Sorting Abstract Word Families by Stress — C2 English Pronunciation Practice Test
About this practice test
Practise C2 English pronunciation by sorting abstract word families by stress counted from the end, including less obvious suffix patterns.
What you’ll practice
Hear the difference
Recognise vowel and consonant contrasts in clear recordings.
Stress and rhythm
Identify strong syllables and emphasized words.
Listen and review
Replay each recording and learn from answer explanations.
What to expect:
8 questions with explanations to review after submission.
Study the questions and tasks
Work through the material below, or start the interactive practice above to complete an attempt. Try the exercises before opening any answer or transcript sections, then use them to review your work.
- Practice level
- C2. Try this level if you can follow the instructions and understand most of the language; choose an earlier level if you need more support.
- Question formats
- Sorting into categories
How to approach this practice
Read the instructions and work through the questions before opening the answers.
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Question 1 · Sorting into categories
Sort each word or phrase into its correct category.
Say and sort each word by the syllable with primary stress. Count from the end. Use American English pronunciation.
Categories
- Stress on the second-last syllable
- Stress on the third-last syllable
- Stress on the fourth-last syllable
Word bank
- sustainability
- compatibility
- diagnoses
- legislative
- diagnosis
- innovative
Check answers and explanations
- 1. sustainability
- Stress on the third-last syllable
- 2. compatibility
- Stress on the third-last syllable
- 3. diagnoses
- Stress on the second-last syllable
- 4. legislative
- Stress on the fourth-last syllable
- 5. diagnosis
- Stress on the second-last syllable
- 6. innovative
- Stress on the fourth-last syllable
Sound groups: Stress on the second-last syllable: diagnosis, diagnoses; Stress on the third-last syllable: compatibility, sustainability; Stress on the fourth-last syllable: innovative, legislative. Count syllables from the end of the word; primary stress is the strongest beat.
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Question 2 · Sorting into categories
Sort each word or phrase into its correct category.
Say and sort each word by the syllable with primary stress. Count from the end. Use American English pronunciation.
Categories
- Stress on the second-last syllable
- Stress on the third-last syllable
- Stress on the fourth-last syllable
Word bank
- positively
- vulnerability
- substantial
- demographic
- relatively
- responsibility
Check answers and explanations
- 1. positively
- Stress on the fourth-last syllable
- 2. vulnerability
- Stress on the third-last syllable
- 3. substantial
- Stress on the second-last syllable
- 4. demographic
- Stress on the second-last syllable
- 5. relatively
- Stress on the fourth-last syllable
- 6. responsibility
- Stress on the third-last syllable
Sound groups: Stress on the second-last syllable: demographic, substantial; Stress on the third-last syllable: responsibility, vulnerability; Stress on the fourth-last syllable: relatively, positively. Count syllables from the end of the word; primary stress is the strongest beat.
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Question 3 · Sorting into categories
Sort each word or phrase into its correct category.
Say and sort each word by the syllable with primary stress. Count from the end. Use American English pronunciation.
Categories
- Stress on the second-last syllable
- Stress on the third-last syllable
- Stress on the fourth-last syllable
Word bank
- adaptability
- reliability
- influential
- circumstantial
- negatively
- speculative
Check answers and explanations
- 1. adaptability
- Stress on the third-last syllable
- 2. reliability
- Stress on the third-last syllable
- 3. influential
- Stress on the second-last syllable
- 4. circumstantial
- Stress on the second-last syllable
- 5. negatively
- Stress on the fourth-last syllable
- 6. speculative
- Stress on the fourth-last syllable
Sound groups: Stress on the second-last syllable: circumstantial, influential; Stress on the third-last syllable: adaptability, reliability; Stress on the fourth-last syllable: negatively, speculative. Count syllables from the end of the word; primary stress is the strongest beat.
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Question 4 · Sorting into categories
Sort each word or phrase into its correct category.
Say and sort each word by the syllable with primary stress. Count from the end. Use American English pronunciation.
Categories
- Stress on the second-last syllable
- Stress on the third-last syllable
- Stress on the fourth-last syllable
Word bank
- communicative
- authenticity
- preferential
- confidential
- administrative
- credibility
Check answers and explanations
- 1. communicative
- Stress on the fourth-last syllable
- 2. authenticity
- Stress on the third-last syllable
- 3. preferential
- Stress on the second-last syllable
- 4. confidential
- Stress on the second-last syllable
- 5. administrative
- Stress on the fourth-last syllable
- 6. credibility
- Stress on the third-last syllable
Sound groups: Stress on the second-last syllable: preferential, confidential; Stress on the third-last syllable: credibility, authenticity; Stress on the fourth-last syllable: communicative, administrative. Count syllables from the end of the word; primary stress is the strongest beat.
