Understanding ‘Stress’: Essential IELTS Vocabulary
Learn how to use the word ‘stress’ correctly in your IELTS exam. This video covers its meaning as both a noun and verb, provides examples, and highlights common usage errors to help you express yourself more clearly during the test.
Imagine you’re running late for an important exam. Your heart is racing, your palms are sweaty, and you can’t think clearly.
This feeling is what we call stress. Today, we’re going to learn about the word stress and how to use it correctly in your IELTS exam.
Word type: Stress can be used as both a noun and a verb in English.
Meaning: As a noun, stress refers to a state of mental or emotional strain resulting from demanding circumstances.
As a verb, to stress means to emphasize or give special importance to something.
Word history: The word stress comes from the Latin word strictus, which means tight or narrow.
It entered the English language in the fourteenth century.
Antonyms: Some opposites of stress include relaxation, calm, and peace.
Synonyms: Words with similar meanings to stress include pressure, tension, and strain.
Examples use in sentences:
Here are some examples of how to use stress in sentences. The constant deadlines at work are causing me a lot of stress.
The teacher stressed the importance of practicing English every day. Common errors in use: One common mistake is confusing stress with emphasize when used as a verb.
Remember, we stress a point in speech, but we emphasize a point in writing. To wrap up, understanding and using the word stress correctly can help you express yourself more clearly in the IELTS exam.
Whether you’re describing a challenging situation or highlighting an important point, mastering this word will certainly reduce your stress on test day.

