Nouns vS Adjectives

Commonly Confused Stress Patterns

• Content /ˈkɒn.tɛnt/ (happy) vs. Content /kənˈtɛnt/ (subject matter)
• Contract /ˈkɒn.trækt/ (legal agreement) vs. Contract /kənˈtrækt/ (to shrink)
• Contest /ˈkɒn.tɛst/ (competition) vs. Contest /kənˈtɛst/ (to challenge)
• Conduct /ˈkɒn.dʌkt/ (behavior) vs. Conduct /kənˈdʌkt/ (to lead)
• Present /ˈprez.ənt/ (gift) vs. Present /prɪˈzɛnt/ (to show)
• Object /ˈɒb.dʒɛkt/ (thing) vs. Object /əbˈdʒɛkt/ (to oppose)
• Project /ˈprɒdʒ.ɛkt/ (plan) vs. Project /prəˈdʒɛkt/ (to throw forward)
• Subject /ˈsʌb.dʒɛkt/ (topic) vs. Subject /səbˈdʒɛkt/ (to force)
• Produce /ˈprɒ.djuːs/ (fruits, vegetables) vs. Produce /prəˈdjuːs/ (to create)
• Permit /ˈpɜː.mɪt/ (official document) vs. Permit /pəˈmɪt/ (to allow)

Verb vs. Noun Differences

• Record /ˈrɛk.ɔːd/ (a document) vs. Record /rɪˈkɔːd/ (to capture)
• Reject /ˈriː.dʒɛkt/ (an outcast) vs. Reject /rɪˈdʒɛkt/ (to refuse)
• Refuse /ˈrɛ.fjuːs/ (garbage) vs. Refuse /rɪˈfjuːz/ (to decline)
• Insert /ˈɪn.sɜːt/ (a section) vs. Insert /ɪnˈsɜːt/ (to put in)
• Progress /ˈprɒ.gres/ (improvement) vs. Progress /prəˈgres/ (to move forward)
• Suspect /ˈsʌs.pɛkt/ (a person under suspicion) vs. Suspect /səˈspɛkt/ (to think someone is guilty)
• Increase /ˈɪn.kriːs/ (growth) vs. Increase /ɪnˈkriːs/ (to grow)
• Decrease /ˈdiː.kriːs/ (reduction) vs. Decrease /dɪˈkriːs/ (to reduce)
• Insult /ˈɪn.sʌlt/ (offense) vs. Insult /ɪnˈsʌlt/ (to offend)
• Desert /ˈdɛz.ət/ (dry land) vs. Desert /dɪˈzɜːt/ (to abandon)

Words with Different Vowel Sounds

• Lead /liːd/ (to guide) vs. Lead /lɛd/ (the metal)
• Read /riːd/ (present) vs. Read /rɛd/ (past)
• Wind /wɪnd/ (moving air) vs. Wind /waɪnd/ (to twist)
• Tear /tɛər/ (rip) vs. Tear /tɪər/ (from the eye)
• Row /rəʊ/ (a line) vs. Row /raʊ/ (a fight)
• Sewer /ˈsuː.ər/ (drainage) vs. Sewer /ˈsoʊ.ər/ (one who sews)
• Bass /beɪs/ (a low musical sound) vs. Bass /bæs/ (a type of fish)
• Bow /baʊ/ (bend forward) vs. Bow /boʊ/ (a weapon)
• Minute /ˈmɪn.ɪt/ (time) vs. Minute /maɪˈnjuːt/ (tiny)
• Live /lɪv/ (to exist) vs. Live /laɪv/ (happening now)

