Which statement accurately defines secondary stress?

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Multiple Choice

Which statement accurately defines secondary stress?

Secondary stress is an intermediate level of prominence within a word. It means that a syllable is more prominent than an unstressed one, but not as prominent as the syllable that carries the primary stress. This weaker but noticeable emphasis helps the rhythm and intelligibility of longer or multi-syllabic words. The most prominent syllable is the one with primary stress, while an unstressed syllable has little to no emphasis. Simply carrying the main vowel sound isn’t what defines secondary stress; it’s about relative prominence compared to the primary-stressed syllable and other syllables.

Secondary stress is an intermediate level of prominence within a word. It means that a syllable is more prominent than an unstressed one, but not as prominent as the syllable that carries the primary stress. This weaker but noticeable emphasis helps the rhythm and intelligibility of longer or multi-syllabic words. The most prominent syllable is the one with primary stress, while an unstressed syllable has little to no emphasis. Simply carrying the main vowel sound isn’t what defines secondary stress; it’s about relative prominence compared to the primary-stressed syllable and other syllables.

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