Every English word consists of one or more syllables. A syllable is a group of sounds that are pronounced together. Each syllable contains one vowel, and only one (diphthongs are treated as one vowel, triphthongs – as two). This vowel may be preceded or followed by one or more consonants. The vowel itself may be a short vowel, a long vowel or a diphthong, or if it is /q/ it may be combined with a nasal or lateral consonant to give a syllabic consonant.
The sequence of syllables in the word is not pronounced identically. The syllable or syllables which are said with more prominence, with greater effort than the other syllables of the word are called stressed. A stressed syllable is marked by a) greater loudness than unstressed syllables and often by b) greater length, c) pitch movement and d) more clearly pronounced vowel quality.