IELTS Pronunciation Practice: Stress in phrasal verbs

Technique

How to say it

1
Identify whether the particle functions adverbially in a phrasal verb, which requires the primary accent.
2
Make the adverbial particle louder, slightly higher in pitch, and longer than the preceding base verb.
3
Contrast this with compound nouns formed from verbs, where the first element carries the primary stress instead.
4
Differentiate phrasal verbs from prepositional verbs, keeping the main accent on the lexical verb before a weak preposition.

8 pairs

Minimal pairs

Say each pair aloud. If the two words sound the same when you record yourself, slow down and go back to the steps above.

a WORKout (compound noun)/to work OUT (phrasal verb)
a TAKE-off (compound noun)/to take OFF (phrasal verb)
a SETback (compound noun)/to set BACK (phrasal verb)
a BREAKdown (compound noun)/to break DOWN (phrasal verb)
a HANDout (compound noun)/to hand OUT (phrasal verb)
a CHECKout (compound noun)/to check OUT (phrasal verb)
a TURNout (compound noun)/to turn OUT (phrasal verb)
a WARM-up (compound noun)/to warm UP (phrasal verb)

12 sentences

Practice lines from IELTS-style answers

1
I decided to give UP sweet treats to improve my overall health.
stress on particle: give UP
2
Our flight was delayed, but the plane finally managed to take OFF.
stress on particle: take OFF
3
I usually work OUT at the local gym three times a week.
stress on particle: work OUT
4
She had to turn DOWN the job offer because the commute was terrible.
stress on particle: turn DOWN
5
We carried ON walking along the coast despite the sudden heavy downpour.
stress on particle: carried ON
6
I need to sort OUT my messy bedroom before my flatmate arrives.
stress on particle: sort OUT
7
It took several months for my brother to pay OFF his university loan.
stress on particle: pay OFF
8
They set UP a small community garden behind the local primary school.
stress on particle: set UP
9
I try not to put OFF revising until the night before an exam.
stress on particle: put OFF
10
The old car broke DOWN unexpectedly on the motorway outside Leeds.
stress on particle: broke DOWN
11
I had to point OUT several errors in the draft report yesterday.
stress on particle: point OUT
12
My family always tries to cut DOWN on single-use plastic at home.
stress on particle: cut DOWN

Say it in a real answer

Record an IELTS Speaking answer and get a Pronunciation band from the AI examiner, with the exact words that were hard to understand.

Watch out

Common mistakes

→Stressing the lexical verb instead of the particle in phrasal verbs, which makes the phrase sound like a compound noun.
→Overstressing prepositions in prepositional verbs such as 'look after', which naturally take stress on the verb.
→Failing to lengthen the stressed particle, leading to a clipped and unnatural sentence rhythm.

In the exam: When describing habits or past experiences in Part 2, clearly emphasise the adverbial particle in common phrasal verbs like 'take up' or 'wind down' to demonstrate natural English rhythm.

Frequently asked questions

How much does pronunciation count in IELTS Speaking?+

A quarter of your Speaking band. Examiners judge how easy you are to understand and how well you use features like stress, rhythm and intonation, not whether you sound British or American.

Do I need a native accent for Band 8?+

No. An accent is fine at every band. What matters is that individual sounds are clear, stress falls on the right syllables and your intonation helps the listener follow you.

How should I practise these lines?+

Read each line slowly, then at natural speed, then record yourself and compare. Say the sentences in a real answer next, because examiners hear your pronunciation while you think, not while you read.

Keep practising

More word stress practice

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