Four syllables, stress on the second: de · VEL · op · er. The first syllable is reduced to a short /dɪ/ ("di"), not "DEE".
Common mistakes:
"DE-veloper" — stressing the first syllable
"de-vel-OP-er" — stressing the third
Same stress pattern — verb and noun share it here:
develop /dɪˈvɛləp/ — "de-VEL-op" (verb)
developer /dɪˈvɛləpər/ — "de-VEL-op-er" (noun)
development /dɪˈvɛləpmənt/ — "de-VEL-op-ment"
In context: "a senior developer", "front-end developer", "developer experience (DX)". Stress always on VEL.
2 / 5
How is parameter stressed and pronounced?
Parameter — /pəˈræmɪtər/ — "pa-RAM-it-er":
Four syllables, stress on the second: pa · RAM · it · er. It rhymes with "thermometer" and "diameter" in its stress shape.
Common mistakes:
"PA-ra-meter" — stressing the first syllable (a very common non-native error)
"pa-ra-MEE-ter" — confusing it with the unrelated word "perimeter"... which is itself "pe-RIM-it-er".
Watch out — these look alike but differ:
parameter /pəˈræmɪtər/ — "pa-RAM-it-er" (a value passed to a function)
perimeter /pəˈrɪmɪtər/ — "pe-RIM-it-er" (the boundary)
In context: "pass a parameter", "query parameter", "type parameter". Stress on RAM.
3 / 5
Which is the correct stress for comparable (as in "comparable performance")?
Comparable — /ˈkɒmpərəbl/ — "COM-pa-ra-bul":
The traditional, dictionary-preferred stress is on the first syllable: COM · pa · ra · bul. This is the safe, standard choice.
However, a second-syllable variant "com-PARE-a-bul" (/kəmˈpɛərəbl/), by analogy with the verb "compare", is increasingly heard, especially in American speech. Both are now listed in major dictionaries, so option D is the most accurate.
In code: Java's Comparable interface — say "COM-pa-ra-bul".
4 / 5
The verb execute and the verb-vs-noun pair attribute both confuse learners. Which is correct?
Two separate stress rules:
execute /ˈɛksɪkjuːt/ — "EK-si-kyoot" — stress on the first syllable. Not "ex-EC-ute". The noun is execution /ˌɛksɪˈkjuːʃn/ — "ek-si-KYOO-shun" (stress shifts to the third).
attribute is a stress-shifting noun/verb pair:
Noun — /ˈætrɪbjuːt/ — "AT-tri-byoot" (stress 1st): "an HTML attribute", "a data attribute".
Verb — /əˈtrɪbjuːt/ — "a-TRIB-yoot" (stress 2nd): "to attribute a bug to a change".
This noun-first / verb-second pattern also governs REcord (n) vs re-CORD (v) and OBject (n) vs ob-JECT (v). Option B is the only one that gets both right.
5 / 5
Which set of length / category words is stressed correctly?
Kilometre and category:
kilometre / kilometer — two accepted pronunciations:
"KIL-o-mee-ter" /ˈkɪləmiːtər/ — stress on the 1st syllable (consistent with millimetre, centimetre)
"ki-LOM-i-ter" /kɪˈlɒmɪtər/ — stress on the 2nd (very common in British and Australian English)
Both are correct; the 2nd-syllable version dominates in everyday UK speech. (Relevant when discussing benchmarks, geodata, map tiles.)
category /ˈkætəɡəri/ — "CAT-e-gory" — stress firmly on the first syllable. Four syllables in careful UK speech: CAT · e · go · ry. Never "ca-TEG-ory".
Related:categorise /ˈkætəɡəraɪz/ — "CAT-e-go-rize"; categorical /ˌkætəˈɡɒrɪkl/ — "cat-e-GOR-i-kul" (stress shifts to 3rd). Option B is correct.