to someone in a less casual manner or an employee or someone you are trying to impress, that you will ease up on the emphasis a bit and maybe even change the emphasis of some words so as to be on your best behaviour and impress them. Are you guys both teachers? High school? how long you been teaching for? well enough of the twenty questions, I'm just interested cause I'm studying to be a high school teacher and have only been on 1 prac so far, and I wish to find out as much as possible about the world of teaching. Also we have an assignment at uni to contact people in a forum and get a reply from them, so that also is a big influence in me commenting here cause I hope to hear back from someone soon so I can hand in my work to show I have contacted someone. Well hopefully I'll hear from someone soon.

[danobodhisattvah]

American english:

If you WORK, do you THINK you'll get (a) proMOtion in the next year? OR If you're a STUdent or UNemPLOYED do you THINK you'll find a JOB SOON?

[cubix]

Thank-you for your replies. I have been following your advice. However, could you tell me if 'some' 'won't' and 'any' are content or function words as I am a little confused with these.