Homographs with Changing Sounds

• Moped /ˈməʊ.pɛd/ (a vehicle) vs. Moped /moʊpt/ (felt sad)
• Wound /wuːnd/ (an injury) vs. Wound /waʊnd/ (past tense of wind)
• Does /dʌz/ (third-person singular of do) vs. Does /doʊz/ (plural of doe)
• Close /kləʊs/ (near) vs. Close /kləʊz/ (to shut)
• Slough /slaʊ/ (shed skin) vs. Slough /sluː/ (a swamp)
• Row /rəʊ/ (oars movement) vs. Row /raʊ/ (argument)
• Sow /səʊ/ (to plant) vs. Sow /saʊ/ (a female pig)
• Reside /rɪˈzaɪd/ (to live) vs. Recide /rɪˈsaɪd/ (to go back)
• Dove /dʌv/ (bird) vs. Dove /doʊv/ (past tense of dive)
• Agape /əˈɡeɪp/ (open wide) vs. Agape /ˈæɡ.ə.piː/ (Greek love)

Words with Different Syllable Stresses

• Polish /ˈpɒl.ɪʃ/ (from Poland) vs. Polish /ˈpəʊ.lɪʃ/ (to shine)
• Invalid /ɪnˈvæl.ɪd/ (not valid) vs. Invalid /ˈɪn.və.lɪd/ (a sick person)
• Console /ˈkɒn.səʊl/ (a device) vs. Console /kənˈsəʊl/ (to comfort)
• Extract /ˈɛk.strækt/ (a section) vs. Extract /ɪkˈstrækt/ (to pull out)
• Conflict /ˈkɒn.flɪkt/ (a struggle) vs. Conflict /kənˈflɪkt/ (to be in opposition)
• Attribute /ˈæt.rɪ.bjuːt/ (a quality) vs. Attribute /əˈtrɪ.bjuːt/ (to assign)
• Resent /rɪˈzɛnt/ (to feel bitterness) vs. Re-sent /riːˈsɛnt/ (sent again)
• Envelop /ɪnˈvɛl.əp/ (to surround) vs. Envelope /ˈɛn.və.ləʊp/ (a paper container)
• Transpose /trænsˈpəʊz/ (to switch order) vs. Transpose /trænsˈpoʊz/ (a musical adjustment)
• Discharge /ˈdɪs.tʃɑːdʒ/ (release) vs. Discharge /dɪsˈtʃɑːdʒ/ (to fire a weapon)

Words with Different Vowel Sounds

• Use /juːs/ (a purpose) vs. Use /juːz/ (to utilize)
• House /haʊs/ (a building) vs. House /haʊz/ (to provide shelter)
• Refuse /ˈrɛ.fjuːs/ (garbage) vs. Refuse /rɪˈfjuːz/ (to decline)
• Does /dʌz/ (verb: does something) vs. Does /doʊz/ (plural of doe)
• Tire /ˈtaɪ.ər/ (to get weary) vs. Tire /ˈtaɪr/ (car wheel)
• Sow /səʊ/ (to plant) vs. Sow /saʊ/ (a female pig)
• Bow /baʊ/ (to bend forward) vs. Bow /boʊ/ (a weapon)
• Bass /beɪs/ (low sound) vs. Bass /bæs/ (a type of fish)
• Lead /liːd/ (to guide) vs. Lead /lɛd/ (a metal)
• Wound /wuːnd/ (injury) vs. Wound /waʊnd/ (past tense of wind)

Homographs with Stress Differences

• Insult /ˈɪn.sʌlt/ (a noun) vs. Insult /ɪnˈsʌlt/ (a verb)
• Permit /ˈpɜː.mɪt/ (a noun) vs. Permit /pəˈmɪt/ (a verb)
• Present /ˈprez.ənt/ (a noun/adjective) vs. Present /prɪˈzent/ (a verb)
• Reject /ˈriː.dʒɛkt/ (a noun) vs. Reject /rɪˈdʒɛkt/ (a verb)
• Object /ˈɒb.dʒɛkt/ (a noun) vs. Object /əbˈdʒɛkt/ (a verb)
• Subject /ˈsʌb.dʒɛkt/ (a noun) vs. Subject /səbˈdʒɛkt/ (a verb)
• Increase /ˈɪn.kriːs/ (a noun) vs. Increase /ɪnˈkriːs/ (a verb)
• Decrease /ˈdiː.kriːs/ (a noun) vs. Decrease /dɪˈkriːs/ (a verb)
• Conduct /ˈkɒn.dʌkt/ (a noun) vs. Conduct /kənˈdʌkt/ (a verb)
• Extract /ˈɛk.strækt/ (a noun) vs. Extract /ɪkˈstrækt/ (a verb)

