English has a small but busy set of words that change their job when they change their stress. A REC-ord is a thing you keep; to re-CORD is what you do with a microphone. A PRES-ent is a gift; to pre-SENT is to show. What you will learn: • The standard pattern and why it fades • The pairs you will meet most • Pairs with a spelling or vowel difference too • Let grammar decide: the four slots • Pairs that do not shift at all • Why stress alone can mislead • Practice: decode the sentence • Listening strategies • Self-check questions to test your ear Level: B1–B2. Self-study: listen, then take the quizzes. Audio voiced with AI from an original script by Dr. Rashmi R Nair.