Which of the following describes a stressed syllable?

A. the part of a word that is silent

B. the first letter of a word

C. the part of a word pronounced with force

D. the root word

C. the part of a word pronounced with force

C. the part of a word pronounced with force

The correct answer is C. A stressed syllable is the part of a word that is pronounced with extra emphasis or force. To determine which syllable is stressed in a word, you can follow these steps:

1. Identify the word and its syllables: Break the word down into its individual syllables. For example, the word "banana" has three syllables: ba-na-na.

2. Determine the stress pattern: Different words can have different stress patterns. In English, stress is often placed on the first syllable of a word, but it can vary. For example, in the word "banana," the stress is on the second syllable (na).

3. Listen for emphasis: Pronounce the word out loud and pay attention to which syllable you naturally emphasize or say with more force. For example, when you say "banana," you might instinctively put more emphasis on the "na" syllable.

4. Identify the stressed syllable: Based on your pronunciation and emphasis, determine which syllable carries the stress. In the case of "banana," it is the second syllable (na) that is stressed.

So, option C, "the part of a word pronounced with force," accurately describes a stressed syllable.