What word is accented on the first syllable?

• A. Heaven
• B. Beavers
• C. Punctuation
• D. Winter

Answer: (A)

In English, the syllable that carries the main emphasis in a multi-syllable word is said with more volume, higher pitch, and often longer duration. That emphasis on the first syllable is what defines an initial-stress pattern.

Heaven is pronounced HEA-ven, with the heavier, more prominent beat on the first syllable. That clear, strong start is exactly what it means for the word to be accented on the first syllable.

Punctuation, by contrast, places its main stress later in the word, on a syllable after the start, so it doesn’t fit the same pattern. The other two words also commonly show emphasis on the first syllable in everyday speech, but Heaven is a simple and very typical example used to illustrate initial stress.