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Question 5 · Sorting into categories
Sort each word or phrase into its correct category.
Say and sort each word by the syllable with primary stress. Count from the end. Use American English pronunciation.
Categories
- Stress on the second-last syllable
- Stress on the third-last syllable
- Stress on the fourth-last syllable
Word bank
- extraordinary
- autonomy
- ordinary
- existential
- controversial
- diplomacy
Check answers and explanations
- 1. extraordinary
- Stress on the fourth-last syllable
- 2. autonomy
- Stress on the third-last syllable
- 3. ordinary
- Stress on the fourth-last syllable
- 4. existential
- Stress on the second-last syllable
- 5. controversial
- Stress on the second-last syllable
- 6. diplomacy
- Stress on the third-last syllable
Sound groups: Stress on the second-last syllable: existential, controversial; Stress on the third-last syllable: autonomy, diplomacy; Stress on the fourth-last syllable: extraordinary, ordinary. Count syllables from the end of the word; primary stress is the strongest beat.
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Question 6 · Sorting into categories
Sort each word or phrase into its correct category.
Say and sort each word by the syllable with primary stress. Count from the end. Use American English pronunciation.
Categories
- Stress on the second-last syllable
- Stress on the third-last syllable
- Stress on the fourth-last syllable
Word bank
- economy
- qualitative
- democracy
- administration
- speculation
- quantitative
Check answers and explanations
- 1. economy
- Stress on the third-last syllable
- 2. qualitative
- Stress on the fourth-last syllable
- 3. democracy
- Stress on the third-last syllable
- 4. administration
- Stress on the second-last syllable
- 5. speculation
- Stress on the second-last syllable
- 6. quantitative
- Stress on the fourth-last syllable
Sound groups: Stress on the second-last syllable: speculation, administration; Stress on the third-last syllable: economy, democracy; Stress on the fourth-last syllable: qualitative, quantitative. Count syllables from the end of the word; primary stress is the strongest beat.
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Question 7 · Sorting into categories
Sort each word or phrase into its correct category.
Say and sort each word by the syllable with primary stress. Count from the end. Use American English pronunciation.
Categories
- Stress on the second-last syllable
- Stress on the third-last syllable
- Stress on the fourth-last syllable
Word bank
- photography
- independence
- discrimination
- legitimacy
- legitimately
- philosophy
Check answers and explanations
- 1. photography
- Stress on the third-last syllable
- 2. independence
- Stress on the second-last syllable
- 3. discrimination
- Stress on the second-last syllable
- 4. legitimacy
- Stress on the fourth-last syllable
- 5. legitimately
- Stress on the fourth-last syllable
- 6. philosophy
- Stress on the third-last syllable
Sound groups: Stress on the second-last syllable: discrimination, independence; Stress on the third-last syllable: photography, philosophy; Stress on the fourth-last syllable: legitimately, legitimacy. Count syllables from the end of the word; primary stress is the strongest beat.
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Question 8 · Sorting into categories
Sort each word or phrase into its correct category.
Say and sort each word by the syllable with primary stress. Count from the end. Use American English pronunciation.
Categories
- Stress on the second-last syllable
- Stress on the third-last syllable
- Stress on the fourth-last syllable
Word bank
- interdependence
- independent
- adequacy
- psychology
- methodology
- inadequacy
Check answers and explanations
- 1. interdependence
- Stress on the second-last syllable
- 2. independent
- Stress on the second-last syllable
- 3. adequacy
- Stress on the fourth-last syllable
- 4. psychology
- Stress on the third-last syllable
- 5. methodology
- Stress on the third-last syllable
- 6. inadequacy
- Stress on the fourth-last syllable
Sound groups: Stress on the second-last syllable: independent, interdependence; Stress on the third-last syllable: psychology, methodology; Stress on the fourth-last syllable: inadequacy, adequacy. Count syllables from the end of the word; primary stress is the strongest beat.
What to review next
Review the feedback and revisit the topics you found difficult before trying again.
A focused practice result shows how you did on these tasks. Use several activities across skills to decide what to study next; one practice score does not certify an overall CEFR level.