JUPEBUse of EnglishOral English

Choose the sentence in which the word 'present' has its primary stress on the second syllable.

AThe chairman will present the awards tonight.CORRECT
BAt present the school has no chemistry teacher.
CThe governor received a present from the traditional rulers.
DAll the candidates were present at the briefing.
AI
Toaster Teacher
Why the answer is A, and why the others tempt you.
'Present' shifts its stress with its word class. As a verb meaning to give or show, it is stressed on the second syllable: pre-SENT. As a noun meaning a gift, as an adjective meaning in attendance, and in the phrase 'at present', it is stressed on the first syllable: PRES-ent. Only the sentence about the awards uses the verb.
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