Stress and Emphasize

Stress and Emphasize Stress and Emphasize Stress and Emphasize By Maeve Maddox A reader says, Your thoughts re â€Å"stress† and â€Å"emphasize† would be appreciated. As transitive verbs, stress and emphasize are used interchangeably with the meaning â€Å"to accentuate or draw attention to.† For example: Employers  stress the need  for communication, collaboration, critical thinking and creativity. Speakers Stress Need to Consult More Closely with Contributors of Peacekeeping Personnel Avian Influenza Findings  Emphasize  the  Need  for Good Biosecurity. Council members  emphasize the need  to take action to develop the Former Bennett Freeze Area. The substitution of emphasize for stress in the context of language study would not be incorrect, but stress is the more common choice: The word present is a two-syllable word. If we stress the first syllable, it is a noun or an adjective. But if we  stress the second syllable, it becomes a verb. [In poetry scansion] a foot is an iamb if it consists of one unstressed syllable followed by a stressed syllable, so the word remark is an iamb. The verb stress has a third meaning unrelated to emphasize: â€Å"to subject [sub-JEKT] to hardship, affliction, or oppression.† Here are examples of this use: Teachers stressed by escalating demands Everyday Problems  Stress Teachers  the Most If youre a mom  of a child with autism, what most  stresses  you? Although the verb stress is sufficient, many speakers add the particle out: What Stresses Americans Out the Most? Tell us whats stressing  you  out, and  you  could win a $100 Taichi Wellness gift certificate. Stress and emphasize are interchangeable when the meaning is â€Å"to draw attention to† or â€Å"to accentuate,† but not when the meaning is â€Å"to make tense and anxious.† Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Vocabulary category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:16 Substitutes for â€Å"Because† or â€Å"Because Of†20 Rules About Subject-Verb AgreementA "Diploma" is not a "Degree"