Two-Syllable Words
~Stress always falls on the first syllable
Three or More Syllables
~Most are stressed on the second-to-last syllable
Exceptions:
~if that syllable contains no long vowel (a vowel marked with an accent;
~if that syllable contains no diphthong;
~if the short vowel is followed by only one consonant;
~if the short vowel is followed by no consonant.
If a word does not receive stress on the second-to-last syllable, the stress is moved to the third-to-last syllable.