Miscellaneous Tricky Words

• Reside /rɪˈzaɪd/ (to live) vs. Recide /rɪˈsaɪd/ (to go back)
• Dove /dʌv/ (bird) vs. Dove /doʊv/ (past tense of dive)
• Readjust /ˌriː.əˈdʒʌst/ (to adjust again) vs. Readjust /riˈdʒʌst/ (to settle back in)
• Discharge /ˈdɪs.tʃɑːdʒ/ (a noun: release) vs. Discharge /dɪsˈtʃɑːdʒ/ (a verb: to fire a weapon)
• Buffet /ˈbʊ.fɪt/ (a meal) vs. Buffet /bəˈfeɪ/ (to hit repeatedly)
• Overuse /ˈəʊ.və.juːs/ (excessive use) vs. Overuse /ˌoʊ.vɚˈjuːz/ (to use too much)
• Console /ˈkɒn.səʊl/ (a device) vs. Console /kənˈsəʊl/ (to comfort)
• Row /rəʊ/ (a line) vs. Row /raʊ/ (an argument)
• Slough /slaʊ/ (to shed skin) vs. Slough /sluː/ (a swamp)
• Entrance /ˈɛn.trəns/ (way in) vs. Entrance /ɪnˈtrɑːns/ (to captivate)

Technical & Scientific Words

• Axis /ˈæk.sɪs/ (geometry) vs. Axis /ˈæk.sɪs/ (political alliance)
• Augment /ˈɔːɡ.mənt/ (to increase) vs. Augment /ɔːɡˈmɛnt/ (music interval)
• Model /ˈmɒd.l/ (representation) vs. Model /ˈmɒd.l/ (fashion display)
• Digest /ˈdaɪ.dʒɛst/ (a summary) vs. Digest /daɪˈdʒɛst/ (to break down food)
• Turbine /ˈtɜː.baɪn/ (engine part) vs. Turbine /ˈtɜːr.bɪn/ (airplane component)
• Recreate /ˌriː.kriˈeɪt/ (to refresh) vs. Recreate /ˈrɛk.ri.eɪt/ (to make again)
• Estimate /ˈɛs.tɪ.mɪt/ (an approximation) vs. Estimate /ˈɛs.tɪ.meɪt/ (to approximate)
• Compound /ˈkɒm.paʊnd/ (a mixture) vs. Compound /kəmˈpaʊnd/ (to make worse)
• Address /ˈæd.rɛs/ (speech) vs. Address /əˈdrɛs/ (location)
• Buffet /ˈbʊ.fɪt/ (self-serve meal) vs. Buffet /bəˈfeɪ/ (to hit repeatedly)

Miscellaneous Tricky Words

• Reading /ˈriː.dɪŋ/ (the activity) vs. Reading /ˈrɛd.ɪŋ/ (the town in England)
• Entrance /ˈɛn.trəns/ (way in) vs. Entrance /ɪnˈtrɑːns/ (to captivate)
• Overuse /ˈəʊ.və.juːs/ (excessive use) vs. Overuse /ˌoʊ.vɚˈjuːz/ (to use too much)
• House /haʊs/ (a building) vs. House /haʊz/ (to provide shelter)
• Readjust /ˌriː.əˈdʒʌst/ (to adjust again) vs. Readjust /riˈdʒʌst/ (to settle back in)
• Row /rəʊ/ (a line) vs. Row /raʊ/ (an argument)
• Sow /səʊ/ (to plant) vs. Sow /saʊ/ (a female pig)
• Dove /dʌv/ (bird) vs. Dove /doʊv/ (past of dive)
• Console /ˈkɒn.səʊl/ (device) vs. Console /kənˈsəʊl/ (to comfort)
• Polish /ˈpɒl.ɪʃ/ (from Poland) vs. Polish /ˈpəʊ.lɪʃ/ (to shine)