Which syllable is stressed in the word "cats"? - briefly
The stress in the word "cats" falls on the first syllable, making it pronounced as /kæts/.
Which syllable is stressed in the word "cats"? - in detail
To determine which syllable is stressed in the word "cats," it's essential to understand the principles of English stress patterns. The stress in English words generally follows specific rules, and these can be particularly revealing when analyzing plural forms like "cats."
The base word here is "cat," which is a monosyllabic word. In English, most monosyllabic words carry primary stress. Therefore, the syllable "cat" is stressed in the singular form. When we add the plural suffix "-s" to form "cats," the stress pattern typically remains unchanged for regular plurals of this nature. The added suffix does not shift the stress from the original syllable.
To further illustrate, consider other similar words: "dogs," "hats," and "bags." Each of these plural forms retains the stress on the same syllable as their singular counterparts ("dog," "hat," "bag"). This consistency in stress placement is a common feature of English morphology.
In summary, the stressed syllable in the word "cats" is the first one: "cat." The addition of the plural suffix "-s" does not alter the stress pattern from the singular form "cat."