Word’s Last Syllable But One

Word’s last syllable but one crossword clue in Daily Telegraph NSW newspaper on 5 Oct 2017. 6 letters. Also printed in Herald Sun and The Courier-Mail newspaper.

Answer: PENULT

Word’s last syllable but one in example

Why do accents exist in Spanish?

They show the word stress when the word stress breaks the normal rules. If you understand the written accents you will be able to read Spanish out loud with correct word stress. Some words can havea change in meaning according to the accents eg. esta = this, está = it is. This concept also exists in English, compare the pronunciation of refuse = rubbish, and, refuse = choose not to do something.

What are the rules for regular word stress, i.e. words with no accents? We use accents to show irregular word or syllable stress. Therefore first of all we should learn the rules for regular word stress (for words of more than one syllable). Rule 1: Words ending in a vowel; n or s are stressed on the last syllable but one.
eg: casa, libro, mesa, coche, madre, lunes, joven